Tuesday, January 1, at 11:00 am
This New Year’s Day, NPR takes us direct to the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna for the most popular classical music concert in the world, the Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Day concert. Korva Coleman is the host.
(Pre-empts first two hours of Midday Music)
Fridays, beginning January 4, at 3:00 pm
The DNA Files is an award-winning series of radio programs hosted by John Hockenberry and guided by an outstanding panel of advisors. The programs explore not only the science of genetics, but its ethical, social and legal implications. The five-week series includes these episodes: Minding the Brain, the double-edged sword of memory; Designing the Garden, high-tech meals at the dinner table; Rewriting Heredity, searching for the genetic control knob; Beyond Human, comparing the genomes of humans, apes and birds; and The Heat Is On; who wins and who loses on a warming planet. To find out more, visit www.dnafiles.org.
Friday, January 4, at 8:00 pm
Guest Anat Cohen
Israeli export Anat Cohen is equally conversant with modern and traditional jazz, classical music, and a host of Afro-Cuban styles. She has quickly established herself as one of the most exciting voices of her generation on both the tenor saxophone and the clarinet. With a swinging rhythm section, she and host McPartland offer a beautiful version of "Don't Explain," before rounding out the hour with "What a Little Moonlight Will Do."
Saturday, January 5, at 1:30 pm
Giuseppe Verdi: Un Ballo in Maschera
Verdi's 1859 opera sets an Italian text by Antonio Somma, based on an 1833 French libretto by Eugène Scribe. The story was originally set in Stockholm in 1792, with King Gustav III of Sweden as the main character. Because of censorship at the time of the opera’s premiere, Verdi was forced to change the setting and time of the story, as well as the names of the historical figures. (The conventional names appear in parentheses.) King Gustav (Riccardo) is a jovial, benevolent ruler, secretly in love with Amelia, the wife of Anckarström (Renato), his secretary and closest friend. Amelia loves Gustav as well, but suppresses her feelings out of loyalty to her husband. Amelia goes to visit Ulrica, a sorceress and fortuneteller, for help in overcoming her forbidden love. Ulrica prophesies the king's assassination at the hand of a friend, but he laughs off the warning. Anckarström has also warned Gustav of a conspiracy against him, but the king still won't believe it, and insists on attending a planned masquerade ball. When Anckarström discovers that his wife and his best friend are in love with each other, he is shocked by their betrayal, and decides to join the malcontent counts Horn and Ribbing (Samuel and Tom) in their conspiracy to murder the king. At the ball, Amelia again warns Gustav, but he refuses to leave, telling her of his plan to renounce his love and send her away with her husband. As they say goodbye, Anckarström, who has learned what costume Gustav is wearing, arrives and stabs the king. The dying Gustav forgives his murderer and admits that he loved Amelia but assures Anckarström that his wife is innocent. The crowd praises the king’s goodness and generosity. Gianandrea Noseda is the conductor.
Michele Crider (Amelia); Ofelia Sala (Oscar); Stephanie Blythe (Ulrica); Salvatore Licitra (Riccardo); Dmitri Hvorostovsky (Renato)
Saturday, January 5, at 8:00 pm
Dick Wallace hosts this locally produced folk music show. Playlists are available at the Music Americana archive page.
Saturday, January 5, at 9:00 pm
Harry O'Donoghue hosts this locally produced Celtic music program. Playlists are available at the Green Island archive page.
Sunday, January 6 at 12:00 noon
Guests Orion String Quartet
Beethoven: String Quartet in c-minor, Op. 18, No. 4
Schubert: String Quartet No. 14 in d-minor, D. 810 (Death and the Maiden): movement II
Prokofiev: String Quartet No. 1, Op. 50: movement II
Sunday, January 6, at 1:00 pm
From the Top visits the historic Southern Theatre in Columbus, Ohio, for a show featuring a battle of the bands between two string quartets. The horsehair will be flying! We'll also hear performances by violinist Siwoo Kim, age 17, from Westerville, Ohio; pianist Stephanie Chan, 18, from Houston, Texas; and cellist Coleman Itzkoff, 13, from Cincinnati, Ohio.
Sunday, January 6, at 8:00 pm - now heard each week!
GPB's radio book club expands from once a month to every Sunday evening. Each week a Georgia author will join host St. John Flynn live in the studio to talk and take listener calls about one of his or her books. This week's author is Terry Kay, who will discuss The Book of Marie (Mercer University Press, 2007). The toll-free number to call during the program is 1-866-RADIO GA (1-866-723-4642).
Friday, January 11, at 8:00 pm
Guest Larry Willis
Larry Willis is a swinging pianist, an artful composer and arranger, and the music director and producer for the boutique label Mapleshade Records. He's a master of a wide range of styles and has played or recorded with almost every great jazz musician of the modern era, including Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, and Shirley Horn. No stranger to piano duets, Willis joins McPartland for "I Should Care" and "Alone Together."
Saturday, January 12, at 1:30 pm
Giuseppe Verdi: Macbeth
Verdi's version of Shakespeare's tragedy, with text in Italian by Francesco Maria Piave, premiered in 1847. Macbeth and Banquo, leaders of the Scottish army, meet a group of witches who prophesy the future. They address Macbeth as Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland and tell Banquo that he will be the father of kings. Macbeth is startled to find the first part of the prophecy coming true, when Duncan, the king of Scotland, names him Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth's ruthlessly ambitious wife decides to engineer the fulfillment of the rest of the prophecy when Duncan visits their castle, and convinces Macbeth to murder the king during the night. They succeed in misdirecting suspicion, and Macbeth becomes king. The guilty pair now begin to worry about the rest of the prophecy, that Banquo's children will rule, and decide to kill Banquo and his son Fleance as well; Banquo dies, but Fleance escapes. Macbeth's conscience begins to catch up with him, causing a near-breakdown at a court dinner, when he sees a terrifying vision of the dead Banquo. He returns to the witches for help, demanding more prophecies. They warn him to beware of Macduff, but assure him that "no man born of woman" can harm him. Bloody murder escalates still further, as Macbeth and his wife resolve to eliminate Macduff and his whole family. The killing of Macduff's children finally breaks Lady Macbeth; she begins sleepwalking and then kills herself. Left alone, Macbeth fatalistically awaits the invasion of Scotland led by King Duncan's son Malcolm and Macduff, who had escaped the assassins. Macduff confronts Macbeth and reveals that he was not "born of woman" naturally but had a Caesarean birth. He kills Macbeth and proclaims Malcolm king of Scotland. James Levine conducts this production.
Maria Guleghina (Lady Macbeth); Roberto Aronica (Macduff); Lado Ataneli (Macbeth); John Relyea (Banquo)
Saturday, January 12, at 8:00 pm
Dick Wallace hosts this locally produced folk music show. Playlists are available at the Music Americana archive page.
Saturday, January 12, at 9:00 pm
Harry O'Donoghue hosts this locally produced Celtic music program. Playlists are available at the Green Island archive page.
Sunday, January 13, at 12:00 noon
Guests Trio Solisti
Johannes Brahms: Piano Trio in c-minor, Op. 101
Felix Mendelssohn: Piano Trio in c-minor, Op. 66: movement IV
Paul Moravec: Scherzo
George Gershwin, arr. Maria Bachmann: Summertime
George Gershwin, arr. Maria Bachmann: It Ain’t Necessarily So
Sunday, January 13, at 1:00 pm
This week's program comes from the beautiful Hawaiian island of Oahu for a show featuring four teenage soloists and an exciting youth opera chorus from Honolulu. Our performers are: violinist Asia Doike, age 17, from Honolulu; pianist Irwin Jiang, 16, from Honolulu; tuba player Ibanda Ruhumbika, 17, from Athens, Georgia; oboist Melissa Hooper, 18, from Portland, Texas; and the Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus.
Sunday, January 13, at 8:00 pm
Each week a Georgia author joins host St. John Flynn live in the studio to talk and take listener calls about one of his or her books. This week's author is Julie L. Cannon, who will discuss The Romance Readers’ Book Club (Plume, 2007). The toll-free number to call during the program is 1-866-RADIO GA (1-866-723-4642).
Wednesday, January 16, at 2:00 pm
GPB will broadcast the Governor's annual "State of the State" address.
(Pre-empts Talk of the Nation)
Friday, January 18, at 8:00 pm
Guest Johnny Frigo
Piano Jazz remembers the multi-talented jazz man Johnny Frigo. For most of his career, Frigo was known as an in-demand bass player and a prolific composer. In his 70s, Frigo re-emerged as one of the great jazz violinists. In this encore program, Frigo and McPartland perform several of Frigo's tunes, including "I Told You I Love Ya, Now Get Out" and his big hit "Detour Ahead."
Saturday, January 19, at 1:30 pm
Giacomo Puccini: La Bohème
Puccini's archetypal opera story of the life and loves of starving Parisian artists was based on Henry Murger's novel Scènes de la Vie de Bohème. Rodolfo, a poor poet, falls in love with Mimi, an equally poor seamstress who lives upstairs. Rodolfo's roommate, the painter Marcello, has a tempestuous relationship with the coquette Musetta, who does love Marcello but flirts with other men to make him jealous. Rodolfo and Mimi are rapturously happy, until Rodolfo's increasing jealousy begins to drive Mimi away; then she discovers his real motive is concern that their poverty is making her chronic illness with tuberculosis worse. Eventually the lovers do part for a while, until Mimi returns, on the point of death, to declare her love and say goodbye to Rodolfo. James Levine conducts this production from the Met's archives.
Renata Scotto (Mimi); Luciano Pavarotti (Rodolfo); Maralin Niska (Musetta); Ingvar Wixell (Marcello)
Saturday, January 19, at 8:00 pm
Dick Wallace hosts this locally produced folk music show. Playlists are available at the Music Americana archive page.
Saturday, January 19, at 9:00 pm
Harry O'Donoghue hosts this locally produced Celtic music program. Playlists are available at the Green Island archive page.
Sunday, January 20, at 12:00 noon
Guests Emma Kirkby, soprano; Fretwork
John Dowland: Shall I strive with words to move
John Wilbye: Ne reminiscaris
Orlando Gibbons: Now each flow’ry bank of May
Henry Purcell: Musick for a while
Anthony Holborne: Heart’s Ease
Anthony Holborne: The Fairy Round
Mr. Picforth: In nomine
Henry Purcell: Fantasy
William Byrd: Constant Penelope
William Byrd: In nomine
William Byrd: O that most rare breast
William Byrd: Browning
William Byrd: Though Amaryllis dance in green
Sunday, January 20, at 1:00 pm
We visit east Texas this week for a show at Caldwell Auditorium in Tyler. We feature five terrific young soloists: violinist Laura Liu from Plano, Texas; flutist Ridge Davis, 16, from Fayetteville, Georgia; guitarist Matar-Itai Batyonathan, 15, from Baltimore, Maryland; soprano Stephanie Domingues, 17, from Oakville, Ontario; and pianist Tyler McCuen, 15, from Tyler, Texas. Three of these young soloists play a new game called "Finish the Famous Musical Phrase."
Sunday, January 20, at 8:00 pm
Each week a Georgia author joins host St. John Flynn live in the studio to talk and take listener calls about one of his or her books. This week's author is Steve Berry, who will discuss The Venetian Betrayal (Ballantine Books, 2007). The toll-free number to call during the program is 1-866-RADIO GA (1-866-723-4642).
Friday, January 25, at 8:00 pm
Guest Amina Figarova
Amina Figarova grew up behind the iron curtain in Azerbaijan. Originally a conservatory trained classical pianist, Figarova studied jazz performance in Rotterdam and at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. She displays her tasteful, refined, and lyrical style, performing her own "Night Train" and joining McPartland for "Body and Soul."
Saturday, January 26, at 1:30 pm
Gioacchino Rossini: Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Rossini's prequel to The Marriage of Figaro, based on a play by Pierre Auguste Caron Beaumarchais, is a comedy of disguises, mistaken identities, and lots of romantic scheming. Young, beautiful, and rich, Rosina is the ward of Dr. Bartolo, an old, jealous, greedy quack doctor who hopes to make a fortune by forcing Rosina to marry him. He locks her up in his house to keep her away from Count Almaviva, a rich and handsome young nobleman who is smitten with her. Almaviva pretends to Rosina that he is a poor student named Lindoro, in order to be sure she loves him for himself and not his title. Certain of her affection for "Lindoro," he assumes several other disguises in his efforts to fool Dr. Bartolo and gain access to the house. Figaro, the town barber and all-purpose meddler, helps him devise various plots to reach Rosina. All nearly goes wrong when Bartolo convinces Rosina that "Lindoro" has been deceiving her and persuades her to agree to marry him. He sends for a notary to perform the wedding that very night, but Almaviva and Figaro arrive in time to clear up the confusion. The young people are married before Bartolo returns, and all ends happily. Frédéric Chaslin is the conductor.
Elina Garanca (Rosina); José Manuel Zapata (Count Almaviva); Franco Vassallo (Figaro); Bruno Praticò (Dr. Bartolo); Peter Rose (Don Basilio)
Saturday, January 26, at 8:00 pm
Dick Wallace hosts this locally produced folk music show. Playlists are available at the Music Americana archive page.
Saturday, January 26, at 9:00 pm
Harry O'Donoghue hosts this locally produced Celtic music program. Playlists are available at the Green Island archive page.
Sunday, January 27, at 12:00 noon
Guest Stephen Prutsman, piano
Maurice Ravel: Miroirs (Mirrors): Alborada del gracioso (The Jester’s Morning Serenade)
J.S. Bach: English Suite No. 6 in d-minor, BWV 811: five movements
Stephen Prutsman: Tannery Pond
Stephen Prutsman: Dog
Richard Wagner (transc. Franz Liszt): Isolde’s Liebestod
Sunday, January 27, at 1:00 pm
From the Top surfs over to Maui for an exciting lineup of young performers at the Castle Theatre, at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center. We'll hear violinist Kaori Matsui, age 16, from Cincinnati, Ohio; pianist Jacob DeForest, 17, from Paia, Hawaii; double bassist Kiyoe Wellington, 15, from Kaneohe, Hawaii; guitarist Joseph Lee, 13, from Bedford, Texas, a From the Top Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist; and a five piano extravaganza with ten pianists from the Ellen Masaki School in Honolulu.
Sunday, January 27, at 8:00 pm
Each week a Georgia author joins host St. John Flynn live in the studio to talk and take listener calls about one of his or her books. This week's author is Man Martin, who will discuss Days of the Endless Corvette (Carroll & Graf, 2007). The toll-free number to call during the program is 1-866-RADIO GA (1-866-723-4642).
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Page updated 1/10/07