Classic FM is launching a new Friday night series celebrating love through classical music, hosted by author and broadcaster Dawn O’Porter.
Classical Love Themes with Dawn O’Porter begins on Friday 6 February at 9pm and will run for four weeks on Classic FM and via Global Player, exploring how composers have expressed love in its many forms through some of the best-known works in classical music.
Across the series, Dawn will introduce music inspired by romance, passion, friendship and family, drawing on her own interest in classical music alongside her experience as a storyteller. Each programme focuses on a different theme, combining familiar pieces with the stories behind their creation.
The opening episode, titled The Chase, looks at the excitement and tension of early romance, featuring music from Love Actually, Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story and Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. Later programmes move through falling deeply in love, close friendships and the bonds of family, with music including Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, Elgar’s Nimrod, Hans Zimmer’s score for The Lion King and Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No.2.
Dawn said classical music has a unique way of reflecting emotions connected to love, from the thrill of pursuing it to the comfort found in friendship and family. She said she was looking forward to sharing both the music and its stories with listeners.
Classic FM Managing Editor Joseph Zubier said Dawn’s warmth and curiosity made her a natural fit for the series, which reflects the station’s focus on connecting music with human stories and emotion.
Episodes will be available to listen again on Global Player for thirty days after broadcast.