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Dame Monica Mason

Dame Monica Mason, Director of the Royal Ballet, is interviewed by Kirsty Young.

Kirsty Young's castaway is the director of the Royal Ballet, Dame Monica Mason.

Her working life has been dedicated to dance. When she joined the Royal Ballet at fifteen she was the youngest dancer to be admitted to the company and, during her career, its legendary choreographer Kenneth MacMillan created five roles for her. She became director ten years ago and is due to step down this summer. She says: "I couldn't bear it if I thought that, behind closed doors, somebody was saying 'she's here again, you know', so I shall keep my distance and only go in when asked."

Producer: Leanne Buckle.

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 13 Jan 2012 09:00
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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Music Played

  • Billie Holiday

    All of Me

    • On The Sentimental Side.
    • Past Perfect.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Overture to Swan Lake

    • Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake.
    • Naxos.

  • Richard Tauber

    You are My Heart’s Delight

    • Richard Tauber A selection Of His Greatest Recordings.
    • ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ.

  • Charlie Kunz

    The Harry Lime theme

    • Charlie Kunz Piano Medley, Vol.1.
    • Decca.

  • Paul Simon

    Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes

    • The Very Best of Ladysmith Black Mambazo: Rain, Rain, Beautiful Rain.
    • Wrasse Records.

  • Igor Stravinsky

    The Sacrificial Dance from the Rite of Spring

    • Stravinsky. Le Sacre dur Printemps….
    • Philips.

  • Heitor Villa‐Lobos

    The Prelude No.1 in E Minor

    • American Decca Recordings.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Gustav Mahler

      The ending of Der Abschied – The Farewell from The Song of the Earth

      • Mahler: The Song of the Earth.
      • EMI.

  • Book Choice

    • A special compilation of all of David Attenborough's books

  • Luxury Choice

    • A torch

ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Four Talk Collection

ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Four Talk Collection
This programme is part of Talk - a collection of interviews with some of the most influential figures of the 20th century.

Go to the ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Four Talk Collection

About ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Four Collection programmes

Programmes are selected, in part, for their historical context and reflect the broadcast standards and attitudes of their time, which may not accord to some current ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ editorial guidelines. We aim to select programmes which can be shown in their entirety but in some cases edits are required.

Credits

Presenter Kirsty Young
Interviewed Guest Monica Mason

Broadcasts

  • Sun 8 Jan 2012 11:15
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
  • Fri 13 Jan 2012 09:00
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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