Great Performances : Season 30

Arthur Miller recalls the making of 1961's “The Misfits,” the final film for both Marilyn Monroe (then Mrs. Miller) and Clark Gable. Included: how Monroe chose John Huston as director; that “while [Gable] was intrigued with the script, he didn't understand it.” Among others discussing the production are Tony Huston (the director's son) and cast members Eli Wallach and Kevin McCarthy. Also: clips from the movie, which costarred Montgomery Clift and Thelma Ritter.

“Carnegie Hall Opening Night 2002,” a concert featuring Daniel Barenboim conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in music by Manuel de Falla and Maurice Ravel. The program consists of two works by De Falla (The Miller's Dance and Nights in the Gardens of Spain) and four by Ravel: Rapsodie espagnole, Pavane for a Dead Princess, Alborado del gracioso and Bolero. Peter Jennings hosts. Taped in Manhattan on Oct. 2.

Natalie Cole performs in a London concert. She sings “My Baby Just Cares for Me,” “So Many Stars,” “Soon,” “I'm a Woman” and “I'm Glad There Is You”; and teams with Diana Krall on “Better Than Anything” and “Route 66.” Other Cole selections: “I Haven't Got Anything Better to Do,” “Let's Face the Music and Dance,” “Ask a Woman Who Knows,” “Tell Me All About It,” “It's Crazy,” “Calling You,” “I Told You So” and “This Will Be.”

Josh Groban performs selections in English and Italian in a concert at the Pasadena Civic Center. Included: “For Always” (conducted by its composer, John Williams), “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night),” “Alla Luce Del Sole,” “To Where You Are,” “Home to Stay,” “Let Me Fall” and “The Prayer.”

A libretto by Wendy Wasserstein enhances Franz Lehar's operetta about the romance between a wealthy widow (Yvonne Kenny) and a dashing count (Bo Skovhus). Valencienne: Angelika Kirchschlager. Camille: Gregory Turay. Baron Zeta: Carlo Hartmann. Njegus: Elijah Chester. Raoul de St. Brioche: Jonathan Boyd. Erich Kunzel conducts the San Francisco Chorus and Orchestra. Taped at the War Memorial in December 2001.

“From Vienna: The New Year's Celebration 2002.” Nikolaus Harnoncourt leads the Vienna Philharmonic in the holiday perennial featuring music by Strauss (father and son), Brahms, Weber and Berlioz. Included: “Chinese Gallop,” “Radetzky March,” “Blue Danube Waltz,” “Emperor Waltz,” “Jest Polka,” “Hellenic Polka,” “Coronation Songs Waltz,” “Hungarian Dance No. 5,” “Hungarian Dance No. 6,” “Invitation to the Dance.” Walter Cronkite is the TV host.

Four American Ballet Theatre leading men (Jose Manuel Carreno, Angel Corella, Vladimir Malakhov and Ethan Stiefel) make visits home and perform newly commissioned dances by Mark Morris. Included: visits to Havana (Carreno), Madrid (Corella), Moscow (Malakhov) and Madison, Wis. (Stiefel).

In “Kiss Me, Kate,” a classic Cole Porter score advances the story of a divorced couple (Brent Barrett, Rachel York) costarring in a musical version of Shakespeare's “The Taming of the Shrew.” Lois: Nancy Anderson. Bill: Michael Berresse. Gangsters: Teddy Kemper and Jack Chissick. Harrison Howell: Nicolas Colicos. Pops: Duncan Smith. Hattie: Kaye E. Brown. Taped in London in August 2002.

“The Great American Songbook,” covering standards from the 1890s to the 1950s, includes movie clips of Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Alice Faye, Kate Smith, Doris Day, Ethel Waters, Frank Sinatra, Fanny Brice and Al Jolson. Also: footage of composers (including Irving Berlin and Cole Porter). Michael Feinstein is the host.

Soprano Renee Fleming and bass-baritone Bryn Terfel perform Broadway songs. Selections include “Summertime” and “Hello, Young Lovers” (Fleming), “I Got Plenty o' Nuttin” and “76 Trombones” (Terfel). Also: duets of “Bess, You Is My Woman Now,” “Not While I'm Around” and “Wheels of a Dream.” Other songs: “Loving You” and “Moonfall” (Fleming); “I Don't Remember You” (Terfel). Paul Gemignani conducts the Welsh National Opera Orchestra. Taped in Wales in August 2002.

Nathan Lane hosts the series' “30th Anniversary: A Celebration in Song,” with clips that include Lane and Matthew Broderick performing “We Can Do It.” Other highlights: “Memory” (Elaine Paige), “I Could Write a Book” (Harry Connick Jr.), “Unforgettable” (Natalie Cole), “Back in Business” (Liza Minnelli), “The Music of the Night” (Michael Crawford), “Not a Day Goes By” (Bernadette Peters) and “The Sound of Music” (Julie Andrews).

“Duetto: The Concert at the Roman Colosseum” features tenors Marcelo Alvarez and Salvatore Licitra. The program includes new operatic ballads, as well as works by Puccini, Massenet, Bizet, Rachmaninoff, Bach and Fauré. Taped June 12, 2003.

“Lar Lubovitch's `Othello'” stars Desmond Richardson in the title role, with Yuan Yuan Tan as Desdemona and Parrish Maynard playing Iago. Emilia: Katita Waldo. Cassio: Gonzalo Garcia. Bianca: Lorena Feijoo. Elliot Goldenthal composed the score. Emil de Cou conducts the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra. Taped at San Francisco's War Memorial Opera House on March 2 and 3, 2002.

Earl Scruggs, Ricky Skaggs and Doc Watson perform in Winston Salem, N.C., and are joined by Alison Krauss. Tunes include “Feast Here Tonight,” “Don't Let Your Deal Go Down” and “Soldier's Joy.” Krauss joins in for “Storms Are On the Ocean,” “Down in the Valley” and “The Banks of the Ohio.”

Elton John reviews his career in this December 2002 concert, taped at London's Royal Opera House, where he's joined by the Royal Academy of Music's 90-piece orchestra and 30-voice choir. John is an Academy alum (he studied there for six years, beginning at age 11 in 1958), and this concert benefits the conservatory's scholarship fund. Songs include “Sixty Years On,” “Take Me to the Pilot,” “This Train Don't Stop Here Anymore,” “Tonight,” “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word,” “Philadelphia Freedo

Claudio Abbado conducts the Berlin Philharmonic in works by Beethoven, Brahms, Dvorak and Verdi. Violinist Gil Shaham performs. Included: Beethoven's “Egmont Overture,” Brahms' “Violin Concerto,” Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 and Verdi's “Sicilian Vespers Overture.” Taped May 1, 2002, at Teatro Massimo in Palermo.