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Gabriel Zuchtriegel

Michael Berkeley's guest is the archaeologist Gabriel Zuchtriegel, the director of Pompeii.

Gabriel Zuchtriegel is the director of Pompeii, one of the world’s most important ancient historical sites. It sits at the base of Mount Vesuvius, the still active volcano which erupted in 79AD and buried the city under volcanic ash and pumice, preserving a unique snapshot of life there nearly 2000 years ago.

Gabriel grew up in Germany, where ruins and ancient myths first sparked his interest in our ancient past, and led him to study archaeology. Prior to Pompeii he oversaw Paestum, a site about 60 miles south of Vesuvius, celebrated for its three ancient Greek temples, dating back to about 500 BC.

More recently, he has written a book called The Buried City: Unearthing the Real Pompeii - and new finds continue to be unearthed, as around a third of the site is still buried.

Gabriel's music choices include Schubert, Mozart, Vivaldi and Bach.

Available now

50 minutes

Last on

Sun 22 Jun 2025 12:00

Music Played

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Keyboard Concerto No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1056: I. -

    Performer: Beatrice Rana. Orchestra: Amsterdam Sinfonietta.
    • Bach: Keyboard Concertos, BWV 1052, 1053, 1054 & 1056.
    • Warner Classics.
    • 10.
  • Franz Schubert

    Winterreise, Op. 89, D. 911: No. 1, Gute Nacht (Live)

    Performer: Thomas Adès. Singer: Ian Bostridge.
    • Schubert: Winterreise, Op. 89, D. 911 (Live).
    • PENTATONE.
    • 1.
  • Johannes Brahms

    21 Hungarian Dances, No.5 in G minor: Allegro

    Orchestrator: Martin Schmeling. Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • 21 Hungarian Dances.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.
    • 1.
  • Gioachino Rossini

    La danza

    Ensemble: Il Volo. Conductor: Marcello Rota.
    • Notte Magica - A Tribute to The Three Tenors (Live).
    • Masterworks.
    • 6.
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, K. 488: II. Adagio

    Performer: Khatia Buniatishvili. Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields.
    • Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 20 & 23.
    • Sony Classical.
    • 5.
  • George Frideric Handel

    Lascia la spina (Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno)

    Singer: Cecilia Bartoli. Orchestra: Les Musiciens du Louvre. Conductor: Marc Minkowski.
    • Sospiri: Cecilia Bartoli.
    • Decca.
    • 1.
  • Robert Schumann

    Traumerei (Kinderszenen)

    Performer: Vladimir Horowitz.
    • Horowitz in Hamburg.
    • Deutsche Grammophon (DG).
  • Giuseppe Verdi

    Va pensiero 'Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves' (Nabucco)

    Choir: Chorus of La Scala, Milan. Orchestra: La Scala Orchestra, Milan. Conductor: Claudio Abbado.
    • DG.
  • Antonio Vivaldi

    The Four Seasons: Winter, RV297

    Performer: Adrian Chandler. Ensemble: La Serenissima.
    • Avie.
  • Richard Wagner

    Tannhäuser (Overture)

    Conductor: Marek Janowski.
    • Wagner: Orchestral Works: Janowski.
    • Virgin Classics.
    • 1.

Broadcast

  • Sun 22 Jun 2025 12:00

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