Dame Janet Baker's contribution to classical music - on stage and on record - has been remarkable, enriching the catalogue with performances of astonishing beauty, power and vivid insight. To mark her 80th birthday, EMI has issued a 20-CD set – 'Dame Janet Baker: The Great EMI Recordings' – and James Jolly met with her to talk about her career for the latest in our series of Gramophone Milestones Podcasts, in association with EFG International. The musical excerpts on the Podcast are taken from the new EMI set, with the exception of that from Britten's Phaedra, which is taken from the Decca recording of the work.

To discover more about Dame Janet Baker's career, see her entry in the Gramophone Hall of Fame, including recommended recordings and links to an archive interview.

You can stream the podcast below, or to download for free - and subscribe to Gramophone podcasts - visit Gramophone at iTunes.