The Greatest Violin Concertos Ever Recorded, Period

For three decades, Villella was a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet under George Balanchine. During that time, he also negotiated better pay for American performers. His career took a severe physical toll; now he's the artistic director for the newly formed Miami City Ballet.

Mubarak Awad grew up in the Occupied Territories; he later became a U.S. citizen, but returned to Palestine to advocate for civil disobedience as the best way to resist Israeli rule and discrimination. He joins Fresh Air to give his perspective on the intifada and Palestinian organizations like PLO, whose violent actions Awat sees as acts of resistance, not terrorism.

The French government will officially simplify the spelling of several dozen words, claiming the change will make their national language more accessible and appealing to foreigners. Linguist Geoff Nunberg questions the efficacy of the initiative, and considers how countries define themselves through culture and legislation.