The story of a professional soldier with an extraordinarily long nose and his unrequited love for the fair Roxanne who woos her for her suitor, who dies on the battlefield, after which the stricken Roxanne enters a convent, visited over the years by the ever-faithful Cyrano until she realizes, too late, that it was his soul that she loved all along.

Musical director George Bassman, orchestra conducted by Max Rudolph of the Metropolitan Opera; stage concert with 13 of world's top opera singers and musicians, each performing a single number; the performers included baritone Leonard Warren (""Prologue"" from Leoncavallo's ""Pagliacci""), tenor Jan Peerce (""Vesti La Giubba"" from Leoncavallo's ""Pagliacci""), violinist Isaac Stern (lst movement of Mendelssohn's ""Violin Concerto in E Minor""), soprano Zhinka Milanov (""Vissi d'Arte"" from Puccini's ""Tosca""), coloratura soprano Roberta Peters (""The Doll Song"" from Offenbach's ""Tales of Hoffman""), cellist Gregor Piatigorsky (""Adagio and Rondo for Cello and Orchestra"" by Carl Maria Von Weber), contralto Marian Anderson (""Beautiful City,"" ""Poor Me,"" ""He's Got the Whole World in His Hands""), mezzo-sopranos Blanche Thebom and Mildred Miller (""Barcarolle"" duet from Offenbach's ""Tales of Hoffman""), mezzo-soprano Rise Stevens (""Card Song"" from Bizet's ""Carmen""), tenor Jussi Bjoerling (""Che Gelida Manina""

The story concentrates on the encounter of the girl queen with the great Roman Emperor Julius Caesar. Now a battle-hardened veteran and experienced ruler in his 50's, Caesar finds the young Cleopatra ignorant of how to behave and how to rule wisely. He becomes her instructor. In the midst of court intrigue she has Caesar's help in strengthening her hand.

The stage concert starring Victoria De Los Angeles, Barry Morrell, Elizabeth Doubleday, Virginio Assandri, Arthur Newman (in opening scene of Verdi's ""La Traviata""), Marian Anderson (""Heav'n, Heav'n,"" ""My Lord, What a Mornin',"" ""Roll, Jord'n Roll""), pianist Artur Rubenstein (Rachmaninoff's ""Rhapsodie on a Theme by Paganini,"") Alfred Wallenstein conducting the Symphony of the Air Orchestra, guitarist Andres Segovia (Gavotte by J.S. Bach, Allegretto by M. Torroba), Boris Christoff, Nicola Moscona, Michael Pollock, Kirk Jordan (Last Act Death Scene from Mussorgsky's ""Boris Gudonov""); large supporting cast.