Stephen Johnson explores Act 3 of Wagner's opera Tristan und Isolde.

Despite his huge line-up of instruments Wagner uses his orchestra to create some of music's most transfixing sounds. Stephen Johnson descends to the orchestra pit to explore how. Show more

Simon Russell Beale explores the impact of Wagner on fin-de-siecle British culture, from Aubrey Beardsley to George Bernard Shaw. He talks to Emma Sutton and David Huckvale. Show more

Discussion about Wagner's relationship to French music and ideas with Tim Blanning and Sarah Hibberd. Show more

Tom Service visits Zurich to discuss the city's influence on Wagner. And Stephen Evans reports from events at the Wagner 200th anniversary celebrations in Leipzig.

Sara Mohr-Pietsch continues her survey of Wagner's Ring Cycle, with Elaine Padmore and Patrick Carnegie joining her for an introduction to Die Walküre. Show more

Sara Mohr-Pietsch is joined by historian Sarah Lenton and writer and critic Philip Hensher for an introduction to Gotterdammerung, the last opera in Wagner's Ring cycle. Show more

In a discussion held in the Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall of the Royal College of Music, James Jolly discusses Wagner's Tannhauser with Peggy Reynolds and Simon Rees. Show more

Nina Stemme is the soloist in this concert version of the overture and Isolde's Act 3 aria, "Mild und leise"

Martin Handley is joined by Stephen Fry and Stephen Johnson for a discussion about Wagner's epic final opera, Parsifal. Show more

With soloists and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Mark Wigglesworth.. Show more

With the West–Eastern Divan Orchestra conducted by Daniel Barenboim.

With the West–Eastern Divan Orchestra conducted by Daniel Barenboim.

With the West–Eastern Divan Orchestra conducted by Daniel Barenboim.