Vivaldi film, author Ben Lerner and V+A East's Music Is Black exhibition

Primavera, a new film about Vivaldi tells the story of his composing for pupils of an institution for abandoned girls. We speak to the film's director Damiano Michieletto, better known as an award-winning opera director, about his film and about Vivaldi himself. The Music is Black is the inaugural exhibition at London’s new V&A East Museum and it celebrates 125 years of Black British music. Lead curator Jacqueline Springer joins us to discuss the show and wealth of music it showcases, from the early days of jazz via calypso, reggae, two-tone, pop and grime. Ben Lerner, the Pulitzer-nominated author of Leaving the Atocha Station and The Topeka School, discusses his latest novel Transcription; an exploration of loss, technology and “fiction”. The Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities in Oxford officially opens its doors next weekend. It combines seven academic faculties with performance spaces including the world’s first ‘Passivhaus’ concert hall, certifying its sustainability. Presenter: Tom Sutcliffe

You can listen to Vivaldi film, author Ben Lerner and V+A East's Music Is Black exhibition online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Vivaldi film, author Ben Lerner and V+A East's Music Is Black exhibition is an episode from Front Row by BBC.

This episode is 42:36 long.

This episode was published on Apr 21, 2026.

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