The BEST episodes of Great Performances season 37
Every episode of Great Performances season 37, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Great Performances season 37!
Great Performances, a television series devoted to the performing arts, has been telecast on PBS since 1972. The show is produced by WNET in New York City. It is one of the longest running performing arts anthologies on television, second only to Hallmark Hall of Fame. Great Performances presents concerts, ballet, opera, an occasional documentary, and plays. The series has also won many television awards, including an Emmy Award, a Peabody Award, and an Image Award, with nods from the Directors Guild of America and the Cinema Audio Society.
#1 - Hugh Laurie: Let Them Talk
Season 37 - Episode 42 - Aired 10/2/2011
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
Watch Now:Amazon#2 - Great Performances at the Met: Simon Boccanegra
Season 37 - Episode 17 - Aired 6/17/2010
Four decades into a legendary Met career, tenor Plácido Domingo makes history singing the title role in Verdi's gripping political thriller, which is written for a baritone. Adrianne Pieczonka, Marcello Giordani, and James Morris are his co-stars in this moving and tragic story of a father and his lost daughter. James Levine conducts.
#3 - Hit Man Returns: David Foster & Friends
Season 37 - Episode 49 - Aired 4/11/2011
Hitman Returns was filmed before a sold out crowd last year at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The lineup of talent, lead by Foster as maestro of ceremonies, includes performances by Seal, Donna Summer, Martina McBride, Earth, Wind & Fire, Natalie Cole, Ruben Studdard, All-4-One,'Glee' star Charice, Chaka Khan, Jackie Evancho, Lara Fabian and other artists whose careers have been touched by Foster, a 15-time Grammy winning producer and songwriter.
#4 - Gustavo Dumadel and the Los Angele Philharmonic: Celebrate Gershwin
Season 37 - Episode 47 - Aired 1/5/2012
Los Angeles Philharmonic Music Director Gustavo Dudamel and Creative Chair for Jazz Herbie Hancock launched the LA Phil’s 2011/12 season with a sparkling George Gershwin gala at Walt Disney Concert Hall in September. “This is the first time as a professional musician that I’ll be playing a piece that’s essentially classical music with jazz overtones with a symphony orchestra, and what a symphony orchestra it is!” marvels Hancock just before the concert, referring to his keyboard work in Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.”
#5 - Great Performances at the Met: Der Rosenkavalier
Season 37 - Episode 14 - Aired 4/25/2010
Comic tale of love and intrigue in 18th-century Vienna.
#6 - Great Performances at the Met: Armida
Season 37 - Episode 19 - Aired 8/22/2010
Renee Fleming takes on one of Rossini's most demanding roles in his opera, Armida, which takes place during the Crusades.
#7 - Great Performances at the Met: Hamlet
Season 37 - Episode 18 - Aired 7/18/2010
Ambroise Thomas's opera is performed. The original 1856 book changed Shakespeare's ending, making Hamlet King. When the opera was first performed in London Thomas rewrote the ending keeping more in line with Shakespeare's version. This production combines the two endings. Performed in French with English surtitles.
#8 - Great Performances at the Met: Carmen
Season 37 - Episode 16 - Aired 5/13/2010
Bizet's opera of the gypsy, Carmen, and her passionate relationships with men gets a fresh take with this new production at the Met. Yannick Nézet-Séguin is the conductor; Renée Fleming hosts. Elīna Garanča - Carmen Roberto Alagna - José Barbara Frittoli - Micaëla Teddy Tahu Rhodes - Escamillo
#9 - Hamlet
Season 37 - Episode 15 - Aired 4/28/2010
The actors wear modern dress in this film adaptation of the 2008 Royal Shakespeare Company production. This film version of Hamlet first aired in the U.K. in December 2009.
#10 - Great Performances at the Met: Les Contes d'Hoffmann
Season 37 - Episode 13 - Aired 3/24/2010
Jacques Offenbach's French opera, Les Contes d'Hoffmann (The Tales of Hoffman) is performed by the New York Metropolitan Opera. The production is sung in French with English subtitles.
#11 - Dance In America: NY Export: Opus Jazz
Season 37 - Episode 12 - Aired 3/24/2010
Jerome Robbins' urban ballet, set to a jazz score by Robert Prince, was originally performed in 1958. This film adaptation was shot in locations around New York City. Included is a 10-minute documentary about the origin and history of the work.
#12 - Michael Bublé Meets Madison Square Garden
Season 37 - Episode 11 - Aired 3/4/2010
Popular Canadian singer Michael Bublé performs a concert at New York's Madison Square Garden. Recorded in December 2008, songs include his past hits and songs from his album, Call Me Irresponsible.
#13 - Great Performances at the Met: Turandot
Season 37 - Episode 10 - Aired 2/28/2010
Franco Zeffirelli's production of Puccini's last, unfinished opera. Zeffirelli also designed the dazzling sets. This production premiered at the Met in 1987, and has been an audience favorite ever since. Andris Nelsons is the conductor. The production is sung in Italian with English surtitles.
#14 - Great Performances at the Met: Aida
Season 37 - Episode 9 - Aired 1/31/2010
Opera star Renée Fleming hosts this new production of Verdi's Aida. Set in Egypt, this production was choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky, artist-in-residence with American Ballet Theatre and former artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet.
#15 - Great Performances at the Met: The Audition
Season 37 - Episode 8 - Aired 1/20/2010
Award-winning film maker Susan Froemke's documentary of the week leading up to the Metropolitan Opera's National Council Auditions. The final group of talented and hopeful singers prepare and perform for the tough group of judges.
#16 - Passing Strange
Season 37 - Episode 7 - Aired 1/13/2010
Spike Lee directed this film version of the award-winning Broadway rock musical. Writer and narrator, Stew, tells a semi-autobiographical story of a young black man who leaves his middle class home in the 1970s to travel to Europe to find himself.
#17 - From Vienna: The New Year's Celebration 2010
Season 37 - Episode 6 - Aired 1/1/2010
Julie Andrews returns for her second year hosting the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's celebration. The orchestra continues its tradition of performing Strauss waltzes, marches and polkas. Taped sequences are included showcasing beautiful European locations.
#18 - La Bohème - The Movie
Season 37 - Episode 5 - Aired 12/23/2009
Austrian director Robert Dornhelm brings Puccini's beloved opera to the big screen in this film adaptation released to theaters in October 2009. The piece is a showcase for opera greats Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazón.
#19 - Great Performances at the Met: Tosca
Season 37 - Episode 4 - Aired 12/16/2009
Acclaimed director Luc Bondy brings a new production of Puccini's Tosca to New York's Metropolitan Opera House. The performance is sung in Italian with English surtitles. Karita Mattila sings the title role of Tosca opposite Marcelo Álvarez as Cavaradossi. George Gagnidze plays Scarpia and Paul Plishka is the Sacristan.
#20 - Sting: A Winter's Night
Season 37 - Episode 3 - Aired 11/26/2009
Sting sings a variety of songs, carols and lullabies, old and new, evoking the winter season. Recorded at Durham Cathedral near Sting's hometown of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in northern England. Musicians include local Newcastle artists Kathryn Tickell (Northumbrian pipes and fiddle), Peter Tickell (fiddle) and Julian Sutton (Melodeon). Other performers include Dominic Miller (guitar), Vincent Ségal (cello), Scottish harpist Mary MacMaster, Ira Coleman (bass), Chris Gecker (trumpet), David Mansfield (violin and mandolin), Cyro Baptista, Bashiri Johnson and Rhani Krija (percussion), and vocalists Laila Biali, Lisa Fischer, Jo Lawry and Steven Santoro. Also includes an additional ensemble of 35 musicians.
#21 - Andrea Bocelli and David Foster: My Christmas
Season 37 - Episode 2 - Aired 11/26/2009
Internationally renown tenor Andrea Bocelli returns to Great Performances accompanied by producer and arranger David Foster. A variety of genres are represented in the selection of Christmas music, as Bocelli performs solos and with guest performers.
#22 - Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic: The Inaugural Concert
Season 37 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/21/2009
The Los Angeles Philharmonic opens the 2009 season with the debut of its 28-year-old music director, Gustavo Dudame. The concert was taped at the Disney Concert Hall on October 8, 2009. The LA Phil's new Creative Chairman, Pulitzer Prize-winning music composer John Adams, debuts his new work, City Noir, which evokes the Film Noir movies of the late 1940s and early 1950s.