Bizetâs Dream DVD

The waltz was all the rage in 1860âs Europe, and composer Johann Strauss Jr. was the known as the "King of Three-Quarter Time." In this movie, Strauss is stressed by the pressure of outdoing himself with each new composition and the memory of his late fatherâs disapproval of his music.

Set in 1717, Bachâs Fight for Freedom is a story about the positive power of ambition. It focuses on a temperamental, demanding composer and a free-thinking servant boy, both of whom feel like prisoners of circumstance.

Set in 1816, the year "The Barber of Seville" had its disastrous premiere, Rossiniâs Ghost is the story of three women who learn that friendship, like opera - or great pasta sauce - requires nurturing, patience, and time.

Franz Liszt is the 19th-century equivalent of a rock star - handsome, rich and famous beyond his dreams. But the Hungarian-born Liszt wants to be more than simply Europe's most celebrated pianist; he wants to compose great music - not just play it.

One of the finest achievements of Western culture is its brilliant heritage of classical music. A Gift of Music looks at the lives of the greatest composers who have given us this heritage, and especially at how their music was shaped by their beliefs.

Marjorie Persons has written light-hearted, educational lyrics to 127 of the worldâs most beautiful classical music themes.

Volume 2 features all four of Vivaldiâs Four Seasons, Tchaikovskyâs Nutcracker Suite and Stravinskyâs Firebird Suite and lots more.

What a wonderful way to introduce your students, children and grandchildren to a lifetime adventure with classical music.