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Dame Ninette De Valois

Sue Lawley's castaway is ballet mistress Dame Ninette De Valois.

The castaway in Desert Island Discs this week is Britain's most distinguished ballet mistress Dame Ninette de Valois. She first appeared on the professional stage more than 75 years ago, and her contribution to the development of ballet in this country has been phenomenal. Now in her nineties, she'll be talking to Sue Lawley about how she became the first director of the Vic Wells Ballet School in 1931 - a school which grew and changed over the years to become the Royal Ballet in 1956.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Nutcracker Suite by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Book: A collection of poems
Luxury: An everlasting bottle of sleeping pills

Available now

40 minutes

Last on

Fri 20 Dec 1991 09:05
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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Music Played

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Sleeping Beauty - Introduction

    Orchestra: The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

    • Nutcracker Suite.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    Swan Lake - Act 4 (finale)

    Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra

    • Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Benjamin Britten

    The Prince Of The Pagodas

    Orchestra: The Orchestra Of The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

    • Britten: The Prince Of The Pagodas.
    • London.

  • Ludwig Minkus

    La Bayadere - The Kingdom Of The Shades

    Orchestra: The Sydney Symphony Orchestra

    • La Bayadere & Paquita.
    • HMV.

  • William Walton

    Tarantella (from Façade)

    Orchestra: The City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

    • Walton: Facade Suite, Te Deum.
    • EMI.

  • Ralph Vaughan Williams

    Job

    Orchestra: The London Philharmonic Orchestra

    • Vaughan Williams: Job.
    • EMI.

  • Arthur Bliss

    Checkmate - Finale

    Orchestra: The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

    • Bliss; Checkmate, Adam Zero.
    • EMI.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

      Nutcracker Suite

      Orchestra: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

      • Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker.
      • EMI.

  • Book Choice

    • A collection of poems

  • Luxury Choice

    • An everlasting bottle of sleeping pills

Credits

Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Ninette de Valois

Broadcasts

  • Sun 17 Feb 1991 12:15
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
  • Fri 22 Feb 1991 09:05
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
  • Sun 15 Dec 1991 12:15
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
  • Fri 20 Dec 1991 09:05
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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