I'm just getting into this kind of music - do you have any recommendations?
do you mean opera?
well, some of my faves, definitely all on the crowd-pleasing, accessible side (as opposed to "snobbish")
Cavalleria rusticana / I Pagliacci: both about an hour, often performed together. Opera buffs like to refer to these as Cav and Pag.
La Traviata (or actually, lots of Verdi): the only opera I sang in twice, and never got tired of the music.
Carmen (Bizet): you'll recognize a whole lot of this music. Great tunes, like the Toreador Song and the Habanera.
La Boheme (Puccini, and lots of other Puccini)
I sang in all of these.
Edit. in case anyone says "what about X?" (where "X" is The Magic Flute, say): yeah, that, too. This isn't a "best of" list; just my own favorites.
I was thinking of something general like 'classical-vocal' - I've been listening to Bach lately, so I know of cantatas at least. Opera suggestions are much appreciated.
My favorite story, which this doesn't quite repeat, is that he was a German prisoner in an American POW camp after WW II, and the guards discovered his singing talent. (this story does have the POW stuff, but not his discovery. Maybe that's an urban myth.)
A number of popular operas are in the series, and Timson is excellent at giving a colourful bio of the composer, plot synopsis, and excerpts plus discussion of the famous arias.
You'll find famous operas from Mozart, Beethoven, Verdi, Puccini, Wagner, Rossini, Strauss, and even operettas by Gilbert and Sullivan. Very well made, and highly recommended.