He grew up next door to Oscar Hammerstein and became his greatest protege. In 1957, he wrote the lyrics for "West Side Story," and for the next 60 years dominated the world of musical theater, and transformed it. His songs managed to express the most complex and vital human emotions, and touched generations of theatergoers. Stephen Sondheim was still writi ... Show More
Jul 20
Katie Ledecky: The Call Of The Water
She sent shockwaves through the world of competitive swimming, when she won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics, beating out the favorites by a wide margin. She was 15 years old. Katie Ledecky is now training for her fifth Olympics, and is indisputably the greatest female swimmer o ... Show More
53m 20s
Apr 2026
Cindy Sherman: Illusions of Identity
Cindy Sherman, one of the world's most renowned contemporary art photographers, started posing for her own photos in the 1970's, long before the advent of selfies. But she says her images are not self-portraits. Instead, she uses sets, costumes and makeup to create an elaborate a ... Show More
42m 14s
Dec 2021
The Life and Legacy of Stephen Sondheim
<p>Stephen Sondheim died last week at his home in Roxbury, Conn. He was 91.</p><p>For six decades, Mr. Sondheim, a composer-lyricist whose works include “Sweeney Todd” and “Into the Woods,” transformed musical theater into an art form as rich, complex and contradictory as life it ... Show More
34m 31s
Nov 2021
Kelly Lee Owens, Stephen Sondheim, Rowan Williams, Black Obsidian Sound System
The electronic musician Kelly Lee Owens won this year’s Welsh Music Prize for her album Inner Song. She tells Samira Ahmed about her inspiration - and her collaborations with John Cale, Björk and Michael Sheen. This evening theatres in the West End dim their lights in honour of t ... Show More
42m 23s
Aug 2024
Leonard Bernstein the Composer – with Edward Seckerson
Leonard Bernstein (1918-90) was perhaps the most 'complete' classical musician of the last century, as composer (covering everything from Broadway musicals to serial orchestral works), conductor (one of the 20th century's most admired), teacher or pianist. Edward Seckerson interv ... Show More
45m 30s