Known as the high priestess of Italian opera, Maria Callas won the admiration of the whole world, and her life had all the dramatic dimensions of one of her own operatic roles: Born in New York but based in Athens, her early tutors were unconvinced by her vocal talents, but her extraordinary voice soon made an impression. She rose to fame with an impeccable bel canto technique and extensive dramatic ability, which brought her to the attention of Aristotle Onassis. Their turbulent affair was ended when Onassis formed a relationship with Jackie Kennedy, and the popular imagination has it that Callas died some years later, alone and heartbroken.

Unlike many of today's popular singers, Callas' talent made her arguably the greatest prima donna of the 20th century. The American soprano of Greek descent found fame with her exceptionally expressive voice, with which, combined with her extraordinary range, magnetic stage presence and mastery of difficult roles, she dazzled audiences in Norma and Lucia di Lammermoor, becoming the most famous opera star of her day. With the fame however, came the fiery, extravagant reputation. Tales of her behaviour are numerous, but the more prevalent concern her inability to travel with fewer than 20 pieces of luggage, a maid and a butler; the time she sent a private jet to Milan to collect a lucky charm; and the £1.6m worth of borrowed emeralds she wore to complete her costume as an Egyptian queen at a costume ball at the Waldorf-Astoria in 1957. A collection of her previously-unpublished correspondence that went under the hammer a few years ago at Christie's in London revealed that she was equally demanding in written format: responding to a proposed televised performance, she fumed "I hate opera on the little screen done by people with no taste at all".

Point taken. Still, since we don't count ourselves in that particular category, we're exploring the life and art of the inimitable Maria Callas with this revealing documentary on her short but spectacular life, from her rise to international stardom to her - suitably operatic - tragic demise.

In this specially remastered performance-based programme, Life and Art captures the short but spectacular career of a diva whose reputation today stands higher than ever as one of the most important and influential opera singers of recent history.