Main content

Simon Russell Beale

Kirsty Young's castaway is actor Simon Russell Beale.

Kirsty Young's castaway this week is the actor Simon Russell Beale. Critics are torn over their descriptions of him: to some, he's the greatest stage actor in Britain today. To others, merely the greatest Shakespearean actor of his generation. Whichever it is, when he's cast in a play, it invariably sells out, the audience is spellbound and the reviewers smitten.

Yet initially it seemed as if music was his calling; he was a choirboy at St Paul's, won a singing scholarship to Cambridge and went on to study at the Guildhall School of Music. An unorthodox approach to the drama department saw him change direction and he has gone on to win huge acclaim and many awards for his work. Unusually for a modern actor, he has only dabbled lightly in film and television work - he says when faced with the choice between a play and a film he always picks the play.

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

Favourite track: First Movement of 4th Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven
Book: Book on medieval history
Luxury: Daily Araucaria crossword.

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 13 Jul 2007 09:00
麻豆社 Radio 4

More episodes

Previous

Wangari Maathai

Next

Oliver Postgate

See all episodes from Desert Island Discs

Music Played

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major - 1st movement

    Orchestra: Concerto Italiano Conductor: Rinaldo Alessandrini

    • Bach: Brandenburg Concertos.
    • 狈补茂惫别.

  • Herbert Howells

    A Spotless Rose (3 Carol-anthems)

    Singer: Roderick Williams. Choir: City of London Choir. Conductor: Hilary Davan Wetton.

    Choir: Cambridge Singers Conductor: John Rutter

    • Christmas Night: The Cambridge Singers/Rutter.
    • Collegium.

  • Gustav Mahler

    Symphony No. 8 in E flat major 'Symphony of a Thousand' - 1st movement

    Choir: Chorus of the Vienna State Opera & the Vienna Boys鈥� Choir with the Vienna Singers Orchestra: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Sir Georg Solti

    • Mahler:Symphony No.8.
    • Decca.

  • Felix Mendelssohn

    Octet for Strings in E flat major -1st movement

    Orchestra: Members of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields

    • Mendelssohn Octet: Weekend Classics.
    • Decca.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Ludwig van Beethoven

      Symphony No. 4 in B flat major - 1st movement

      Orchestra: Orchestre R茅volutionnaire et Romantique Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner

      • Beethoven: 9 Symphonies.
      • Archiv.

  • Jean Sibelius

    Violin Concerto in D minor - 1st movement

    Soloist: Joshua Bell

    • Sibelius: Violin Concerto. Op.47/Goldmark: Violin Concerto, op.28.
    • Sony Classical.

  • Peter Warlock

    Capriol Suite - 5th movement

    Soloist: Peter Lawson & Alan MacLean

    • British Music for Piano Duet.
    • Campion.

  • Maurice Ravel

    Rapsodie espagnol - 4th movement

    Orchestra: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Andr茅 Previn

    • Ravel:Valses Nobles et Sentimentales/Rapsodie Espagnole.
    • EMI.

  • Book Choice

    • Book on medieval history

  • Luxury Choice

    • Daily Araucaria crossword

Credits

Presenter Kirsty Young
Interviewed Guest Simon Russell Beale

Broadcasts

  • Sun 8 Jul 2007 11:15
    麻豆社 Radio 4
  • Fri 13 Jul 2007 09:00
    麻豆社 Radio 4

Featured in...

The Desert Island Discs podcast

The Desert Island Discs podcast

Subscribe or download individual episodes.

Listen to over 2,000 programmes

Click above to browse castaways, from 1942 to today.

Articles

Read the surprising things we've learned about some stand-out castaways.

Podcast