大象传媒

Don Warrington tells the story of a remarkable musical rebirth, as a down-on-his-luck Duke Ellington risks it all - to spontaneously and joyously spark his band into life at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival.

In the mid 1950s, Edward Kennedy 鈥淒uke鈥� Ellington was washed up. His musicians in disarray, his own star waning, his band had been reduced to playing obscure and tawdry gigs for cash - a far cry from their heyday a decade and a half before. Then, Ellington had enjoyed billboards, magazine shoots, and even a 鈥楴ational Ellington Week鈥� to mark 20 years since his band鈥檚 debut. But now, with a low-billing spot at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival, Ellington was staring down the end of the road. But there was just time for one last hurrah鈥� and to, musically, risk everything. What happened next was to go down in jazz history... and reignite Ellington鈥檚 career.

In Facing The Music, we experience the human drama behind some of the most extraordinary classical music ever written - told by legendary figures of stage and screen including Michael Sheen, Dominic West, Nina Sosanya, Kit Harington and Adeel Akhtar. Ten episodes explore the human frailties, obsessions, emotions and vulnerabilities we all experience - and the composers who confronted them: to create extraordinary music that would stand the test of time. In each episode we hear from creatives, psychologists and other experts to understand what we can all learn from their hopes, their struggles and their music.

This episode is narrated by Don Warrington and features Tamara Rojo, Artistic Director of San Francisco Ballet, and Jochen Menges, Professor of Leadership at the University of Zurich and Cambridge University. The programme is written and produced by Gareth Ceredig and Katie Hill.

Facing The Music is an Overcoat Media production for 大象传媒 Sounds and 大象传媒 Radio 3
The series is written and produced by Hannah Dean, Leonie Thomas, Gareth Ceredig, Katie Hill and Barney Rowntree 鈥� with additional production from Melvin Rickarby
Original Music: Peter Gregson
Sound Design and Mixing: Mike Woolley, with additional mixing by John Scott
Executive Producer: Steven Rajam
Production Management: Amy Wheel and Janice Jardine