03/11/2012

The best of the world's arts, film, music and literature brought to you every day. Presented by Harriett Gilbert

Renee Fleming
As one of the world's leading sopranos, her most recent project is a production of Verdi's Otello for The Met in New York, which is being filmed in HD. What problems does such close scrutiny create for a singer?

Ukraine Steel Art
As the first new steel mill opens in Ukraine in 40 years, we visit the factory which features cutting-edge art. We speak to artist Olafur Eliasson and to the owner of the steel mill, one of the country's best known art-patrons, Viktor Pinchuk.

Eduardo Halfon
The Guatemalan author talks about his latest book of short stories in which the line between reality and fiction is somewhat blurred.
The Polish Boxer by Eduardo Halfon, published by Pushkin Press.

Oscar Corral on Tom Wolfe
Tom Wolfe has done New York, he's done Atlanta - now in his latest novel Back to Blood it's Miami's turn. Over several years research, one man acted as his tourist guide-cum-translator, documentary-maker Oscar Corrall.

Male Nudes in Vienna:
The female nude body has long been celebrated and exhibited, but the The Leopold Museum in Vienna is currently staging the first major exhibition devoted to the male nude. And it's stirring up controversy

India's Graphic Novelist
Indian author and artist Amruta Pàtil tells us about her latest graphic novel, Adi Parva: Churning of the Ocean, the start of an ambitious trilogy based on the great Indian mythological epic The Mahabharata.

Michael Cook
Fashion photographer turned artist Michael Cook explores his aboriginal heritage in his latest exhibition Broken Dreams at the October Gallery in

Renee Fleming as Desdemona in Verdi's Otello.
Photo courtesy of Ken Howard and Metropolitan Opera