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Tamara Rojo

Kirsty Young talks to Tamara Rojo, principal ballerina and artistic director of English National Ballet.

Kirsty Young's castaway this week is the ballerina Tamara Rojo.

On stage she is a principal dancer for the English National Ballet and when the curtain comes down she performs the role of the company's artistic director. World-renowned as a stunning, emotional and dramatic performer, it must surely be a very different set of characteristics she employs off stage, marshalling her company of dancers and propelling the organisation's creative journey.

She was just five years old when, sheltering from the rain she found herself in the school gym, instantly beguiled by the peace and order of a dance class. Despite her father's attempts to widen her horizons with music, sport and art lessons - her path in life was set.

She says, "Life on stage is like nothing else. I've never done heroin but I'm sure that's what it's like. Every feeling and sense exploding. Every nerve in your body complete awake".

Producer: Cathy Drysdale.

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 13 Jun 2014 09:00

Music Played

  • Nina Simone

    Love me or Leave Me

    • The Best Of Nina Simone: My Baby Just Cares For Me.
    • Crimson.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor

    Performer: The Neon Philharmonic Orchestra. Performer: Leopold Stokowski.
    • Toccato and Fugue Â….
    • London.
  • Leonard Cohen

    Take This Waltz

    • The Essential Leonard Cohen.
    • Columbia.
  • Sergey Prokofiev

    The Crypt Scene - Epilogue

    Performer: London Symphony Orchestra. Performer: André Previn.
    • Romeo and Juliet.
    • EMI.
  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Paco de Lucía

      Como el Agua

      • Camaron de La Isla.
      • Universal.
  • Franz Liszt

    Harmonies poetigues et religieuses

    Performer: Alfred Brendel.
    • Liszt: Piano Music.
    • Philips.
  • Amy Winehouse

    Back to Black

    • Back to Black.
    • Universal.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Piano Concerto No. 21 in C - the Andante

    Performer: Alfred Brendel. Performer: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Performer: Neville Marriner.
    • Alfred Brendel Collection Vol 5.
    • Philips.
  • Book Choice

    • Love in the time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

  • Luxury Choice

    • bed

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Kirsty Young
Interviewed Guest Tamara Rojo
Producer Cathy Drysdale

Broadcasts

  • Sun 8 Jun 2014 11:15
  • Fri 13 Jun 2014 09:00

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