Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

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desert is.land

“And if you could take only one…” — a semantic wireless tuned to the Desert Island Discs archive.

The listing

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Transmission

Broadcasting since 1942
Long wave 198 kHz
An unofficial archive companion
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Not affiliated with the BBC · Built for the love of the long wave · Made by Daniel Hails

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden — Artist · desert is.land

desert is.landest. 1942

Find a castaway Most requested Browse the archive About Report a fault

Artist

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

14 episodes

Chosen over the decades

14

Total castaways

1990s

Peak decade

5

Decades seen

Castaways who chose this

André Previn
Britt Ekland
Dame Joan Bakewell
Dame Ninette De Valois
Darcey Bussell
John Drummond
Judith Kerr
Kenneth Macmillan
Marianela Núñez
Nadia Nerina
Nicholas Hytner
Rt Hon Gillian Shephard MP
Sir Anthony Dowell
Sir Peter Pears

Marianela Núñez
Marianela Núñez on choosing a plane ticket over her quinceañera
Castaway · 29 December 2024Lauren Laverne
Dame Joan Bakewell
Joan Bakewell on the shock of seeing her affair dramatised in Harold Pinter's Betrayal
Castaway · 9 August 2009Kirsty Young

desert is.land

“And if you could take only one…” — a semantic wireless tuned to the Desert Island Discs archive.

The listing

Find a castaway
Most requested
Browse the archive
About

Transmission

Broadcasting since 1942
Long wave 198 kHz
An unofficial archive companion
Report a fault

Not affiliated with the BBC · Built for the love of the long wave · Made by Daniel Hails

Darcey Bussell

How Darcey Bussell nearly died from preeclampsia

Castaway · 14 May 2006Sue Lawley

10°15′S 154°04′W

Judith Kerr

Judith Kerr on killing off Mog the Cat as she turned 80

Castaway · 29 February 2004Sue Lawley

Sir Anthony Dowell

08°43′S 051°21′W

Sir Anthony Dowell

Anthony Dowell on having his knees inspected by Dame Ninette de Valois

Castaway · 8 March 1998Sue Lawley

15°32′S 137°01′W

André Previn

How a former client in the SS helped André Previn's family flee Nazi Germany

Castaway · 18 August 1996Sue Lawley

Rt Hon Gillian Shephard MP

11°22′S 113°10′W

Rt Hon Gillian Shephard MP

Gillian Shephard on being stuck in a teaching routine she didn't enjoy

Castaway · 5 November 1995Sue Lawley

14°04′S 015°38′W

John Drummond

John Drummond on the ten years of misery under Hugh Weldon

Castaway · 26 June 1994Sue Lawley

13°31′S 129°22′W

Britt Ekland

Britt Ekland on marrying Peter Sellers after just ten days

Castaway · 22 May 1994Sue Lawley

Nicholas Hytner

05°02′S 015°39′W

Nicholas Hytner

How Nicholas Hytner's wandering attention on stage made him a director

Castaway · 11 July 1993Sue Lawley

Dame Ninette De Valois

23°16′S 027°35′W

Dame Ninette De Valois

Ninette de Valois on the moment Margot Fonteyn stood out like a diamond

Castaway · 17 February 1991Sue Lawley

Sir Peter Pears

13°27′S 035°45′W

Sir Peter Pears

Peter Pears on scoring 81 not out at the Oval as a young cricketer

Castaway · 11 June 1983Roy Plomley

Kenneth Macmillan

14°10′S 041°49′W

Kenneth Macmillan

How a schoolboy letter helped Kenneth Macmillan get into ballet school

Castaway · 5 March 1983Roy Plomley

21°50′S 119°04′W

Nadia Nerina

Nadia Nerina on her nervous breakdown deciding between Giselle and Lady Macbeth

Castaway · 18 October 1965Roy Plomley