John Wilson

Welcome to This Cultural Life, the series in which the world's leading artistic figures choose the influences and experiences that have most inspired their own creativity.

I'm John Wilson, and my guest in this episode is one of Britain's best-loved sopranos, Dame Felicity Lott.

After a breakthrough role in the Magic Flute in 1975, she built an international career, performing at opera houses and concert halls all around the world, singing works by composers including Strauss, Schubert and Mozart.

At home, she was seen frequently on television, starred at many BBC Proms concerts, and was made a Dame in 1996.

She was also the recipient of the Légion d'honneur, France's highest cultural award.

Following a recent diagnosis of cancer at an advanced stage, Felicity Lott came to BBC Broadcasting House to look back on her distinguished career in music.

Felicity Lott, welcome to This Cultural Life.

Thank you so much.

It is really wonderful to have you with us here today.

How are you feeling, given the state of your health?

Well, I'm going to be encouraging you to do some more looking back over the course of this interview.

Your first choice of creative influence for this cultural life is your parents.

Were they a big musical influence on you?

Well, sing songs.

More sing songs?

So this was an upbringing in Cheltenham.

In Gloucestershire.

I read that your father was the youngest of five himself.

He grew up in an orphanage, I read.

So not a privileged family background.