David Mellor, Sunday 26 July 2015 7pm

David Mellor takes a summer excursion to the musical shores of Italy.

Tonight, David explores the music from a country that has inspired, or been the birthplace of, some of the greatest classical works ever written.

In his travels, he of course showcases the works of the great masters of Italian opera - from Rossini, through Verdi, to Puccini.

There’s also music that Mendelssohn sketched out during his travels to Italy. He described his Italian Symphony as "the jolliest piece I have ever done, especially the last movement."

And listen out for some little known music from composer Giuseppe Martucci, who was very influential in reviving the Italian’s interest in non-operatic music, and who as a conductor helped to introduce Wagner's operas and English music to Italian audiences.