Tracy Chevalier

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The best of the world's arts, film, music and literature brought to you every day. Presented by Mark Coles. Bolshoi scandal Following an acid attack on its director, the world's biggest ballet company the Bolshoi theatre is in danger of gaining a reputation for something altogether different: greed, corruption and intrigue. The Russian cultural commentator Konstantin Von Eggert tells us more. Rite of Spring In the centenary year of the first performance of Stravinksy's masterpiece, we recall the uproar the Nijinsky-Diaghilev ballet caused at its first performance in Paris in 1913. Tracy Chevalier The best selling author of Girl With A Pearl Earring, Tracy Chevalier discusses her latest novel The Last Runaway. Clint Mansell The man behind the atmospheric soundtrack of Chan-wook Park's psychological thriller Stoker is the British composer Clint Mansell. He explains the process involved in scoring for the screen. Pullman Opera Opera is often perceived as stuffy and elitist but a new production hopes to challenge such image by bringing in a younger audience to the opera house. Samira Ahmed discusses sparks, fantasy and opera clichés with composer David Bruce and librettist Glyn Maxwell. Mikhail Shishkin Arguably Russia's greatest living writer, Mikhail Shishkin talks about his latest book The Light and the Dark (original title - Pismovnik) which deals with love, death, time as well as war and peace. Philip Roth Documentary The Pulitzer Prize winning American writer Philip Roth is the subject of a new TV documentary by Livia Manera who was granted rare access into his life and literary world. Steve Earle The Grammy-award winning American singer-songwriter Steve Earle talks to Mark Coles about his new album The Low Highway. Image credit: Eamon McCabe