Purlie Victorious Leslie Odom Jr and cast

Great Performances

Arts and Music Series / 6 Seasons

Great Performances brings the best in the performing arts from across America and around the world to a US television audience. It presents a diverse programming portfolio of classical music, opera, popular song, musical theater, dance, drama, and performance documentaries.

Watch Latest: S52 E7

1h 30m / TV-G

Tony Bennett: Duets II

30s / TV-PG

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).

GP at the Met: Anna Bolena

30s / TV-PG

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).

Let Me Down Easy

2m 54s / TV-14

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

14m 40s / TV-G

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.

Anna Deavere Smith Talks About "Let Me Down Easy"

2m

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.

Hancock, Dudamel & the LA Phil Celebrate Gershwin

30s / TV-G

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).

From Vienna: The New Year's Celebration 2012

30s / TV-G

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.

Interview with Lera Auerbach

4m 28s

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.

Interview with The Princess

3m 8s

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.

Interview with The Poet

3m 43s

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.

Interview with The Sea Witch

3m 14s

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.

Interview with John Neumeier

4m 15s

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.

Interview with The Mermaid

2m 55s

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.

Andrea Bocelli: Live in Central Park Preview

30s

Celebrate the 10th anniversary of this spectacular concert and experience the artistry of the world’s most popular tenor. Recorded on a rainy night in September 2011 in one of the world’s most iconic parks, stars Céline Dion, Tony Bennett, Chris Botti and David Foster joined classical performers for a mix of opera and pop as a gift of music to the city of New York.

PBS Arts from New York: Andrea Bocelli Live in Central...

30s

Beloved tenor Andrea Bocelli performs a free concert on Central Park's Great Lawn, with the New York Philharmonic conducted by its music director Alan Gilbert. Joining Bocelli on stage on this memorable night are Celine Dion, Tony Bennett, Chris Botti and David Foster. GREAT PERFORMANCES "Andrea Bocelli in Central Park" airs as part of the PBS Arts Fall Festival. 12/2/2011

Il Postino: Production Meeting

10m 19s

Take an inside look at the creative process behind the opera with footage of the cast and crew during an initial production meeting, including a speech from director Ron Daniels on his original vision for the opera. Il Postino from LA Opera starring Placido Domingo airs on Friday, November 25 at 9 pm, as part of the PBS Arts Fall Festival.

Il Postino: First Musical Rehearsal

3m 55s

See one of the first music rehearsals with the original cast of this new opera, including Cristina Gallardo-Domas rehearsing one of her solos. Il Postino from LA Opera starring Placido Domingo airs on Friday, November 25 at 9 pm, as part of the PBS Arts Fall Festival.

Supported by