Chosen either because of their direct connection to Wagner or because they somehow interest us and included Wagner in their Desert Island Discs. In all cases, the full show is available with the music included. Average running time, 45 minutes. Clicking any of the links or the play icon will start that show. For our readers that subscribe via RSS or email, the links may or may not work. If they do not, visiting the site here directly should resolve the matter. Enjoy.
The BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs was first broadcast on 29 January 1942 and continues to broadcast. It invites "castaways" to choose eight pieces of music, a book (in addition to the Bible - or a religious text appropriate to that person's beliefs - and the Complete Works of Shakespeare) and a luxury item that they would take to an imaginary desert island, where they will be marooned indefinitely. The rules state that the chosen luxury item must not be anything animate or indeed anything that enables the castaway to escape from the island, for instance a radio set, sailing yacht or aeroplane.
Colin Dexter. Feb 1998
Linda Esther Gray. 1983
Norman Bailey. October 1976
Joanna Lumley. May 2007
Sir Charles Mackerras. March 1999
Sir Clifford Curzon. June 1978
Claudio Abbado Feb 1980.
Reginald Goodall. Jan 1980
Colin Wilson. Oct 1978
Robert Tear.. May 1980 (28 minute clip only)
Kiri Te Kanawa. march 1980
Renata Scotto. Aug 1980
John Tomlinson. Jan 1988
Christopher Lee. 1995
Klaus Tennstedt. 1991
Stephen Fry 1988
Rosalind Plowright, May 1984
Gwyneth Jones.. Jan 1983
Sir Thomas Allen.. June 2001
Claudio Abbado. Feb 1980
The Full BBC Desert Island Archive Can Searched By Clicking Here