The Danish tenor Lauritz Melchior established himself as one of the world�s leading Wagnerian tenors after being invited to Bayreuth by Siegfried Wagner. Besides his career on the opera stage, Melchior became a popular �cross-over� artist and household name, appearing on radio and in films. While he was making films in Hollywood � �I like a little vacation from Valhalla� � Melchior made the 27 tracks featured on this disc. In addition to well-known arias from Tosca and Pagliacci, Melchior sings Schubert, selections from operettas, popular songs by Jerome Kern and Cole Porter, and Scandinavian songs.