Hello, I'm Kirstie Young.

Thank you for downloading this podcast of Desert Island Discs from BBC Radio 4.

For rights reasons, the music choices are shorter than in the Radio broadcast.

For more information about the program, please visit bbc.co.uk-radio4.

My cast away this week is the director of the Royal Ballet, Dame Monica Mason.

She's been called the woman who rescued the royal.

She could equally be called the woman who dedicated her life to Covent Garden.

In a few months, she will take her final curtain call, 54 years after winning her place in the quarter ballet.

She has shared a stage with Margot Fontaine and Rudolf Nureiaf and was mentored by Kenneth

Mcmillan.

Amid the passions, drama and torment of striving for artistic perfection, one thing has remained constant.

She says, people around me thought of leaving the company because they were unhappy, but I didn't.

I thought this is the best company in the world.

I couldn't imagine I could be happier anywhere else.

Monica Mason, planning seasons, looking ahead to tours, securing funding.

All that's been your meat and drink over the past few years.

Now, of course, you're just a few months from stepping down as director.

Are you taking time to look back at this extraordinary enduring relationship that you've had with the Royal Ballet?

I'm finding that as people are looking back over my 54 years with the Royal Ballet,

it's meant that I am reflecting, but, of course, in looking back, one rediscoveres joys and fears and all sorts,

all the things that have gone to make one's life what it's been.

And when you do step down, it's in the summer, is it in July?

...