Main content

Ralph Koltai

Sue Lawley's castaway is associate designer of the RSC Ralph Koltai.

Sue Lawley's castaway this morning is the stage designer Ralph Koltai. He says his work is not about art, but about ideas. His stage sets are a metaphor for the whole play. Thus he thrilled Ken Russell by building him four stages each resembling different parts of a woman's body. His aim? To represent the degradation of women in the 18th century.

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

Favourite track: Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor by Max Bruch
Book: French dictionary
Luxury: Cigars

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 28 Aug 1998 09:00

Music Played

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Max Bruch

      Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor

      Artist: Kyung Wha Chung

      • Beethoven / Bruch.
      • EMI Classics.
  • Jules Massenet

    Pourquoi me r茅veiller? (from Werther)

    Soloist: Georges Thill Artist: Opera-Comique Conductor: Elie Cohen

    • EMI.
  • Camille Saint鈥怱a毛ns

    Amour! viens aider ma faiblesse (from Samson and Delilah)

    Soloist: Marian Anderson

    • Marian Anderson.
    • Pearl.
  • Meine Herren, meine Mutter pr盲gte (from The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny)

    Soloist: Alberto Remedios and Rita Hunter Orchestra: The Sadler鈥檚 Wells Orchestra Conductor: Reginald Goodall

  • 脡dith Piaf

    Non, je ne Regrette Rien

    • Edith Piaf.
    • EMI.
  • Kurt Weill

    Meine Herren, meine Mutter Pragte from Act 2 of Mahagonny

    Soloist: Lotte Lenya Orchestra: The Orchestra of the North German Radio Chorus Conductor: Wilhelm Bruckner-Ruggeberg

    • Mahagonny.
    • CBS Records.
  • Dory Previn

    Lover Lover Be My Cover

    • Dory Previn.
    • Warner.
  • Giuseppe Verdi

    La traviata Act 3

    Soloist: Maria Callas Orchestra: The Orchestra of La Scala, Milan Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini

    • La Traviata.
    • EMI.
  • Book Choice

    • French dictionary

  • Luxury Choice

    • Cigars

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Ralph Koltai

Broadcasts

  • Sun 23 Aug 1998 11:15
  • Fri 28 Aug 1998 09:00

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