The Heart of the Night

From sunset until sunrise on the solstice, Verity Sharp presents a special dream-like night of radio documentaries from Radio 3's archives, celebrating the imaginative possibilities of radio and accompanied by music for enchantment.

During nine hours of overnight programming, Between the Ears documentaries are interspersed with music that speaks to the theme of the night (midsummer, nighttime, dreams, the forest, enchantment...). Midsummer Dreaming also pays homage to the spirit of the Third Programme, Radio 3’s predecessor, which took to the air 80 years ago in 1946.

Things become more surreal in the early hours, as the boundaries between reality and fiction become porous. Meditation classes are upended by Hollywood stars, a documentary-fairytale tumbles us into multiple love affairs and radio signals bounce off the moon.

01.32
Everything, Nothing, Harvey Keitel (2013)
Produced by Pejk Malinovski (Falling Tree Productions)

In the middle of one of the busiest cities in the world, the city of lights and dreams and distractions, a man sits down and tries to meditate. Learning to meditate is hard. Emptying one's mind, focusing entirely on one's breath is hard. And it gets even harder for the man with the realisation that he's sitting next to the famous actor Harvey Keitel.

01.58
Heartsong (1998)
Written by Sarah Woods
Directed by Claire Grove
Produced by Sara Conkey

In this drama documentary by Sarah Woods, three men tell their real-life stories of love. When they meet three fictional women, obsession, betrayal and true love follow.

02.51
Space Ham ((2013)
Produced by Rose de Larrabeiti (Whistledown Productions)

Sound artist Caroline Devine presents a celebration of the amateur radio enthusiasts - or hams - who eavesdrop on space exploration and communicate with astronauts.

Midsummer Dreaming was produced by Alan Hall and Eleanor McDowall
Exec produced by Phil Smith from Reduced Listening
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 3