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Legendary choreographer George Balanchine was born, who died in 1983, left behind hundreds of original ballets inspired by the unique abilities of his dancers. For Intersections, a Morning Edition series on artists and their inspirations, Kim Kokich profiles one of Balanchine's greatest ballerinas.

The latest novel by Chilean writer Arturo Fuguet is called Movies of My Life. It tells the story of one man's youth on two continents, through the memories evoked by popular films. Tom Vitale reports.

Film writer Peter Biskind's new book is Down and Dirty Pictures: Miramax, Sundance and the Rise of Independent Film. It reveals the uglier side of independent films, dishing dirt on Robert Redford of Sundance and the Weinstein Brothers of Miramax Films. But it also credits them with transforming American cinema. Hear Biskind and NPR's Scott Simon.

In most years, the Oscar nominations help the box office prospects of the movies on the list. But many of the films that could earn nominations Tuesday have already produced big financial returns. NPR's Bob Mondello reports.

Pop singer Cyndi Lauper was huge in the 1980s, starting with "Girls Just Want to Have Fun." Then she faded from the public eye. Now she's back with a new CD that emphasizes some of her favorite classic pop tunes. Hear full songs from the CD and samples of her earlier hits.

British actor Alan Bates has died of cancer at the age of 69. Bates starred in such films as Zorba the Greek, The Fixer and Georgy Girl. He was also a renowned Shakespearean actor who went on to win a Tony Award in 2002 for his role in Fortune's Fool on Broadway. NPR's Steve Inskeep reports.

Hiroshima Maiden is the name of a theater work based on the experiences of a group of women disfigured by the atomic bomb. To help raise money for reconstructive surgery in New York, two of the women and their sponsor appeared on an episode of the old TV show This Is Your Life. One of the guests was the co-pilot of the Enola Gay.

Two days after the event was won by the Russian Olympic Committee, none of the athletes have received their medals. Officials cited unspecified legal issues.

Music critic Tom Moon says the sale of Warner Music Group brings a definite end to the "artist-first" philosophy that once nurtured talented music acts. In contrast to the fast-moving music trends of today, Warner and like-minded companies were known for allowing musicians to develop, sometimes over several years, rather than demanding a string of hit songs.

Producer Chris Carey's new reality TV series, Airline, follows the day-to-day happenings of Southwest Airlines employees and passengers. Hear NPR's Brian Naylor and Carey.