In Tune Highlights

BBC Arts Editor Will Gompertz explores seasonal works of art. In the first of 5 Christmas Cards he turns to Van Gogh's self-portrait Bandaged Ear, which began life on Christmas Eve 1888

Sean Rafferty talks to tenor Roberto Alagna & mezzo soprano Anita Rachvetishvili about their roles in Bizet's Carmen at Covent Garden.

Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter Angelique Kidjo pays tribute to the great Nelson Mandela

Maestro Daniel Barenboim on conducting the New Years Day Concert in Vienna, and on winning the Marion Dönhoff prize for his work with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra.

Sir Peter Maxwell Davies talks to Sean Rafferty about where he found inspiration for his tenth symphony as he approaches his 80th birthday.

Gerald Finley on singing Wagner - he's back at the Royal Opera House singing Parsifal, and has recorded a new Winterreise disc with pianist Julius Drake. He talks to Sean Rafferty about the challenges of singing Schubert and Wagner.

Baritone Njabulo Madlala talks to Sean Rafferty about his meteoric rise from a South African Township to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

Mezzo soprano Anne Sofie von Otter talks about her latest album of French songs.

Choirmaster and presenter Gareth Malone talks about teaching people to Sing While You Work and the joy of putting together his brand new group, Gareth Malone's Voices

Composer John Rutter, cellist Steven Isserlis and soprano Patricia Rozario reflect on the life and work of the late Sir John Tavener

Superstar pianist Lang Lang on his new role as UN Messenger of Peace, playing from memory and how to deal with nerves and injury.

Mandolinist Chris Thile and conductor Masaaki Suzuki talk separately and together about their love of JS Bach

Legendary jazz trumpeter Hugh Masekela talks to Suzy about his stunning career, how music to him is 'an incurable virus' and his lifelong musical relationship with pianist Larry Willis

Soprano Dame Emma Kirkby on her early love of John Dowland's music, Brighton Early Music Festival and tutoring young performers. She is joined by singer Anna Thunstrom and lutenist Wezi Elliot.

World renowned guitarist Xuefei Yang on Western Classical Music in China, the music that has been adapted for guitar and playing her guitar in a swimming pool.

Sean Rafferty talks to director Simon McBurney about his new production of Magic Flute at English National Opera

Conductor Riccardo Chailly on his Brahms cycle with Gewandhausorchester Leipzig at the Barbican and the rumours around whether or not he'll take over as Music Director at La Scala, Milan

Did you hear what you think you heard? The Clerks' Edward Wickham talks to Sean Rafferty about misheard lyrics from the Renaissance to the present day with musical examples by Josquin Des Prez and Christopher Fox.

The legendary Vladimir Ashkenazy talks about his career as a concert pianist, playing for Shostakovich and learning to conduct

Conductor Edward Gardner on his early interest in music, Mendelssohn at the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and nurturing talent at English National Opera