Great Performances
1971
📺 51 Seasons
🎬 671 Episodes
📅 Returning Series
🌐 EN
⏱️ 120 min/episode
ComedyDocumentaryDrama
The best in the performing arts from across America and around the world including a diverse programming portfolio of classical music, opera, popular song, musical theater, dance, drama, and performance documentaries.
Where to Watch (US)
Stream
YouTube TV
PBS
Thirteen
WETA+
Seasons
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Season 4
Season 5
Season 6
Season 7
Season 8
Season 9
Season 10
Season 11
Season 12
Season 13
Season 14
Season 15
Season 16
Season 17
Season 18
Season 19
Season 20
Season 21
Season 23
Season 25
Season 26
Season 27
Season 28
28th season of a TV series dedicated to the Arts featuring live performances
Season 29
Season 30
Season 31
TV series dedicated to the Arts featuring live performances
Season 32
Season 33
Season 34
A collective journey from synagogue choirs to Harlem hot spots, from Yiddish theater to musical extravaganza, from klezmer to ragtime, from symphonic jazz to swing. All the way from the Bowery to Tin Pan Alley to Broadway to Hollywood - FROM SHTETL TO SWING recounts the ebullient story of a musical metamorphosis born in darkest Russia.
Season 35
Season 36
From soccer-playing son of a Modena, Italy, baker to onstage partner of "La Stupenda," world-renowned soprano Joan Sutherland, from media darling to truly one-of-a-kind superstar, it is a story writ as large as the great one himself.
Season 37
Considered the most dynamic young conductor in classical music since Bernstein, 28-year-old Gustavo Dudamel begins his tenure as Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in fall 2009. In this program, learn more about Dudamel, the LA Philharmonic, composer John Adams, and see a movement from John Adams' "City Noir" and Mahler's "Symphony No. 1 in D major" performed at his inaugural concert.
Season 38
Chicago Symphony Orchestra Conductor Emeritus Pierre Boulez leads the Windy City's internationally renowned orchestra in Gustav Mahler's "Symphony No. 7." The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association has announced that Music Director Riccardo Muti must withdraw from fall performances due to illness. The change in conductor necessitated the change in the evening’s program to Mahler's Symphony No. 7.
Season 39
An American favorite for his award-winning role in the hit TV series House, the versatile British actor Hugh Laurie showcases his musical side in an atmospheric personal odyssey filmed on location in New Orleans.
Season 40
Paul McCartney’s Live Kisses captures the magical night of February 9 in the City of Angels when Paul McCartney decided to bring Kisses On The Bottom, his newly released collection of pop standards and two originals, to life.
Season 41
Witness Ben Whishaw’s performance as Richard in this television adaptation of Shakespeare’s play.
Season 42
John Lithgow hosts a two-hour event with Grammy-, Emmy- and Tony-winning performers, along with co-host Jordin Sparks on September 13 at 8 pm, live from Baltimore's harbor. Performers celebrating the 200th anniversary of our national anthem include Kristin Chenoweth, Melissa Etheridge, Denyce Graves-Montgomery, Little Big Town, Pentatonix, Smokey Robinson, Kenny Rogers, and Train.
Season 43
The hit musical both on Broadway and in London’s West End was recorded for broadcast at the show's West End home, the Victoria Palace Theatre, where it is still playing. Billy Elliot the Musical Live features Liam Mower as Older Billy (he was the first boy ever to play Billy Elliot on stage in 2005). Also, 25 current and former Billy Elliots unite on stage for a number. With a score by Elton John.
Season 44
In collaboration with The Recording Academy, Great Performances presents “GRAMMY Salute To Music Legends,” a special all-star concert offering a primetime spotlight for The Academy’s 2016 Special Merit Awards recipients. The celebration and tribute concert features rare performances by honorees and never-before-seen renditions by those they’ve inspired.
Season 45
Great Performances and Latino Public Broadcasting’s VOCES present Havana Time Machine on Friday October 6 at 9PM on PBS. Singer Raul Malo of The Mavericks explores his Cuban heritage in this breakthrough performance documentary. Eliades Ochoa, Ivette Cepeda, Roberto Fonseca, and the Sweet Lizzy Project join the music star in an historical and musical journey through present-day Cuba.
Season 46
Enjoy an all-star concert honoring Neil Diamond, Tina Turner, Queen, film composer John Williams, New Orleans funk band The Meters and other recipients of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement, Trustee and Music Educator awards.
Season 47
Join Scott Yoo, renowned violinist and conductor of the Mexico City Philharmonic, in Now Hear This, a new four-part documentary miniseries presented by Great Performances that merges music, storytelling, travel and culture, as he chases the secret histories of some of the greatest music ever written.
Season 48
Experience a ballet of Shakespeare’s classic from choreographer Kenneth MacMillan performed by dancers from The Royal Ballet set to a score by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev filmed on atmospheric locations throughout Budapest.
Season 49
Experience the music director of the Metropolitan Opera’s meteoric rise to become one of the most acclaimed and sought-after music directors of his generation in this documentary from cinema verité filmmaker Susan Froemke.
Season 50
Explore Shakespeare’s love life through the perspective of the “Dark Lady” in this work from Nashville Ballet based on poetry by Caroline Randall Williams and featuring an original score by GRAMMY winner Rhiannon Giddens.
TV-14
Season 51
Strauss’s grand Viennese comedy includes soprano Lise Davidsen as the aging Marschallin, opposite mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard as her lover Octavian and soprano Erin Morley as Sophie, the beautiful younger woman who steals his heart. Bass Günther Groissböck returns as the churlish Baron Ochs, and Markus Brück is Sophie’s wealthy father, Faninal. Maestro Simone Young takes the Met podium to oversee Robert Carsen’s staging. Deborah Voigt hosts.
Season 52
Enjoy this semi-staged oratorio with the New York Philharmonic and an international cast telling the story of Jewish refugees in World War II Shanghai set to music by Aaron Zigman with lyrics by Mark Campbell and additional lyrics by Brock Walsh.
Season 53
Discover Grace Bumbry’s inspiring rise to global opera fame. Spotlighting her historic performances, the film explores the racial barriers she overcame to triumph in her 1966 performance as "Carmen."
Network
PBS
Keywords
filmed theater