He received his CBE back in 1956, after a triumphal appearance in Peter Brook's Hamlet in Moscow, and has also won several Baftas.

BBC: Oxford honours arts figures

Born to an Australian mother and Russian-Jewish father, Mr Zeldin attended Oxford, was influenced by Peter Brook and Robert Lepage, and travelled widely in the Middle East to learn about theatre production and performance there.

ECONOMIST: Valery Gergiev's ��Ring��

In 1969, Gerald Brook was released to Britain by the Soviet Union in exchange for spies Peter and Helen Kroger.

CNN: Thursday,