Shakespeare’s Hamlet has been realised in thousands of versions. The story of the Danish Prince whose father is murdered by his uncle, who then marries Hamlet’s mother, is perhaps the most fascinating of all Shakespeare’s tragedies. In this podcast, composer Brett Dean and librettist Matthew Jocelyn discuss the creation of their new operatic version of the tale. British tenor Allan Clayton looks forward to playing the title role and Shakespeare scholar Ann Thompson reveals how Hamlet passed into popular culture.Presenter: Katie Derham​​Produced by Katherine Godfrey for Whistledown Productions for Glyndebourne Festival 2017

Musical extracts are from Brett Dean’s From Melodious Lay, commissioned and recorded by BBC Radio 3 and given its world premiere by the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Joshua Weilerstein at the Barbican on Tuesday 1 November 2016. With thanks to the Barbican Centre and the Corporation of London. Music is courtesy of Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Limited.

Image: Matthew Jocelyn and Brett Dean in a Hamlet workshop at Glyndebourne. Photographer: Sam Stephenson