Song: Mirror of the World is a 13-week radio series that explores classic song — poetry set to music — as a prism for understanding culture and history. The series builds on the Hampsong Foundation’s highly successful Song of America radio series (which you can listen to here), also co-produced by the WFMT Radio Network.

Each one-hour program includes 40-45 minutes of music, drawn from recordings of all eras, and 15-20 minutes of commentary by international opera star, recitalist, and arts and humanities advocate Thomas Hampson. Some programs focus on a particular moment and place in history, while others have a wider chronological and geographic range.

Song: Mirror of the World takes a broad, humanities-based approach to the role of song in society. The series explores the relationship of song to cultural movements, historical events, and intellectual thought. There is a special focus on cross-cultural dialogues throughout the European continent, and between Europe and the United States. Writers who collaborated with Mr. Hampson on the series include leading authorities on classic song from American and European universities, as well as radio professionals who contributed to Song of America.