Great Performances

Celebrate the 30th anniversary of Natalie Cole's landmark concert.

Legendary songwriter, producer, and maestro to the stars, David Foster has generated some of the world's best known popular music, and collaborated with a veritable "Who's Who" of superstars in a career that spans more than three decades.

In a journey reminiscent of the unexpected zeitgeist success of Hair, A Chorus Line, and Rent, the story behind the success of In the Heights is so organic to New York City that no one expected it to happen.

Anna Deavere Smith has been credited with inventing a new form of theater -- a provocative blend of performance, social commentary and journalism designed to encourage a national dialogue about controversial issues.

Explore the role of Jewish composers and lyricists in the creation of the American musical.

Like Enrico Caruso before him, Luciano Pavarotti extended his presence far beyond the limits of Italian opera.

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga team up for a special concert from the stage of Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater in New York City, performing selections from their collaborative classic jazz recording, Cheek to Cheek.

Legendary Broadway performer Chita Rivera has been lighting up Broadway and international stages for over 70 years.

Celebrate Joan Baez' birthday with guests David Bromberg, Jackson Browne, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Judy Collins, David Crosby, Emmylou Harris, Indigo Girls, Damien Rice, Mavis Staples, Nano Stern, Richard Thompson and Paul Simon.

Thrill to the company's all-Balanchine program of ballet masterpieces, including the Walpurgisnacht Ballet and La Valse, set to music of Gounod and Ravel respectively, recorded in the City of Light.

Enjoy two classic ballets by George Balanchine: Georges Bizet's sparkling Symphony in C, and the rarely seen Sonatine to the music of Maurice Ravel, in performance in Paris.

A dramatic dance film shot on location in Northern France about soldiers trying to maintain their humanity amidst the brutality of World War I, choreographed by Ivan Perez with a score by Keaton Henson, directed by Michael Nunn and William Trevitt.

Enjoy Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick's classic 1963 musical of two feuding clerks in a Budapest parfumerie who don't realize they're romantic pen pals.

Enjoy legendary Tony Award-winner Kevin Kline in Noel Coward's backstage comedy about a self-obsessed actor in a midlife crisis amidst fawning ingenues, crazed playwrights, unexpected twists, with Kate Burton, Kristine Nielsen and Cobie Smulders.

See Paula Vogel's Tony Award winner inspired by the true story of the controversial 1923 Broadway debut of Sholem Asch's God of Vengeance.

Enjoy the hit Broadway adaptation of the classic 1942 movie musical, showcasing an Irving Berlin score including the Oscar-winning "White Christmas" with big dance numbers, comedy and a hit parade of the great songwriter's famous tunes.

Explore the rich history of the Met Opera's Lincoln Center home and the cultural life of 1950s-60s New York City.

Experience Peter Boyer's immersive musical story of Ellis Island immigrants through a Grammy-nominated orchestral score, narration and visuals.

Celebrate Chicago's vibrant music culture with performances by Renee Fleming, Broadway's Jessie Mueller, rap artist Lupe Fiasco, folk legend John Prine, pop and gospel singer Michelle Williams and world-renowned tenor Matthew Polezani.

Enjoy the world-renowned Vienna Philharmonic's annual open-air concert from Austria's Imperial Schonbrunn Palace, featuring conductor Valery Gergiev and internationally acclaimed soprano Anna Netrebko as a guest soloist.

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.

Relive the magic of George Gershwin's 1928 composition "An American in Paris," which he described as an extended symphonic tone poem.

Enjoy a new U.K. production of the long-running hit that garnered the Best Musical Tony for 1959.

Follow John Leguizamo's path to the Great White Way with his latest theatrical showcase, "Latin History for Morons," a comedic yet pointed look at the systematic repression of Hispanic culture throughout American history.

Celebrate the extraordinary career of producer and director Harold Prince, winner of a record 21 Tony Awards.

Celebrate Leonard Bernstein's 100th birthday with this tribute concert at Tanglewood.

Ring in the New Year with the Vienna Philharmonic under the baton of conductor Christian Thielemann at the Musikverein.

Celebrate the orchestra's centennial with a gala concert conducted by Franz Welser-Most, featuring pianist Lang Lang and works by Mozart, Strass and Ravel, with vignettes of past music directors.

Reimagine Christoph Willibald Gluck's enduringly popular opera based on the famous Greek myth.

Experience Shakespeare as never before in an all-female production from the Donamr Warehouse set in prison.

In this new opera based on John Patrick Shanley's play and film, suspicion ignites a battle of wills at a Catholic school in the Bronx, circa 1964.

Watch filmmakers and actors experience the Movies for Grownups Awards with AARP The Magazine.

Celebrate the life of Swedish soprano Birgit Nilsson, the face of opera in the 1950s-70s.

Enjoy the world-renowned Vienna Philharmonic's annual concert from Schonbrunn Palace with guest conductor Gustavo Dudamel and famed pianist Yuja Wang performing pieces including Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" and Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever.

Explore northern Italy with Maestro Scott Yoo and discover how Vivaldi's classical masterwork "The Four Seasons" merged religious melodies, opera and virtuosic violin playing to create a new era of music.

Travel to Germany and France to explore Bach's sonatas and partitas for solo violin.

Journey to Spain and Morocco with host Scott Yoo to discover how composer Scarlatti melded aspects of Vivaldi's and Bach's work with music and dance of the region to generate a new sound inspired by the guitar that is still relevant today.

Discover how Handel's experience in Italy with fellow composers Vivaldi, Scarlatti and Corelli influenced his career.

Enjoy a star-studded awards concert for Recording Academy honorees with performances by George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, Johnny Mathis, Dionne Warwick, Garth Brooks, Snoop Dogg, Patti Austin, Sheila E, Sam Moore, Julio Iglesias and more.

Tap-dance along to this musical extravaganza about a starry-eyed performer who gets her big break on Broadway, set to a lively score of iconic songs including "Lullaby of Broadway," "We're in the Money" and the show-stopping title song.

Kelli O'Hara and Ken Watanabe star in a Tony Award-winning revival of the beloved musical about a British schoolteacher instructing the royal children of the King of Siam, featuring classic songs including "Hello, Young Lovers" and "Shall We Dance.

Experience the passion of painter Mark Rothko in this six-time Tony-winning play dramatizing Rothko's greatest challenge: creating the murals for New York's iconic Four Seasons restaurant.

Recorded live at The Public Theater's Free Shakespeare in the Park, this modern interpretation of Shakespeare's romantic classic with an all-black cast features Danielle Brooks and Grantham Coleman.

Rejoice with the Tony Award-winning high-heeled hit musical with songs by pop icon Cyndi Lauper and a book by Broadway legend Harvey Fierstein about an unexpected duo that embraces their differences to create an extraordinary line of shoes.

Enjoy a star-studded concert with celebrated 16-time GRAMMY Award winner David Foster as he explores the music of his career with guest artists Loren Allred, Pia Toscano, Fernando Varela, Shelea, Katharine McPhee and more.

Celebrate 2020 with the Vienna Philharmonic at the Musikverein.

Watch actors and filmmakers as they are honored for creating films that resonate with older viewers in this star-studded awards ceremony.

Celebrate the centennial of this landmark orchestra with "La Valse" by Ravel, Stravinsky's "The Firebird" and more led by three renowned LA Phil conductors: current Music and Artistic director Gustavo Dudamel, Zubin Mehta and Esa-Pekka Salonen.

Enjoy Ravinia Festival's production of Leonard Bernstein's theater piece starring Tony Award-winning baritone Paulo Szot and featuring the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

Enjoy a powerful and revealing look at legendary, larger-than-life Texas governor Ann Richards, who enriched the lives of her followers, friends and family, in this critically acclaimed play written by and starring Emmy Award winner Holland Taylor.

Experience a unique interpretation of feminist icon Gloria Steinem's life told by an all-female cast starring Emmy Award winner Christine Lahti and directed Tony Award winner Diane Paulus.

Experience Shakespeare's classic as a ballet from choreographer Kenneth MacMillan performed by dancers from The Royal Ballet set to a score by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev and filmed on atmospheric sets and locations throughout Budapest.

Explore the work of famed composer Joseph Haydn's career with host Scott Yoo and featured guest artists as he discovers how Haydn borrowed folk music from Scotland, Hungary and Austria to create his famous "Emperor Quartet.

Celebrate the work of Franz Schubert with host Scott Yoo as he plays with young musicians establishing themselves in North America's musical capitals by attempting to master the composer's music.

Enjoy a starry tribute celebration of Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award winners featuring archival clips and acceptance remarks from the honorees and the artists they have influenced including Chicago, Roberta Flack, Iggy Pop and more.

Travel with host Scott Yoo and pianist Stewart Goodyear as they visit Yoo's Festival Mozaic where Goodyear learns to direct an orchestra from the piano while improvising the solos of Mozart's twentieth piano concerto.

Travel through the history of the iconic musical exploring its reach across time and cultures featuring appearances by composer and lyricist Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick as well as famous fans including Lin-Manuel Miranda, Topol and more.

Enjoy a concert from the Sydney Opera House performed by the internationally acclaimed singer and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra featuring selections from her Broadway career, as well as hits from the animated movie blockbusters "Aladdin" and "Mulan.

Revel in this 1960s-era comedy featuring a Tony-winning performance by James Corden.

Go inside the mind of a genius as host Scott Yoo and fellow musicians undertake a recording of Beethoven's most personal music at a historic Berkshires manor to explore the composer's brilliant career where they are visited by some unexpected guests.

Ring in 2021 with host Hugh Bonneville joined by guest conductor Riccardo Muti and the Vienna Philharmonic performing a festive selection of Strauss Family waltzes.

Explore the legacy of superstar Maria Callas in this documentary detailing her 1964 comeback at London's Royal Opera House in "Tosca," featuring insights from fans including Rufus Wainwright and opera stars Thomas Hampson and Kristine Opolais.

Experience legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitz's 1986 Russian homecoming for a sold-out concert of personal favorites, featuring commentary from former manager Peter Gelb and virtuoso pianists Martha Argerich, Daniil Trifonov and Sophie Pacini.

Honor the best films and performances of 2020 that resonate with older viewers including Career Achievement Award winner George Clooney.

Experience the international impact of the Philadelphia Orchestra's historic 1973 trip to China, offering a story of cultural reversals and a glimpse into the worldwide future of classical music.

Experience a contemporary rendering of Shakespeare's romantic tragedy from the National Theatre where a company of actors in a shuttered theater bring to life the timeless tale of two young lovers.

Experience Anton Chekov's masterpiece in this Olivier Award-nominated West End production adapted by Conor McPherson starring Toby Jones and Richard Armitage from London's Harold Pinter Theater.

This special edition of Great Performances celebrates and spotlights the performing arts despite the closures and challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Enjoy the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra's performance of selections by Strauss, Wagner, Offenbach, Puccini and more from the Schonbrunn Palace Gardens under the baton of conductor Valery Gergiev featuring Metropolitan Opera tenor Jonas Kaufmann.

Enjoy the songs of the internationally beloved tenor's 2020 album recorded on location in Malta.

Adventure through three of Brazil's most influential cities with the GRAMMY Award-winning singer as she explores the origins of its music through its people and offers an inside look at the creation of her new Brazilian-influenced album.

Celebrate the rhythms of Latin music with the Raices Jazz Orchestra and performances by GRAMMY-winning artists including Richard Bona and Anaadi.

GREAT PERFORMANCES premieres "Vienna Philharmonic Summer Night Concert 2021.

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 verite filmmaker Susan Froemke.

Experience Hans Christian Andersen's dark fairytale from acclaimed director-choreographer Matthew Bourne with this Olivier Award-winning stage adaptation starring Ashley Shaw, Adam Cooper, Dominic North and Michaela Meazza.

Go backstage on Broadway from 1959 to the early 1980s through interviews with theater legends including Carol Burnett, Liza Minnelli, Dick Van Dyke and more touching on a variety of classic shows like "Bye, Bye Birdie," "Pippin" and "A Chorus Line.

Experience a concert of works by legendary composer John Williams from Boston Symphony Orchestra's summer home at Tanglewood including Williams' new violin concerto performed by virtuoso Anne-Sophie Mutter and other works conducted by Andris Nelsons.

Celebrate opening night of San Francisco Symphony's 110th season as it welcomes its new GRAMMY-winning music director Esa-Pekka Salonen, featuring music by John Adams, Esperanza Spalding & Wayne Shorter and performances by Alonzo King LINES Ballet.

Enjoy this contemporary reboot of the 1870 classical ballet favorite Featuring a blend of live action ballet with CGI, the film features ballet stars Michaela DePrince and Daniel Camargo.

Honor the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks with this special performance hosted by Misty Copeland and led by Met music director Yannick Nezet-Seguin featuring soloists Ailyn Perez, Michelle DeYoung, Matthew Polezani and Eric Qwens.

Ring in the new year in Austria at the Musikverein with the Vienna Philharmonic and host Hugh Bonneville in this annual concert of waltzes by Strauss and more under the baton of guest conductor Daniel Barenboim.