The rock star architect of the Baroque age, Sir John Vanbrugh episode artwork

EPISODE · May 12, 2026 · 42 MIN

The rock star architect of the Baroque age, Sir John Vanbrugh

from Front Row · host BBC Radio 4

This year marks the tercentenary of polymath Sir John Vanbrugh, regarded as the rockstar architect of the Baroque era. Art historian Sir Charles Saumerez Smith, co-curator of the Vanbrugh exhibition at the Sir John Soane’s Museum, and Rory Fraser who is writing a biography on Vanbrugh, discuss the man happy creating dramas for the British stage and dramatic buildings on the British landscape.Turner Prize-winning artist Lubaina Himid is known for her distinctive brightly coloured paintings of black characters. She reflects on representing Great Britain at this year's Venice Biennale, and her ambition as a painter to capture the awkward moment.Marking tonight's first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest, television critic Scott Bryan assesses this year's runners and riders aiming to win the song for Europe.Theatre and opera director Kip Williams on directing the UK premiere of the Pulitzer prize-winning opera Angel's Bone which has its UK premiere in Manchester tonight. Fresh from directing one-woman shows with Cynthia Erivo in Dracula, and Sarah Snook in The Picture of Dorian Gray, he talks about juggling the challenges of a contemporary genre-fusing opera.Presented by Nick Ahad Produced by Ekene Akalawu

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 12, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

The rock star architect of the Baroque age, Sir John Vanbrugh

0:00 42:18

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Front Row?

This episode is 42 minutes long.

When was this Front Row episode published?

This episode was published on May 12, 2026.

Can I download this Front Row episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!