logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2010
27m 48s

Dido's Lament

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

Series exploring famous pieces of music and their emotional appeal.

Dido's Lament is a popular name for a famous aria, 'When I am laid in earth', from the opera Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell, with the libretto by Nahum Tate. Mezzo soprano Sarah Connolly talks about why she finds the piece, sung by the likes of Janet Baker and Emma Kirkby, so extraordinary, and the skill it takes to perform it. Composer and cellist Philip Shepperd's musical life was transformed when he was part of the rock singer Jeff Buckley's performance of the piece at the 1995 Meltdown Festival.

Contributors: Alison Moyet Sarah Connolly Jeremy summerly Graham Jones Sheryl Sarnet Nicholas Witchell Philip Sheppard

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2010.

Up next
Jan 2026
Make You Feel My Love
"When the rain is blowing in your face / And the whole world is on your case / I could offer you a warm embrace / To make you feel my love"Written by Bob Dylan for his Time Out of Mind album, 'Make You Feel My Love' went on to become a huge hit for Adele and has been covered by B ... Show More
27m 46s
Jan 2026
Cranes in the Sky by Solange
Marking 25 years of the award-winning series, Soul Music features songs from the last 25 years. “I tried to drink it away... I tried to run it away...” Solange’s hit song, written in 2008 and released eight years later, muses on themes of isolation, loneliness, and depression. Sh ... Show More
27m 28s
Jan 2026
Yellow by Coldplay
"Look at the stars, look how they shine for you..."True stories of what Yellow, one of Coldplay's most iconic songs, means to people 25 years on from its release.It's December 1999 and a relatively unknown band called Coldplay are midway through recording their debut studio album ... Show More
27m 41s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2020
Max Richter
The eclectic composer joins members of the ACME ensemble for some of his most affecting music, which moves the audience to tears.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NP ... Show More
Sep 2016
"Hades' Cat and Cuckoo-Clock Robots": Opera
OPERA. DO YOU HATE IT? WELL THEN. Yay or nay it matters not - this is the episode for you. Kelly tries to convince Chris that opera is DA BOMB - does she succeed? Have a listen. Music featured in this episode: "Tu se' morta" from "L'Orfeo" - Claudio Monteverdi "Der Hölle Rache ko ... Show More
26m 50s
Feb 2020
Elisapie
The Canadian singer-songwriter gives a deep, soulful performance against a sometimes moody backdrop of bass saxophone and bowed guitars.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship prefere ... Show More
May 2018
T02E04 - Manon Lescaut
Escuchamos la ópera de uno de los compositores más grandes de todos los tiempos: Puccini. Con esta pieza pasó de un día para otro a convertirse en el sucesor de Verdi. Massenet ya había puesto música a esta historia pero Puccini la llevó a la italiana. Un relato que trata los ato ... Show More
34m 24s
Aug 2018
Erykah Badu
The singer's performance at the Tiny Desk was an almost spiritual experience, leaving many at the NPR Music offices in awe.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Priv ... Show More
15m 17s
Jul 2022
TV Themes
Tom Service explores television themes with Oscar-winning composer Anne Dudley, who wrote the music for Poldark, Black Narcissus, and Jeeves and Wooster. 
28m 30s
Jan 2024
Let's Get Stringy
In today's episode, Stephen and Joanna pour over some of the most passionate music ever performed and conceived - the violin concerto. They explore the mechanics of violin playing, discuss their favourite virtuoso fiddlers and also explore major works by Elgar, Brahms, Tchaikovsk ... Show More
32m 49s
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami