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Front Row: Noah; Rachel Seiffert; Royal Opera House season launch; Phyllida Barlow

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31/03/2014

Noah; Rachel Seiffert; Royal Opera House season launch; Phyllida Barlow

BBC Radio 4 - Front Row, Noah; Rachel Seiffert; Royal Opera House season launch; Phyllida Barlow

Arts news with John Wilson, including a review of Russell Crowe in Noah.

Arts news, interviews and reviews with John Wilson, including a review of Noah, author Rachel Seiffert, artist Phyllida Barlow and the launch of the new Royal Opera House season.

With John Wilson

Director Darren Aronofsky's latest film, Noah, is a contemporary take on the Hollywood biblical epic - starring Russell Crowe as the Old Testament patriarch who organises the construction of a vast ship, and Anthony Hopkins as his grandfather, Methuselah. However, Aronofsky's Noah is no saint, but a flawed husband and father. Briony Hanson, the British Council's Director of Film, reviews.

Rachel Seiffert's latest novel, The Walk Home, looks at sectarian tensions in Glasgow through the eyes of Stevie, a young worker on a building site, and - a generation back - Lindsey, his Irish mother who left her family to run her own life and Stevie's uncle Eric, who ran away for love. Rachel herself is half-German, and talks to John about family tensions.

Alex Beard discusses his first season launch in his role as Chief Executive of the Royal Opera House. Having spent six months in the role he discusses creative plans - which includes seven opera and ballet world premieres - and the challenges that lie ahead.

The sculptor Phyllida Barlow shows John Wilson her latest work, dock 2014, which has been commissioned for the Tate Britain's Duveen Galleries. The artwork is made up of seven different sculptures and is inspired by the Tate's location by the river Thames. Phyllida Barlow discusses creating vast sculptures from everyday materials and directing a team of expert riggers to install her work.

Produced by Ella-mai Robey.

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