Programme Details

Susan Hitch discusses with historian Robert Service his latest book, Stalin: A Biography, which charts the rise of the one-time seminary boy and poet to dictator and mass murderer. Using declassified documents in the Central Party Archives in Moscow, Robert Service says he has identified the gross personality disorder that drove Stalin to behave the way he did.

Art critic, Andrew Graham Dixon, visits the major new exhibition at the National Gallery. In the most comprehensive collection ever seen of his work, Raphael: from Urbino to Rome charts the dramatic rise of the high Renaissance artist, from his earliest works, to the flowering of his talent under the patronage of Pope Julius II.

Debra Craine hot foots it from Sadler's Wells to join us to preview Dance Concertantes, performed by the New York City Ballet and featuring leading dancers famed for speed, enthusiasm and power. The programme features Balanchine's Variations Pour Une Port et Une Soupir; a Millepied world premiere set to a Daniel Ott score and two UK premieres of Wheeldon's Liturgy and Martin's Hallelujah Junction.

And Heimat, Edgar Reitz's first epic tale of a family and set in a small German village, spanning from the end of the First World War to 1982 has been released on DVD - all eleven episodes of it. And his epic third series received its world premiere at last month's Venice Film Festival. Susan Hitch discusses Heimat's appeal with writer Carole Angier and critic Karen Leeder.

That's all on Night Waves at 9.30pm.


Presenter: Susan Hitch
Producer:Anne-Marie Cole