Sophie Tucker’s career spanned 60 years. Famous as a cabaret artist, she was also a liberated feminist and extremely generous philanthropist. Remembered as a singer of risqué as well as sentimental and Jewish songs, she was loved for her flamboyant personality.

Barbara Blum writes about three generations of the Jewish born Mendlessohn family - philosopher Moses, bankers Abraham and Joseph, and musicians Felix and Fanny. In spite of his parents, Abraham and Leah, converting their family to Christianity, did Felix question this imposed conversion by the end of his life?

Barbara Blum gives us the background to Mascagni’s two best know operas, Cavalleria Rusticano and L’Amico Fritz. It is interesting to learn that 50 years after the opera’s were written Mascagni – who was Italian born – joined the Fascist party and changed the identities of his characters to fit his new political ideas.

“Shostakovich, a non-Jew would describe the Jews as 'the most persecuted and defenseless people of Europe' and judge a fellow man by his attitude towards Jews, as he himself had no place in his heart for anti-Semitism.” “Shostakovich's works are a supreme example of a man's courage and determination to express his innermost thoughts and feelings in the face of unimaginable terror and its consequences.”

There are many ways that the biblical story of Belshazzar has been portrayed – in music, art and literature. Barbara Blum write about Belshazzar’s Feast, the massive chorale work composed by William Walton 80 years ago.