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Penny Woolcock, film director

The film-maker and opera director Penny Woolcock shares her musical choices with Michael Berkeley.

The writer and film-maker Penny Woolcock can鈥檛 be pigeonholed: she鈥檚 worked as a director at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and made a film about warring drug gangs on the streets of Birmingham.

A passion for storytelling has driven her career, along with a rebellious streak, perhaps because she鈥檚 something of an outsider and never went to university or film school. She often uses non-professional actors in her work, including a staging of Bach鈥檚 St Matthew Passion with people who had experienced homelessness. And after completing her movie about rival gangs in Birmingham, she found herself helping to broker a peace deal between two of the actual gang leaders.

She has recently written a memoir, The Man Who Gave Me a Biscuit, about growing up in a British enclave in Argentina.

Her musical choices include Shostakovich, Britten, Bach and Sibelius.

Producer: Katy Hickman

7 days left to listen

1 hour, 26 minutes

Last on

Sun 8 Mar 2026 12:00
麻豆社 Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Jean Sibelius

    Symphony no.5 in E flat major Op.82 (3rd mvt)

    Orchestra: Minnesota Orchestra. Conductor: Osmo V盲nsk盲.
    • Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 5.
    • BIS.
    • 7.

  • Violeta Parra

    Gracias A La Vida

    Singer: Mercedes Sosa.
    • La Historia Del Folklore (Segunda Parte).
    • Universal Music Argentina S.A..
    • 13.

  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Symphony No. 10 in E Minor, Op. 93: I. Moderato

    Orchestra: Berliner Philharmoniker. Conductor: Herbert von Karajan.
    • Karajan in Moscow Vol 2.
    • JSC "Firma Melodiya".
    • 5.

  • Benjamin Britten

    Peter Grimes: Now the Great Bear...He's mad or drunk...Old Joe..

    Performer: Stuart Skelton. Singer: Stuart Skelton. Orchestra: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Singer: Marcus Farnsworth. Choir: Bergen Filharmoniske Kor. Singer: Erin Wall. Conductor: Edward Gardner. Singer: Robert Murray. Singer: Susan Bickley. Singer: Catherine Wyn-Rogers. Singer: Roderick Williams. Singer: James Gilchrist.
    • Britten: Peter Grimes.
    • CHANDOS.
    • 12,13.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Sonata for solo violin No. 1 in G minor BWV.1001 (1st mvt)

    Performer: Jascha Heifetz.
    • Jascha Heifetz Plays Great Violin Sonatas.
    • RCA Red Seal.
    • 1.

  • Julius Eastman

    Our Father

    Music Arranger: Christopher Rountree. Music Arranger: Dav贸ne Tines. Singer: Dav贸ne Tines. Ensemble: Wild Up. Conductor: Christopher Rountree.
    • Julius Eastman Vol. 4: The Holy Presence.
    • New Amsterdam Records.
    • 1.

  • John Adams

    Doctor Atomic - opera: Act 1, sc.3; Batter my heart

    Composer: John Donne. Librettist: Peter Sellars. Singer: Gerald Finley. Orchestra: 麻豆社 Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: John Adams.
    • John Adanms - Doctor Atomic.
    • NONESUCH.
    • 23.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Erbarme dich (St Matthew Passion)

    Performer: David Mccullum. Singer: Kathleen Ferrier. Orchestra: National Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Malcolm Sargent.
    • Kathleen Ferrier Edition CD 3.
    • Decca Music Group Ltd..
    • 3.

  • Blanco

    Brilliant Mind

    • ReBourne.
    • Believe International.
    • 4.

Broadcast

  • Sun 8 Mar 2026 12:00
    麻豆社 Radio 3

Podcast

  • Private Passions

    Guests from all walks of life discuss their musical passions.