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 E3

1h 23m / TV-PG

GP at the Met: "The Nose"

30s

William Kentridge‘s dazzlingly innovative production of Shostakovich’s shocking, unconventional opera about a beleaguered Russian official and his runaway nose stars Tony Award winner Paulo Szot as Kovalyov, a bureaucrat who awakes one morning to discover that his nose has run away. Great Performances at the Met airs Sunday, February 23, 2014, at 12 noon on PBS.

Sting Performs "The Last Ship" Live at the Public Theater

2m 59s

Sting performs the Broadway-bound "The Last Ship" on his birthday at The Public Theater. Drawing upon Sting's memories of the shipbuilding industry in his hometown outside Newcastle, England, "The Last Ship" is the Grammy Award-winning musician's latest album and forthcoming Broadway play of the same name. The entire live performance at The Public Theater airs February 21, 2014 at 9 pm on PBS.

Highlights from Sting: The Last Ship

3m 7s / TV-PG

Watch highlights from Sting's live performance of "The Last Ship" at the Public Theater in New York City. The 16-time Grammy Award-winning musician and his band perform songs from his new album, "The Last Ship," and from the forthcoming play of the same name in an intimate evening of music and storytelling. "Sting: The Last Ship" airs Friday, February 21, 2014 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS.

Sting Performs Live: "Shipyard" from The Last Ship

2m 27s / TV-14

Sting and his band and Jimmy Nail perform "Shipyard" from his album and upcoming musical, "The Last Ship," live at the Public Theater in New York City. The song introduces various characters in a shipbuilding community.

Sting Performs Live: "Show Some Respect" from The Last Ship

/ TV-14

Sting performs "Show Some Respect" from his album and upcoming musical, "The Last Ship," live at the Public Theater in New York City. He is backed by a 14-piece band and actor and singer Jimmy Nail, who will appear in the upcoming stage production. "Sting: The Last Ship" airs on Great Performances Friday, February 21, 2014, at 9 pm.

Sting Performs Live: "What Have We Got?" from The Last Ship

2m 32s / TV-14

Sting performs "What Have We Got?" from "The Last Ship," live at the Public Theater with actor Jimmy Nail. The lyrics to the first stanza of the song are "Good people give ear to me story, Pay attention, and none of your lip, For I've brought you five lads and their daddy, Intending to build ye's a ship." Great Performances' "Sting: The Last Ship" airs Friday, February 21, 2014, at 9 pm on PBS.

Benedict Cumberbatch as Rosencrantz in Tom Stoppard Play

2m 59s / TV-14

Watch "Sherlock" star Benedict Cumberbatch play Rosencrantz and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith play Guildenstern in a scene from "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" by Tom Stoppard. The play was first performed at The National Theatre in 1967. Part of "National Theatre: 50 Years on Stage" airing 2/14/14.

Preview of National Theatre: 50 Years on Stage

50s

The National Theatre in London celebrates its 50th anniversary with a cast of theater legends, including Maggie Smith, Ralph Fiennes, Judi Dench, Benedict Cumberbatch, Derek Jacobi, Helen Mirren, Michael Gambon, Penelope Wilton and more.

James Corden in "One Man, Two Guvnors"

1m 21s / TV-14

James Corden performs a slapstick scene from "One Man, Two Guvnors." His starring role of Francis Henshall in the comedy began with the production's opening at the National Theatre in 2011. Corden went on to star in the Broadway production that opened in April 2012, and for which he won the 2012 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. Part of "Great Performances National Theatre: 50 Years on Stage."

Judi Dench Sings Sondheim's "Send in the Clowns"

2m 23s / TV-14

Judi Dench sings Stephen Sondheim's “Send in the Clowns” from the musical "A Little Night Music" (1973). Dench starred as Desiree in the musical's 1995 revival at the National Theatre. This performances is part of "National Theatre: 50 Years on Stage" airing February 14, 2014, on PBS.

Guys and Dolls: "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat"

3m 12s / TV-PG

In 1982, Richard Eyre’s multi-award-winning Olivier Theatre revival of "Guys and Dolls" became the biggest hit of the National Theatre's first 20 years. In this excerpt, Clive Rowe, who played Nicely-Nicely when Eyre revived his production at the National Theatre in 1996, leads an ensemble in "Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat.” Part of "Great Performances National Theatre: 50 Years on Stage."

Barrymore - Trailer

30s / TV-14

Christopher Plummer recreates his Tony Award-winning role playing the legendary actor John Barrymore in the film adaptation of William Luce's Broadway play. Set in 1942, the production centers on the acclaimed—and notorious— John Barrymore, capturing the star in the final months of his life as he struggles to prepare for a audition to stage a revival of his 1920 Broadway triumph, Richard III.

Barrymore Excerpt: Rehearsing "Richard III"

2m 54s / TV-14

John Barrymore (Christopher Plummer) banters with his line prompter Frank before beginning a rehearsal of "Richard III," in which he tries to remember the lines that once made him famous. "Barrymore" premieres Friday, January 30 at 9 pm ET on PBS. Check local listings.

Barrymore Excerpt: John Barrymore Introduces Himself

2m 26s / TV-14

In this opening scene excerpt, acting legend John Barrymore (Christopher Plummer) introduces himself to the audience. He explains the anticipated revival of his "Richard III" production and mixes a drink to toast his late friend and fellow alcoholic, Henry.

GP at the Met: Eugene Onegin

30s / TV-PG

Tchaikovsky’s romantic tragedy Eugene Onegin, starring Anna Netrebko, Mariusz Kwiecien, and Piotr Beczala, is the season premiere of THIRTEEN’s Great Performances at the Met. This past fall, Anna Netrebko opened her third consecutive Met season — which will mark her ninth Great Performances at the Met broadcast — in her company role debut as Tatiana, the naïve heroine from Pushkin’s classic novel.

From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration 2014 - Preview

35s

Julie Andrews hosts this annual New Year's Day celebration with the Vienna Philharmonic. Daniel Barenboim conducts a program of melodies by the Strauss family and their contemporaries. The City Palace (Stadtpalais Liechtenstein), which has returned to all its former glory after a renovation, is the setting for both of the Vienna State Ballet’s interludes featuring costumes by Vivienne Westwood.

Pavarotti: A Voice for the Ages - Preview

35s

This one-hour program airing in late November and December is dedicated to the great tenor, Luciano Pavarotti. It includes his performances of “Nessun Dorma” and other beloved arias from La Boheme, Rigoletto and Aida. See Pavarotti in some of his finest performances and in duet with Sting, Bono, Eric Clapton, and The Three Tenors.

Barbra Streisand: Back to Brooklyn - Preview

30s

The legendary Barbra Streisand makes a historic homecoming to Brooklyn at the new Barclays Center arena, marking the superstar’s first Brooklyn concert since her childhood years.

Sondheim's "Company" with the New York Philharmonic

30s

The New York Philharmonic’s concert staging of Stephen Sondheim’s award-winning musical Company includes the all-star cast of Craig Bierko, Stephen Colbert, Jon Cryer, Katie Finneran, Neil Patrick Harris, Christina Hendricks, Adam Lazar, Patti LuPone, Jill Paice, Martha Plimpton, Anika Noni Rose, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Jim Walton, and Chryssie Whitehead.

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