This Thanksgiving, PBS will broadcast one of two Christmas concerts: Andrea Bocelli and David Foster's My Christmas or Sting's A Winter's Night. Check your local PBS listings to get a schedule of the upcoming presentations.
Andrea Bocelli and David Foster's star-studded My Christmas will feature special guests including Mary J. Blige, Natalie Cole, Katherine Jenkins, Reba McEntire, The Muppets, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. You'll hear performances of Christmas classics like "O Holy Night," "Jingle Bells," "Silent Night," and more. Apart from the English selections, you'll also hear songs in Italian and German.
Recorded in one of England's most famous cathedrals (Durham Cathedral), Sting's A Winter's Night features familiar Christmas songs as well as works from many centuries past, and even new songs. Sting's Christmas concert will prove to be folksy, enchanting, and quite mellow - a perfect conclusion to a day of great food, family, and friends.
Learn more about PBS's Great Performances.
Since it is National Opera Week, after all, I've posted the Italian lyrics and English translation of Violetta's aria "Sempre Libera" from Verdi's opera, La Traviata. I first heard this aria about twelve years ago, sung non other by the great Dame Joan Sutherland. Do you remember the first time you heard "Sempre Libera"?
The Metropolitan Opera is showing free selections on
Met Player, its online service that streams over 250 opera performances on demand, in celebration of National Opera Week. The Met Player will show three new selections every day until November 22. Next three performances on schedule for Monday, Nov. 16: "Orrida e questa notte" from Donizetti's
Lucia di Lammermoor, "Father, can this be the Shadow," from Tan Dun's
The First Emperor, and "Per pieta, ben mio, perdona" from Mozart's
Cossi fan tutti.
Learn more about Met Player and the free selections for National Opera Week.
November 13 through November 22 is National Opera Week. Throughout the week long celebration of operatic arts in the United States, opera houses across the US will host free events and activities to opera lovers and newcomers alike to raise awareness and public interest. If you're interested in celebrating National Opera Week, check with your local (or nearest) opera company! Happy Opera Week, everyone!