On the occasion of Stephen Sondheim's 80th birthday in March 2010, GREAT PERFORMANCES presents the New York Philharmonic's gala all-star salute to a true Broadway legend. 3/16/2012

The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall, a fully-staged, lavish 25th anniversary mounting of Andrew Lloyd Webber's long-running Broadway and West End extravaganza, comes to Great Performances in March (check local listings). Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess star in a spectacular presentation from the ornate London concert venue with a host of special guest stars at the conclusion.

Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi leads his first Met performances of Mozart's Don Giovanni in a new production directed by Tony Award winner Michael Grandage in his Met debut, on Great Performances at the Met Sunday, February 26 at 12 p.m. on PBS (check local listings). In New York, THIRTEEN will air the program Thursday, February 23 at 9 p.m., with an encore Sunday, February 26 at 12:30 p.m.

Broadway's smash hit musical Memphis, winner of four Tony Awards(R) including Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book and Best Orchestrations, comes to Great Performances Friday, February 24 at 9 p.m. (check local listings). Memphis is the first Best Musical Tony Award winner to air on U.S. national television with its original principals while continuing a successful Broadway run and national tour.

Tony Bennett: Duets II features the singer's greatest hits, performed by Bennett and today's biggest stars, including John Mayer, Michael Buble, k.d. lang, Sheryl Crow, Willie Nelson, Queen Latifah, Norah Jones, Josh Groban, Faith Hill, Alejandro Sanz, Carrie Underwood and more. The sessions air on Friday, January 27, 2012, at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings).

The Metropolitan Opera premiere of Donizetti's Anna Bolena, starring soprano Anna Netrebko in her highly anticipated first North American performances of the tour-de-force title role, will be the 2012 season opener of Great Performances at the Met Friday, January 20 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings).

Meet a range of individuals — portrayed by Anna Deavere Smith — confronting the price and politics of health. 8/17/2012

Anna Deavere Smith talks about the process by which her play "Let Me Down Easy" was created. Called "the most exciting individual in American theater" by Newsweek magazine, Smith turns her theatrical exploration to matters of the human body.

Anna Deavere Smith's latest production, Let Me Down Easy airs on Great Performances Friday, January 13 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings). The Great Performances production was recorded in February 2011 in the Kreeger Theater at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater in Washington, DC, launching a national tour that concluded in September.

Paula Zahn interviews Anna Deavere Smith about her play Let Me Down Easy. They discuss the development of the play in the 1990s to the present, how the politics of national health care organically became part of the piece, and Smith's favorite portrayals.

Enjoy an all-Gershwin program as Gustavo Dudamel conducts the LA Philharmonic, with a special guest appearance by virtuoso jazz pianist Herbie Hancock. 1/16/2012

Herbie Hancock, Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Phil Celebrate Gershwin, featuring that classic piece as well as "An American in Paris" and Hancock's unique improvisation on the great standard "Someone to Watch Over Me," airs on THIRTEEN's Great Performances Friday, January 6 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings).

Stage and screen legend Julie Andrews returns to host the annual New Year's celebration with the Vienna Philharmonic, under the direction of Mariss Jansons from Vienna's Musikverein. The famed Vienna Boys' Choir will add their celestial voices to the gala. From Vienna: The New Year's Celebration 2012 airs live Sunday, January 1 at 2:30 p.m. (check local listings) with an encore at 7:30 p.m.

Meet Lloyd Riggins who dances the role of the The Poet in San Francisco Ballet's The Little Mermaid and discover how his role, (based on the real life author Hans Christian Anderson), came to be part of the ballet. The Little Mermaid from San Francisco Ballet airs on Great Performances Friday, December 16, 2011 at 9 p.m. (check local listings) as part of the PBS Arts Fall Festival.

Meet Yuan Yuan Tan who dances the title role in San Francisco Ballet's The Little Mermaid and learn how she uses highly expressive movement to evoke her character's emotional turmoil. The Little Mermaid from San Francisco Ballet airs on Great Performances Friday, December 16, 2011 at 9 p.m. (check local listings) as part of the PBS Arts Fall Festival.

Meet Lera Auerbach, the composer of the original score for San Francisco Ballet's The Little Mermaid, and find out how she approached scoring this contemporary classic ballet. The Little Mermaid from San Francisco Ballet airs on Great Performances Friday, December 16, 2011 at 9 p.m. (check local listings) as part of the PBS Arts Fall Festival.

Meet Davit Karapetyan who dances the role of the Sea Witch in San Francisco Ballet's The Little Mermaid and find out how his makeup provides inspiration to playing his evil character. The Little Mermaid from San Francisco Ballet airs on Great Performances Friday, December 16, 2011 at 9 p.m. (check local listings) as part of the PBS Arts Fall Festival.

Meet Sarah Van Patten who dances the role of The Princess in San Francisco Ballet's The Little Mermaid and learn how her technical execution informs her character. The Little Mermaid from San Francisco Ballet airs on Great Performances Friday, December 16, 2011 at 9 p.m. (check local listings) as part of the PBS Arts Fall Festival.

Meet John Neumeier, the choreographer of San Francisco Ballet's The Little Mermaid, and learn how he takes lighting and costumes into consideration when creating new works. The Little Mermaid from San Francisco Ballet airs on Great Performances Friday, December 16, 2011 at 9 p.m. (check local listings) as part of the PBS Arts Fall Festival.

Watch Andrea Bocelli and Tony Bennett perform this New York classic by composers John Kander and Fred Ebb under the stars of Central Park.