August 2021 - WETA Magazine

AUGUST 2021 MAGAZINE FOR MEMBERS

On the Trail of Travel Adventures

Rick Steves explores the Alps and more

Plus Wicked in Concert, Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age, Pandas on Nature, a celebration of All Creatures Great and Small, Agatha Christie’s Marple, and much more in August!

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WETA Focus R

enowned in the media landscape for our outstanding productions, WETA is a top producer of public-media programming in the United States. We view our role as a content creator as a vital responsibility to our community and to the American people. We could not have earned our reputation though — or continue to create and innovate — without your ongoing generous support for all that we do. So when we are recognized for our work, we hope that you will join us in taking pride in our achievements.

I am very pleased to share exciting news about the important content you help to make possible with your WETA membership and contributions. For 2020 productions, WETA and PBS NewsHour were recently recognized with four George Foster Peabody Awards, the highly respected and much-coveted honor that is the gold standard in the television, radio and online media industry.

• PBS NewsHour’s ’s Anchor and Managing Editor Judy Woodruff was honored with the first-ever Peabody Award for Journalistic Integrity. The award recognizes the sustained achievement of the highest professional standards of journalism, as well as personal integrity in reporting the news in challenging times.

• The PBS NewsHour reporting team was recognized with two Peabody Awards, a demonstration of how critical our news operation is to American public life. This award-winning work is representative of the NewsHour’s many remarkable journalistic projects of the past year and is indicative of the depth and breadth of our coverage: A Peabody was bestowed for PBS NewsHour’s detailed COVID-19 reporting — in particular for its global dispatches and its economic reporting as part of “Making Sense: The Victims of the COVID Economy.” This award was the only Peabody for 2020 news coverage of the pandemic, and PBS NewsHour was lauded for “the best news coverage on COVID-19 last year.”

A Peabody was awarded to PBS NewsHour for the extraordinary report “Desperate Journey,” which spotlighted the challenges faced by migrants and refugees in navigating the Darién Gap, which spans the Colombia-Panama border.

• The five-part 2020 documentary series Asian Americans — a WETA co-production chronicling the Asian American story in the United States — was recognized with a Peabody and described as “revelatory storytelling.” WETA documentary content offers a critical contribution to our society as Americans seek to better understand diverse experience in our country and our collective history as a people.

I congratulate my dedicated colleagues on earning these awards. WETA and PBS NewsHour staff strive each day to produce and present content of true consequence and excellence. Our impressive productions and expansive portfolio continue to stand out in the media landscape, and we are very proud to produce high-quality programming in service to viewers in the community of Greater Washington and around the nation.

Enjoy our many fine television offerings in August, and stay tuned for more superb WETA content, including the major production Muhammad Ali from Ken Burns, Sarah Burns and David McMahon, coming in September; more from our friend and production partner Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, Jr.; new episodes of our popular local series If You Lived Here; and much more.

Thank you for your ongoing support of WETA.

Sharon Percy Rockefeller, President & CEO, WETA

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WETA TV Highlights Agatha Christie’s Marple Thursdays at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS

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ne of Agatha Christie’s shrewdest, most observant and most intuitive sleuths continues her work on Thriller Thursday mystery features this month, as WETA features more episodes of Agatha Christie’s Marple starring Geraldine McEwan in the role. McEwan’s Marple, sprightly and mischievous, watches, listens, knits and ultimately cracks the case before everyone else. The productions feature superb casts, with McEwan playing opposite an astonishing array of familiar talents including Geraldine Chaplin, Emilia Fox, Frances de la Tour, Anthony Andrews, Greta Scacchi, Charles Dance, Carey Mulligan, Laurence Fox, Timothy Dalton, Francesa Annis, Ed Stoppard, Jane Seymour, Greg Wise, Eileen Atkins, Richard Grant, Ruth Wilson and Dan Stevens. August episodes are Sleeping Murder and The Moving Finger (August 5); By the Pricking of My Thumbs and The Sittaford Mystery (August 12); At Bertram’s Hotel (August 19, repeating August 21, 1:30 p.m.); and Ordeal by Innocence and Towards Zero (August 26). Also find Marple episodes on WETA UK on August 22 and 29, noon-5:30 p.m.

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Saturday nights, Aug. 7 & 14 on WETA PBS; Thursdays, Aug. 12 & 19 at 8 p.m. on WETA Metro

KUNHARDT MCGEE PRODUCTIONS

The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross

xplore the full trajectory of African American history, from the origins of slavery on the African continent through five centuries of remarkable historic events, in a critically acclaimed 2013 series from distinguished Harvard scholar and WETA production partner Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Presented and written by Gates, and epic in scope, the six-part production journeys across two continents and draws on insights from some of America’s top historians and an array of previously untapped primary sources.

The African Americans chronicles the evolution of the African American people and the multiplicity of cultural institutions, political strategies, and religious and social perspectives they developed as they forged their own history, culture and society. The film was honored with a Peabody Award, Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award, and NAACP Image Award. Interviewees in the programs include school integration pioneers Ruby Bridges (above, with Gates) and Charlayne Hunter-Gault; the late Congressman John Lewis; former Black Panther Kathleen Cleaver; civil rights activist Diane Nash; and former Secretary of State Colin Powell.

COURTESY ARROW INTERNATIONAL MEDIA

Generation 9/11

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Tuesday, August 31 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro; streams on the PBS Video App

mong the victims of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 were more than 100 expectant fathers, and two decades later, their children are coming of age. As the 20-year anniversary of the September 11 attacks approaches, explore the impact of the tragedy through a new documentary that examines the legacy of 9/11 in a very personal way, relating the stories of seven children who lost their fathers that day.

Generation 9/11 reveals how an entire generation was shaped by the tragedy and its aftermath: born at the dawn of the 21st century, they landed in a world where the 9/11 attacks initially drew the nation together. But by the time they entered high school, America was more divided than ever. Now entering adulthood, they carry a new sense of responsibility.

Following its protagonists on their personal journey, the film examines what happened to this unique group and their families in the 20 years following al-Qaeda’s attacks. Weaving together shared chapters in the children’s lives, the film also provides a lens through which to look at the broader world during the last two tumultuous decades. The subjects include Ronald Milam, Jr. and Luke Taylor, whose fathers worked at the Pentagon.

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All Creatures Great and Small: Between the Pages Sunday, August 15 at 7:30 p.m. on WETA PBS

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COURTESY PLAYGROUND TELEVISION (UK) LTD.

ased on James Herriot’s beloved books about a rural veterinary practice in England, the 2021 adaptation All Creatures Great and Small on Masterpiece was the feel-good hit series of last winter. Now enjoy a new special that goes behind the scenes of the popular series and its storyline to explore the warmth, down-to-earth wit and generosity of spirit that infused Herriot’s iconic characters and novels. Savor the best moments from the series, and get to know its cast and creators as they provide insights and reflections on this life-affirming story. The special remembers Dame Diana Rigg in her final role; explores what it’s like to work with the animals; revisits the love triangle on the show; and tours the set of the sweeping drama. The program also looks ahead to what might happen in Season Two in the Yorkshire Dales. The program repeats August 17 at 11:30 p.m. and August 22 at 3:30 p.m.

Classic Albums: Pink Floyd – The Dark Side of the Moon SHUTTERSTOCK

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Friday, August 6 at 10 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro; streams on the PBS Video App

JACKY POON, ©TERRA MATER FACTUAL STUDIOS + MARK FLETCHER PRODUCTIONS

he series Classic Albums, a British documentary production that celebrates the making of the greatest albums in pop and rock music, this month focuses on the story of the creation of Pink Floyd’s 1973 classic The Dark Side of the Moon — told by the band members who created it. The album claimed a place in the world’s record books, selling more than 30 million copies and remaining on the charts longer than any of its closest competitors — more than 14 years in total. It transformed the band into global rock superstars. The documentary takes a track-by-track look at the making of the album. All the members of the band — Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright — are featured in exclusive interviews and several play songs and demonstrate themes, while original engineer Alan Parsons provides insight into this classic album’s musical fabric. The program airs after the 9 p.m. Friday photography series Icon: Music Through the Lens, which on August 6 explores how music magazines played a pivotal role in elevating music photography to iconic status.

Nature: Pandas: Born to Be Wild

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Wednesday, August 18 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS

he Giant Panda may be one of the most recognizable endangered species on our planet, but the daily lives of wild pandas have remained a mystery, until now. In this 2020 Nature presentation, filmed over three years, two cinematographers trek through the steep forested trails of China’s Qinling Mountains to catch a glimpse of wild pandas. With the help of scientists and rangers on the journey, they capture startling new wild panda behavior on screen. Unlike the playful image of captive pandas, wild pandas are solitary and territorial. The film crew also follows the training of a young panda (above), born in captivity in the Wolong Panda Center, who is learning to be in the wild. There are only around 2,000 Giant Pandas left in the world today. As we learn in the film, these animals do not hibernate and therefore must keep feeding even throughout the winter months, and in order to maintain their energy, they must eat bamboo up to 14 hours each day.

2 AUGUST 2021 • Stream select programs via the free PBS Video App.

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Wicked in Concert: A Musical Celebration of the Iconic Broadway Score

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Sunday, August 29 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro

ELMAN STUDIO LLC/NOUVEAU PRODUCTIONS LLC

njoy a musical celebration of the iconic songs of the Broadway blockbuster Wicked written by legendary composer Stephen Schwartz. The special program Wicked in Concert features reimagined musical arrangements created just for this broadcast, performed by celebrity artists from the worlds of film, pop music and television. Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel host the show; and performers include Ariana DeBose, Stephanie Hsu, Rita Moreno, Jennifer Nettles, Alex Newell, Isaac Powell, Amber Riley (at right) and Gabrielle Ruiz. Based on the 1995 novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” by Gregory Maguire, and now in its 18th year running on Broadway, Wicked Amber Riley explores what happened in the Land of Oz from the perspective of witches Elphaba and Glinda. Long before Dorothy arrives, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships — until the world decides to call one “good” and the other one “wicked.” At its heart, Wicked is a story of personal empowerment, an unlikely friendship, and what it means to be different.

The superb musical numbers featured in this television event include much of the beloved score, including The Wizard and I, Defying Gravity, Popular, Wonderful, No Good Deed, For Good and As Long As You’re Mine.

The program is directed by Broadway legend Baayork Lee, who has performed in a dozen prominent shows and whose directing and choreography credits include a wide array of productions at Washington’s Arena Stage. The orchestral arrangements feature members of the American Pops Orchestra under the baton of Luke Frazier and were filmed in multiple locations, including Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and New York. Since opening in 2003, Wicked is now the 5th longest-running show in Broadway history and has been seen by more than 60 million people worldwide.

Great Performances: Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age

Chita Rivera

JOE SINNOTT

Carol Burnett

PHOTO BY RANDEE ST. NICHOLAS/©2007 WNET

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Sunday, August 15 at 5:30 p.m. on WETA PBS

ilmmaker Rick McKay’s 2003 film Broadway: The Golden Age delighted theater fans with its astonishing Who’s Who compilation of intimate interviews.

An invaluable firsthand archive, the film featured fascinating backstage stories and the reminiscences of stars of Broadway’s so-called “Golden Age” in the 1940s and ’50s. Long at work compiling a sequel to continue his insider’s history of Broadway from 1959 until the early 1980s, McKay’s untimely death in 2018 stopped completion of the film. But a new team of producers took on the project to bring it to fruition.

Among the galaxy of stars featured in interviews are Bea Arthur, Elizabeth Ashley, Alec Baldwin, Carol Burnett, Glenn Close, André De Shields, Charles Durning, Jane Fonda, Robert Goulet, Celeste Holm, Cherry Jones, Donna McKechnie, Liza Minnelli, Robert Morse, James Naughton, Jerry Orbach, Elaine Paige, Robert Redford, Chita Rivera, Liev Schreiber, Elaine Stritch, Dick Van Dyke, Ben Vereen, Lesley Anne Warren and others. They touch on a wide variety of classic Broadway shows, including Once Upon a Mattress, Bye Bye Birdie, Barefoot in the Park, Pippin, A Chorus Line, Ain’t Misbehavin,’ Chicago and 42nd Street.

The program repeats Friday, August 20 at 9 p.m.

For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org. 3

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Rick Steves: Best of the Alps Monday, August 16 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS

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COURTESY RICK STEVES

n the new special Rick Steves: Best of the Alps, join the European travel expert on an alpine adventure — from Italy to Austria to Switzerland to France — with scenic train rides, breathtaking lifts, majestic glaciers and unforgettable hikes.

In this greatest-hits trip to the Alps, Steves celebrates both nature and culture. The program conquers the Dolomites in Italy and the Zugspitze in Austria. Then, in Switzerland, Steves savors more jaw-dropping mountain beauty — from the Matterhorn to the Jungfrau to Appenzell. And in France, with Chamonix as a springboard, he rides the lift up to the Aiguille du Midi and hut-hops along the iconic Tour du Mont Blanc hiking path. While visiting the literal high points of Europe with Steves, get a glimpse of alpine life, from folk music to rustic cheese-making. The program repeats Sunday, August 22.

Also this month, tune in for Rick Steves: Europe Awaits, airing Sunday, August 15 at 1:30 p.m. and repeating August 18 at 11 p.m. and August 21 at 3:30 p.m. In the program, Steves visits some of his European favorites, sharing a montage of travel delights: Sicily, Mykonos, Porto, the Cotswolds, Tuscany and Romania. The adventures includes remote beaches, gourmet food and an unforgettable English hike; and Steves even drops in on an eccentric lord and a Tuscan pig farm.

Ken Burns: Hemingway

Tuesday, August 17 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS

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COURTESY A.E. HOTCHNER

elebrate the critically acclaimed documentary series and WETA co-production from filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick that premiered in April 2021, spotlighting the iconic literary figure Ernest Hemingway (pictured, at his home in Cuba, circa 1950s). The new in-depth special Ken Burns: Hemingway features new interviews with Burns, Novick, writer Geoffrey Ward and others who helped bring together the powerful six-hour series. Featuring revealing moments from the film, the program provides insights into the personality of the author — and his literary achievements. The special, hosted by Jeff Daniels, repeats August 21. The original three-part documentary film Hemingway: A Film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick examines the visionary work and turbulent life of the influential writer. Interweaving his eventful biography with excerpts from his works, the series reveals the brilliant, complicated man behind the myth and the art he created. The complete film is available for streaming with WETA Passport.

POV: Pier Kids

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Monday, August 2 at 10 p.m. on WETA PBS; August 7 at 8 p.m. on WETA Metro; stream POV films on the PBS Video App

ELEGANCE BRATTON

hat does life look like for LGBTQ+ youth 50 years after Stonewall? The POV film Pier Kids documents both isolation and inclusion, highlighting the joys and resilience of a community many choose to ignore — at New York City’s historic Christopher Street Pier, where homeless queer Black youth navigate the streets to find safety and stability. The film shines a light on this underground community, showcasing the intricate ways queer people of color utilize public space to build chosen family. Filmed over the course of five years (2011-2016), the LGBTQ+ community is at the heart of the program, which offers glimpses into many lives while providing intimate access to three individuals. Director Elegance Bratton said, “I made this film as a way to help Black families understand what happens to their queer children after they’ve been kicked out. Most importantly, I made this film to redirect the modern gay rights movement in support of the people who started it, Black and Brown homeless queer youth.”

4 AUGUST 2021 • Stream select programs via the free PBS Video App.

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Vikings and Cleopatra on Secrets of the Dead Wednesdays, August 4 & 11 at 10 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro

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COURTESY PEIGNOIR PROD.

xplore some of the most iconic moments in history to debunk myths and shed new light on past events with series Secrets of the Dead. Part detective story, part true-life drama, the series uses the latest investigative techniques, forensic science and historical examination to unearth new evidence, challenge prevailing ideas and accepted wisdom, overturn existing hypotheses, spotlight forgotten mysteries, and ultimately rewrite history. The award-winning series has covered such topics as the Salem witch trials, the black plague, the Titanic’s sinking, and more.

This month, tune in for episodes Viking Warrior Queen (August 4) and Cleopatra’s Lost Tomb (August 11). Additional episode Egypt’s Darkest Hour airs August 18 only on WETA Metro, examining evidence of the collapse of ancient Egypt’s Old Kingdom. Watch for more from Secrets of the Dead coming soon; the series premieres its new season in October with episodes Magellan’s Crossing, Lady Sapien and Stonehenge.

COURTESY GARY PHILLIPS COLLECTION

Jesse Owens: American Experience

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race the story of Jesse Owens’ remarkable victories in the face of Nazi racism during the 1936 Olympics in an encore presentation of a 2012 American Experience film. On April 2, 1936, when the 22-year-old son of a sharecropper entered the Olympic stadium in Berlin, he was, he later remembered, barely able to control his anger: “I was angry because of the insults that Hitler and the other German leaders had hurled at me and my Negro teammates on the Olympic squad.” The young athlete channeled his raw emotions into extraordinary achievements, winning four gold medals. The film tells Owens’ story, from his upbringing in a poor Cleveland neighborhood to his early career to his remarkable victories; from Adolf Hitler’s ambitions for the 1936 Olympics to the movement in Western democracies to boycott the event — and the pressures on Owens to attend. Despite his successes, Owens would struggle to find a place for himself in a United States that was still wrestling to overcome its own deeply entrenched racism.

Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson

WETA co-production airs Saturdays, Aug. 28 & Sept. 4 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS

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COURTESY WGBH

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en Burns’s powerful two-part 2005 film chronicles the tumultuous life of Jack Johnson, the first Black heavyweight boxing champion, a man whose achievements in the ring won him enormous fame but also unprecedented animosity from white America — as did, in that era, Johnson’s relationships with white women.

The film, a co-production of Florentine Films and WETA, presents the biography of an extraordinary athlete: Johnson reached the pinnacle of success as a pugilist at a time when boxing was among America’s premier sports. But the film is more deeply about race in America.

Johnson, born in 1878, began boxing as a teenager in the Jim Crow-era South, and after years of struggle, he won the world heavyweight crown in 1908. He then defeated a series of challengers — “white hopes.” The film explores how, in the years that followed, the U.S. government prosecuted Johnson under the Mann Act in a sham 1913 trial, persecuting the larger-than-life figure for what W.E.B. DuBois termed “his unforgivable blackness.”

Tuesday, August 3 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro; streams on the PBS Video App

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Stream with WETA Passport Stream your favorite shows with WETA Passport, a member benefit that offers access to a vast library of superb programs available for streaming on demand.

To learn how to access programming with WETA Passport, visit weta.org/passport/FAQ.

BBC

Flour Power • An entertaining new 10-part BBC series sweeps in to businesses with baking cultures and challenges four competitive co-workers to put their baking to the test, pitting them against each other in a battle to be crowned the best baker in the office. From designers to distillers and teachers to charity workers, amateur bakers from all walks of life come together to craft their best cookies, scones, cakes and brownies in heated competition in the run-up to a companywide bake sale. The workmates’ creations are ultimately tasted, judged and scored by a team of judges. Once the dough has risen and the dust has settled, who will emerge victorious and take home the Flour Power trophy?

Nichola Reith, left, hosts.

Before We Die, Series 2 • In Series 1 (10 episodes) of this Swedish crime thriller, airing this month, Tuesday nights on WETA UK, police detective Hanna Svensson — an inspector in the Stockholm police department’s financial crime unit — steps in to handle a mysterious informant in a criminal organization when her police colleague and lover, Sven, goes missing amidst a power struggle in the underworld.

The situation becomes complicated by the involvement of Hanna’s estranged son Christian. Series 2 comes to WETA Passport in August, featuring eight additional episodes that continue the storyline. In Swedish with English subtitles.

Call the Midwife, Series 9 • In anticipation of Series 10, coming soon from the popular midwifery drama, catch up on Series 9’s eight episodes on WETA Passport starting August 4, and then in September watch weekly premieres of Series 10’s eight new episodes a full month before they broadcast! In Series 9 the East End London medics and midwives encounter new challenges as the team’s experiences are shaped by love, loss and doubt. The programs continue to spotlight social, cultural and economic issues. An abandoned baby, a diphtheria outbreak, a pregnant prostitute, an elevator delivery, funding challenges and more are among the plotlines.

COURTESY BBC/NEAL STREET PRODUCTIONS

SVERIGES TELEVISION AB/WALTER’S CHOICE/PBS

17th-century Paris, law and order is more a fledgling idea than reality, and Musketeers Athos (Tom Burke), Aramis (Santiago Cabrera) and Porthos (Howard Charles) are more than merely royal bodyguards for King Louis XIII; they are a team of inseparable soldiers, committed to upholding justice. When d’Artagnan (Luke Pasqualino) arrives in Paris to avenge his father’s death, he impresses the boisterous trio and discovers they are kindred spirits. In Series 1’s 10 parts, based on Alexandre Dumas’ famed characters, the Musketeers struggle to maintain order and outwit their enemies.

BBC

The Musketeers • In this BBC swashbuckling drama, in

In anticipation of new seasons coming in the weeks ahead, catch up on episodes of popular drama-mystery series Grantchester and Baptiste on Masterpiece, and Frankie Drake Mysteries — this month on WETA Passport!

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Primetime Schedule WETA PBS in August

Visit weta.org/schedule for the most up-to-date schedule information.

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8:30

Denotes WETA productions, co-productions and presentations

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9:30

Unforgotten, Series 4 on Masterpiece (Pt 4 of 6)

10:00

10:30

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Sun

Secrets of Royal Travel (Pt 2 of 2. Secrets of the Royal Flight )

2

Mon

Antiques Roadshow: Vintage Portland

Antiques Roadshow Recut: Treasure Fever, Part 1

3

Tue

Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (Encore: Freedom Tales )

Jesse Owens: American Experience

The Fight: American Experience

4

Wed

Nature: Super Cats (Pt 2 of 3. Cats in Every Corner )

NOVA: Emperor’s Ghost Army

Secrets of the Dead: Viking Warrior Queen

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Thu

Agatha Christie’s Marple: Sleeping Murder

6

Fri

Washington Week

7

Sat

The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross (Episodes 1-3 of 6) (to 11:30pm)

8

Sun

(from 7pm) Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar

Unforgotten, Series 4 on Masterpiece (Pt 5 of 6)

Professor T (Pt 5 of 6. Sophie Knows)

9

Mon

Antiques Roadshow: Hotel del Coronado, Hour 1

Antiques Roadshow: Hotel del Coronado, Hour 2

POV: Minding the Gap (to 11:30pm)

10

Tue

Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (Encore: Hard Times )

Frontline: In the Shadow of 9/11

11

Wed

Nature: Super Cats (Pt 3 of 3. Science and Secrets )

NOVA: Operation Lighthouse Rescue

12

Thu

Agatha Christie’s Marple: By the Pricking of My Thumbs

13

Fri

Washington Week

14

Sat

(from 7pm) The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross (Episodes 4-6 of 6) (to 11:30pm)

15

Sun

(from 7:30pm) All Creatures Great and Small: Between the Pages

16

Mon

Rick Steves: Best of the Alps

Suze Orman’s Ultimate Retirement Guide (to 12m)

17

Tue

Ken Burns: Hemingway

My Music: Andy Williams: Greatest Love Songs (to 11:30pm)

18

Wed

Nature: Pandas: Born to Be Wild

19

Thu

Agatha Christie’s Marple: At Bertram’s Hotel

20

Fri

Washington Week

21

Sat

Ken Burns: Hemingway

22

Sun

(from 7pm) Rick Steves: Best of the Alps

Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things (to 11pm) & My Music: Country Pop Legends (to 1am)

23

Mon

Antiques Roadshow: Philbrook Museum, Hour 1

Antiques Roadshow: Philbrook Museum, Hour 2

POV: América

24

Tue

Native America (Pt 1 of 4. From Caves to Cosmos )

The Big Burn: American Experience

Frontline: China’s COVID Secrets (to 11:30pm)

25

Wed

Nature: Natural Born Rebels: Hunger Wars

When Whales Walked: Journeys in Deep Time

26

Thu

Agatha Christie’s Marple: Ordeal by Innocence (to 9:45pm)

27

Fri

Washington Week

28

Sat

Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (Pt 1 of 2)

29

Sun

WETA Viewer Favorites

Wicked in Concert: A Musical Celebration of the Iconic Broadway Score (to 11pm) & encore airing 11pm-1am

30

Mon

Antiques Roadshow: Churchill Downs Racetrack, Hour 1

Antiques Roadshow: Churchill Downs Racetrack, Hour 2

31

Tue

Native America (Pt 2 of 4. Nature to Nations)

Generation 9/11

8:00

The David Rubenstein Show: Peer to Peer Conversations (Season 3)

The David Rubenstein Show: Peer to Peer Conversations (Season 3)

The David Rubenstein Show: Peer to Peer Conversations (Season 3)

POV: Pier Kids (to 11:30pm)

Agatha Christie’s Marple: The Moving Finger Icon: Music Through the Lens (Ep 4 of 6. On the Cover)

Classic Albums: Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon

Secrets of the Dead: Cleopatra’s Lost Tomb

Agatha Christie’s Marple: The Sittaford Mystery

Icon: Music Through the Lens (Ep 5 of 6. On the Wall )

Unforgotten, Series 4 on Masterpiece (Pt 6 of 6)

Icon: Music Through the Lens (Ep 6 of 6. On the Net )

Professor T (Pt 6 of 6. The Dutiful Child)

John Denver: Country Boy Liza with a Z (to 11:30pm) Great Performances: Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age (to 11pm) & My Music: Country Pop Legends (to 1am) John Denver: Country Boy (to 11:30pm)

The David Rubenstein Show: Peer to Peer Conversations (Season 3)

8:30

PBS NewsHour airs weeknights at 7 p.m.

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Antiques Roadshow Recut: Treasure Fever, Part 2

Professor T (Pt 4 of 6. Mother Love)

(from 9:45pm) Agatha Christie’s Marple: Towards Zero (to 11:30pm)

Great Performances: Vienna Philharmonic Summer Night Concert 2021

9:00

Beyond the Canvas, Season 2 (World of Writers)

WETA Viewer Favorites

9:30

POV: The Song of the Butterflies

10:00

10:30

Amanpour and Company airs late weeknights (check listings).

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TV Listings WETA PBS in August

Listings are accurate as of press time. For late-breaking program updates, visit weta.org/tv or call 703-998-2724.

WETA PBS is devoted to children’s educational programming 8 a.m.–3 p.m., Monday-Friday. For 24 hours of children’s programming each day, tune in to the WETA PBS Kids channel. See page 15 for schedule information.

COURTESY MAINSTREET PICTURES LTD

Program Key Blue type — WETA productions, co-productions or presentations.

WETA Television

Sundays, August 1, 8 & 15 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro Unforgotten on Masterpiece, Series 4, starring Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar, continues Sundays at 9 p.m., followed by the new British adaptation of series Professor T with Ben Miller at 10 p.m.

1 Sunday 6AM-9AM WETA KIDS PROGRAMMING 9AM WHITE HOUSE CHRONICLE 9:30 TO THE CONTRARY WITH BONNIE ERBE 10AM THIS IS AMERICA AND THE WORLD WITH DENNIS WHOLEY 10:30 THE OPEN MIND 11AM FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER — Repeats Saturdays, 6:30am 11:30 TO DINE FOR WITH KATE SULLIVAN 12N THE WETA MOVIE: THELMA & LOUISE — An Arkansas waitress and a housewife shoot a rapist and take to the road in a ’66 Thunderbird. Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Harvey Keitel and Michael Madsen star in Ridley Scott’s 1991 drama, which won an Oscar for Best Screenplay.

2:00 WASHINGTON IN THE ’80S — In a reprised production in WETA’s “Decades” series, explore the years of Reagan and Barry, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall and the Quilt, Go-Go and DC punk, the Air Florida crash, crack, and a golden age for local media and sports. Twenty prominent local figures — including Kojo Nnamdi, Joe Gibbs, Maureen Bunyan, Arch Campbell, Pat Buchanan and Marion Barry — reflect on the 1980s in Washington.

Former WJLA news anchor Gordon Peterson narrates.

3:00 WASHINGTON IN THE ’90S — Learn about seminal local events of the 1990s through the recollections of those who experienced and shaped them. WETA’s reprised “Decades series” production chronicles Mayor Marion Barry’s fall and political comeback; the revitalization of downtown D.C., including the return of the Washington Capitals to a new arena; and the region’s emergence as a technology hub. NBC4 news anchor Doreen Gentzler narrates.

4:00 WASHINGTON IN THE 2000s — In the most recent production in the locally focused WETA “Decades” series, revisit the major events, people and developments of the new millennium in the national capital area. From the 9/11 terrorist attack and the D.C. sniper to the return of Major League Baseball and a baby panda’s birth, the region experienced great lows and highs. Washington also experienced a wave of investment and growth, and became a foodie scene. Donnie Simpson narrates.

5:00 THE CHAVIS CHRONICLES — A talk show hosted by award-winning journalist, civil rights icon, and intellectual influencer Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. features interviews with thought leaders.

5:30 A SEAT AT THE TABLE — A talk show series featuring hosts Denene Millner, Monica Pearson and Christine White gives voice to African American women from their diverse experiences, perspectives and challenges.

6:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND — Repeats Monday, 7am

R — Repeats that aired within the month.

6:30 THE DAVID RUBENSTEIN SHOW: PEER TO PEER CONVERSATIONS, SEASON 3 — Bill Gates. R 7:00 IN THEIR OWN WORDS: POPE FRANCIS — Explore the lives and impact of transformative figures in modern history through interviews and more. Pope Francis.

Learn what experiences led Jorge Bergoglio to the highest office in the Catholic Church. Taking the name Francis, he is the first pope from the Americas, and the first non-European and first Jesuit priest to be named pope.

8:00 SECRETS OF ROYAL TRAVEL — Part 2 of 2. Secrets of the Royal Flight. Take to the skies for an insider’s look at the regal luxury of royal air travel. From 1936, when Edward became Britain’s first reigning monarch to fly as both passenger and pilot, to the present, discover how jet-setting has defined the modern royals.

Repeats 1am 9:00 UNFORGOTTEN, SERIES 4 ON MASTERPIECE — Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar portray police detectives Cassie Stuart and Sunil “Sunny” Khan. In Series 4, the duo investigates a cold case with alarming links to the police force. Part 4 of 6. Cassie and Sunny discover Walsh was chased by all four suspects on the night in question. The pathologist identifies a cause of death, implying that Walsh was murdered.

10:00 PROFESSOR T — In an English-language adaptation of the original Belgian drama, Ben Miller (Death in Paradise) stars as neurotic criminologist Professor Jasper Tempest. Part 4 of 6. Mother Love. Professor T is called upon to help investigate the disappearance of a 6-yearold girl. Tensions rise between DI Paul Rabbit and Professor T. 11:00 JACKIE ROBINSON — Ken Burns’s film, a WETA co-production, continues. Part 2 of 2. Robinson uses his fame to speak out against injustice, risking his enormous popularity and alienating many who had once lauded him for “turning the other cheek.” After baseball, he seeks ways to fight inequality, but as he faces a crippling illness, he struggles to remain relevant. (2 hrs.)

2 Monday WEEKDAYS IN AUGUST: 6AM NHK NEWSLINE + 6:30AM BBC WORLD NEWS 7AM (Mondays:) PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND 7:30 (Mondays:) WASHINGTON WEEK — R 7AM (Tuesdays-Saturdays:) PBS NEWSHOUR — R 8AM-3PM WETA KIDS PROGRAMMING WEEKDAY EVENINGS IN AUGUST: 5PM AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Repeat of previous night 6PM BBC NEWS — BBC World News Outside Source (6pm, Mon-Thur); BBC World News Today (6pm, Fri); BBC World News America (6:30pm, Mon-Fri) 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Each weeknight, the WETA production provides in-depth analysis of current events with a news summary, live interviews and discussions of domestic and international issues. Judy Woodruff anchors. Visit pbs.org/newshour. Repeats next day, 7am 8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: VINTAGE PORTLAND — How much has the antiques market evolved in the past 20 years? Find out, updating standout Portland appraisals from 1998, including one treasure with a new valuation that jumps to $70,000-$90,000.

9:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW RECUT: TREASURE FEVER, PART 1 — Explore artifacts and artistry with health and medicine history.

9:30 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW RECUT: TREASURE FEVER, PART 2 — See another half-hour of treasures related to health and medicine.

10:00 POV: PIER KIDS — Follow the Black, homeless queer and trans youth who call NYC’s Christopher Street Pier

8 AUGUST 2021 • Stream select programs via the free PBS Video App.

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English sleuth. A young woman visiting England is instinctively drawn to a particular house in a seaside village, where she confronts disturbing flashbacks to an unsolved murder there. She and Miss Marple try to make sense of the mystery.

9:30 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: THE MOVING FINGER — Geraldine McEwan stars. A brother and sister settling into a sleepy village become embroiled in a scandal surrounding poison-pen letters. When a local woman commits suicide as a result of one of the letters, Miss Marple believes that there is more to the case than meets the eye. Was it murder? As the letters become even more deadly, the village is thrown into turmoil. (90 min.)

COURTESY ITV

6 Friday Thursdays at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS Agatha Christie’s Marple continues on Thriller Thursdays, with Geraldine McEwan (left) as the famed crime writer’s shrewd sleuth.

Francesca Annis co-stars in the episode At Bertram’s Hotel, Aug. 19.

their home as they withstand homophobia and discrimination while working to carve out autonomy and security in their lives.

11:30 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Capping primetime programming each weeknight, Christiane Amanpour leads conversations with global thought leaders on contemporary issues. Repeats next weekday, 5pm

3 Tuesday 8:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. — In this WETA co-production, join Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr., as he explores famous Americans’ genealogies. Encore Episode: Freedom Tales. Gates delves deep into the roots of two African American guests, actor S. Epatha Merkerson and athlete and television personality Michael Strahan. Both discover unexpected stories that challenge assumptions about Black history.

9:00 JESSE OWENS: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — Trace the story of African American athlete Jesse Owens’ remarkable victories in the face of Nazi racism during the 1936 Olympics, where Owens won four gold medals. Despite his success in Germany, on his return to America, Owens struggled to find a place for himself in a nation still wrestling to overcome its own deeply entrenched racism. Andre Braugher narrates.

10:00 THE FIGHT: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — Learn the interweaving stories of two extraordinary men, boxers Max Schmeling of Germany and American Joe Louis, culminating in what was arguably the most politicized sporting event in history: the 1938 heavyweight championship of the world. Courtney B. Vance narrates.

8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — WETA’s weekly production, moderated by Yamiche Alcindor, presents a roundtable discussion with award-winning journalists who provide reporting and analysis of the major news stories from the nation’s capital. Visit pbs.org/washingtonweek.

Repeats Sat 8/7, 6am; Mon 8/9, 7:30am 8:30 THE DAVID RUBENSTEIN SHOW: PEER TO PEER CONVERSATIONS, SEASON 3 — The renowned Washington, D.C.-based financier and philanthropist explores successful leadership through interviews with influential people in prominent fields of endeavor. Melinda Gates.

9:00 ICON: MUSIC THROUGH THE LENS — Revel in the world of live music photography through the experiences of the men and women who have documented popular music in images, from the earliest darkrooms to the fast-evolving digital landscapes of the present day. Episode 4 of 6. On the Cover. Discover the stories behind the amazing photographs that graced the front pages of music magazines and played a pivotal role in elevating music photography to iconic status.

10:00 CLASSIC ALBUMS: PINK FLOYD – DARK SIDE OF THE MOON — Listen as all four band members tell the story behind one of the greatest albums ever made. Pink Floyd’s 1973 masterpiece broke records when it sold more than 30 million copies and spent 740 weeks on the U.S. charts.

7 Saturday 6AM 6:30 7AM 8AM

WASHINGTON WEEK — R FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER — R PBS NEWSHOUR — R CHANGE YOUR BRAIN, HEAL YOUR MIND WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — See tonight’s 11:30 p.m. listing.

10AM RICK STEVES: BEST OF THE ALPS — Join European travel expert Rick Steves on an alpine adventure with scenic train rides, breathtaking lifts, majestic glaciers and unforgettable hikes. The program celebrates nature

8:00 NATURE: SUPER CATS — Explore the mysterious lives of big cats across the world. F. Murray Abraham narrates. Part 2 of 3. Cats in Every Corner. Discover how cats have conquered the world, thriving in almost every landscape on Earth, from fishing cats in the wetlands of Asia, to jaguars in Costa Rica, to margays in Central American treetops, to swamp tigers on the Indian shore.

9:00 NOVA: EMPEROR’S GHOST ARMY — To defend himself in the afterlife, the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, was buried in a vast mausoleum accompanied by 9,000 life-sized terracotta statues. Follow along as NOVA investigates the secrets of how and why the astonishing figures were made and learn about the technology behind the still-lethal weaponry carried by the clay warriors.

10:00 SECRETS OF THE DEAD: VIKING WARRIOR QUEEN — Join a team of archaeologists as they examine one of the most significant Viking graves ever found and test the DNA of the remains of the female warrior buried inside, rewriting our understanding of Viking society.

5 Thursday 8:00 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: SLEEPING MURDER — Geraldine McEwan stars as Agatha Christie’s shrewd

COURTESY MCGEE MEDIA

4 Wednesday

FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. A WETA CO-PRODUCTION Tuesdays, August 3 & 10 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro Genealogy series Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. reprises episodes featuring S. Epatha Merkerson (above, with Gates) and Michael Strahan, Michael Moore, Laura Linney and Chloe Sevigny.

Find more episodes on the PBS Video App and WETA Passport.

For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org. 9

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and culture while visiting the high points of Europe: the Dolomites in Italy and the Zugspitze in Austria; the Matterhorn, the Jungfrau and Appenzell in Switzerland; and, in France, starting off from Chamonix, the Aiguille du Midi and the iconic Tour du Mont Blanc trail. Repeats Mon 8/16, 8pm; Fri 8/20, 3pm; Sun 8/22, 7pm EAT YOUR MEDICINE: THE PEGAN DIET WITH MARK HYMAN, MD — See the Sunday, August 8, 5:30 p.m. listing.

SUZE ORMAN’S ULTIMATE RETIREMENT GUIDE — Join the acclaimed personal finance expert for essential advice on planning for and thriving in retirement. With empathy, straight talk and humor, Orman provides information about key actions. Topics include when to retire, how to save and invest for retirement, Social Security strategy, long-term care insurance and much more. Repeats Sat 8/14, 8am; Mon 8/16, 3pm, 10pm; Sat 8/21, 10am AGATHA AND THE TRUTH OF MURDER — In this 2018 drama, crime writer Agatha Christie (portrayed by Ruth Bradley) investigates the murder of Florence Nightingale’s goddaughter during her 11-day disappearance in 1926. Christie’s involvement in the case influenced her later work.

PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND AGATHA AND THE CURSE OF ISHTAR — Travel to the deserts of Iraq for an archaeological dig, where the famous crime writer unravels a series of mysterious murders. Lyndsey Marshal stars as Agatha Christie and Jonah Hauer-King is Max Mallowan, the archaeologist vying for her affection, in this 2019 drama. Repeats Sun 8/8, 7pm; Sat 8/14, 1:30pm THE AFRICAN AMERICANS: MANY RIVERS TO CROSS — A six-hour series presented and written by Harvard scholar and WETA production partner Henry Louis Gates, Jr., chronicles the full sweep of African American history, from the origins of slavery on the African continent up to contemporary times. Episode 1 of 6, The Black Atlantic (1500-1800), explores the global experiences that created the African American people.

Episode 2 of 6, The Age of Slavery (1800-1860), spotlights how Black lives changed dramatically in the aftermath of the American Revolution. Episode 3 of 6, Into the Fire (1861-1896), surveys a tumultuous period in AfricanAmerican history: Civil War, slavery’s end and Reconstruction. Repeats Sun 8/8, 9am CHANGE YOUR BRAIN, HEAL YOUR MIND WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — The psychiatrist and brain image researcher offers tips for feeling happier, sharper and more in control. Amen also discusses strategies for contending with anxiety, depression, ADHD, addiction, memory issues and more. Repeats Sun 8/8, 6am; Thur 8/19, 11:30pm; Sun 8/22, 1:30pm

9 Monday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Weeknights. Visit pbs.org/newshour.

Repeats next day, 7am

COURTESY DARLOW SMITHSON PRODUCTIONS, INC.

DAN REED

Tuesday, August 10 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro Frontline: In the Shadow of 9/11 spotlights an FBI sting that led to a terror prosecution for the biggest alleged al-Qaeda plot since 9/11. Above: Stanley “Sunny” Phanor, one of the men indicted.

12:30 EASY YOGA: THE SECRET TO STRENGTH AND BALANCE WITH PEGGY CAPPY — Discover how yoga can aid anyone, of any age, who wants to increase strength and mobility. Peggy Cappy shows how yoga poses can increase range of motion, improve awareness of the body, help prevent bone loss and keep metabolism running efficiently. Repeats Mon 8/16, 12m; Sun 8/22, 8am 1:30 EASY YOGA FOR ARTHRITIS WITH PEGGY CAPPY — The yoga expert demonstrates safe and effective yoga exercises designed to address arthritis problems. Repeats Sun 8/22, 9am 2:30 EASY YOGA FOR DIABETES WITH PEGGY CAPPY — Cappy explores how yoga and the right diet can have a positive impact on life with diabetes. Interviews with doctors and first-person accounts from individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetes explore how yoga and diet improved their lives.

3:30 MY MUSIC: ANDY WILLIAMS: GREATEST LOVE SONGS — Enjoy the romantic crooner’s biggest hits and bestloved ballads including “Moon River,” “Love Story,” “Dear Heart” and “Born Free.” His hugely successful career bridged the generations, with repertoire ranging from classic standards to modern pop songs. Repeats Sun 8/15, 7:30am; Tue 8/17, 10pm 5:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND — Repeats Monday, 7am 5:30 EAT YOUR MEDICINE: THE PEGAN DIET WITH MARK HYMAN, MD — Learn about the power of foods to heal what ails us, as Functional Medicine practitioner Hyman shares how unhealthy, ultra-processed foods have created an epidemic of preventable, chronic diseases and how returning to real, whole food can treat, prevent and even reverse these diseases. The foundation of his protocol is what he refers to as The Pegan Diet, a riff on the Paleo and vegan diets, from which he takes the best aspects to create a nutrient-dense, healing way of eating. Repeats Sun 8/14, noon, 1am; Thur 8/19, 3pm; Sat 8/21, 8am 7:00 AGATHA AND THE CURSE OF ISHTAR — See 8/7, 6pm R 9:00 UNFORGOTTEN, SERIES 4 ON MASTERPIECE — Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar star. Part 5 of 6. Cassie and Sunny interview two of the suspects again and get closer to the truth. Balcombe believes she knows the cause of Walsh’s death. Things take an unexpected and devastating turn for Cassie.

10:00 PROFESSOR T — Ben Miller stars. Part 5 of 6. Sophie Knows. Professor T befriends a vulnerable girl and is convinced she is the key witness to a murder. Dan and Lisa agree to go on a date, but when her boss confronts her about their inappropriate relationship, Lisa makes a bold decision.

11:00 CLASSICAL REWIND: A MY MUSIC SPECIAL — Experience the beauty, romance and power of musical masterpieces in this joyride through the world of classical hits. Martin Goldsmith hosts, with reflections from Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, Stewart Copeland of the band The Police, and others. Repeats Sat 8/14, 3:30pm, 11:30pm 12:30AM SUZE ORMAN’S ULTIMATE RETIREMENT GUIDE — R

8 Sunday 6AM CHANGE YOUR BRAIN, HEAL YOUR MIND WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — R 7:30 CLASSICAL REWIND: A MY MUSIC SPECIAL — See tonight’s 11 p.m. listing.

9AM THE AFRICAN AMERICANS: MANY RIVERS TO CROSS — Episodes 1-3 of 6. R

Saturday, August 7 at 3:30 p.m. & 6 p.m. on WETA PBS Two Agatha Christie drama adaptations present stories surrounding the crime writer. Agatha and the Truth of Murder stars Ruth Bradley (above); and Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar stars Lyndsey Marshal.

10 AUGUST 2021 • Stream select programs via the free PBS Video App.

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mansion owned by eminent politician Clive Trevelyan (Timothy Dalton). The long snowy night turns deadly when a murder is committed. (90 min.)

BARON WOLMAN WITH GEORGE HARRISON IMAGE

13 Friday 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — Repeats Sat 8/14, 6am; Mon 8/16, 7:30am 8:30 THE DAVID RUBENSTEIN SHOW: PEER TO PEER CONVERSATIONS, SEASON 3 — Aliko Dangote, Dangote Industries CEO. 9:00 ICON: MUSIC THROUGH THE LENS — Episode 5 of 6. On the Wall. Trace the journey of music photography from a niche pastime to a highly collectable art form with stories from gallerists, art experts and photographers whose works hang in some of the world’s most revered institutions.

10:00 ICON: MUSIC THROUGH THE LENS — Episode 6 of 6. On the Net. Tune in to how music photography fits into the contemporary popular culture landscape alongside the rise and influence of social media.

Fridays, August 6 & 13 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro The series Icon: Music Through the Lens continues with more episodes spotlighting the world of live music photography, exploring iconic cover images (August 6) and art/online imagery (August 13).

8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: HOTEL DEL CORONADO, HOUR 1 — Check in to San Diego’s Hotel del Coronado to see sensational finds at a stunning seaside setting.

Which item is appraised at $90,000?

9:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: HOTEL DEL CORONADO, HOUR 2 — Discover covetable California items appraised at Hotel del Coronado. Guess which is $40,000-$50,000.

10:00 POV: MINDING THE GAP — Meet three young men who bond together to escape volatile families in their Rust Belt hometown. As they face adult responsibilities, unexpected revelations threaten their decade-long friendship. (90 min.)

10 Tuesday 8:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. — In this WETA co-production, join Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr., as he explores famous Americans’ genealogies. Encore Episode: Hard Times. Gates explores the family stories of filmmaker Michael Moore and actors Laura Linney and Chloe Sevigny — three people whose distant ancestors overcame great hardships in ways that resonate with the descendants’ lives today.

9:00 FRONTLINE: IN THE SHADOW OF 9/11 — Learn how seven men in Miami were indicted for the biggest alleged al-Qaeda plot since 9/11. From the director of Leaving Neverland comes the bizarre story of an FBI sting that led to a terror prosecution, though the men had no weapons or connection to al-Qaeda. (2 hrs.)

11 Wednesday

14 Saturday 6AM 6:30 7AM 8AM 10:00

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8:00 NATURE: SUPER CATS — Part 3 of 3. Science and Secrets.

See how new technologies help uncover some cats’ most intimate secrets, including the cheetah’s gymnastic abilities and why lions are able to hunt cooperatively.

Conservationists fight to protect the most endangered cat species around the globe.

9:00 NOVA: OPERATION LIGHTHOUSE RESCUE — The Gay Head Lighthouse, a historic landmark perched high on the cliffs of Martha’s Vineyard, could become the next victim of the ocean’s relentless erosion of the island’s cliffs. Join engineers as they race to rescue the national treasure.

10:00 SECRETS OF THE DEAD: CLEOPATRA’S LOST TOMB — Learn about the legendary queen Cleopatra, who ruled the Egyptian empire. Will an amateur archaeologist’s theory reveal where the queen’s lost tomb is hidden?

2016 WINDFALL FILMS LTD./JOBY LUBMAN

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WASHINGTON WEEK — R FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER PBS NEWSHOUR — R SUZE ORMAN’S ULTIMATE RETIREMENT GUIDE — R RICK STEVES: EUROPE AWAITS — Travel lovers have spent the last year or so dreaming of where they’ll visit post-COVID. In this program special, Rick Steves shares vivid and unforgettable memories of European favorites — off-beat, romantic, or just good for the soul — that he’d love to visit when we can travel again.

Repeats Sun 8/15, 1:30pm; Wed 8/18, 11pm; Sat 8/21, 3:30pm; Sun 8/22, 6am EAT YOUR MEDICINE: THE PEGAN DIET WITH MARK HYMAN, MD — R AGATHA AND THE CURSE OF ISHTAR — R CLASSICAL REWIND: A MY MUSIC SPECIAL — R PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND KEN BURNS: HEMINGWAY — Celebrate the critically acclaimed documentary series from filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick about iconic literary figure Ernest Hemingway. This in-depth program features exclusive interviews with Burns, Novick, writer Geoffrey Ward and others who helped bring together the powerful six-hour series, a WETA co-production. Jeff Daniels hosts. Featuring revealing moments from the film, Ken Burns: Hemingway provides insights into the heroic personality of the famed author — and his literary achievements. Repeats Sun 8/15, 6am; Tue 8/17, 8pm; Wed 8/18, 3pm; Sat 8/21, 8pm THE AFRICAN AMERICANS: MANY RIVERS TO CROSS — A six-hour series presented and written by Harvard scholar and WETA production partner Henry Louis Gates, Jr., chronicles the full sweep of African American history, from the origins of slavery on the African continent up to contemporary times. Episode 4 of 6, Making a Way Out of No Way (1897-1940), examines the Jim Crow era, when African Americans struggled within the confines of segregation. Episode 5 of 6, Rise! (19401968), spotlights the long road to civil rights, when the

12 Thursday 8:00 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: BY THE PRICKING OF MY THUMBS — Geraldine McEwan stars. Detectives Tommy and Tuppence Beresford (Anthony Andrews and Greta Scacchi) visit an elderly aunt in her nursing home, and Tuppence becomes concerned by some odd behavior among the staff and residents. Later, a sudden death and a disappearance bring Miss Marple together with the Beresfords to follow a trail of clues.

9:30 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: THE SITTAFORD MYSTERY — Geraldine McEwan stars. Miss Marple waits out a blizzard at Sittaford House, a remote Devon

Wednesday, August 11 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro NOVA episode Operation Lighthouse Rescue follows engineers as they race to save a national treasure: the Gay Head Lighthouse, a historic landmark perched high on the cliffs of Martha’s Vineyard and in danger of being lost to persistent erosion of the island’s coast.

For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org. 11

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contradictions in American society became untenable.

Episode 6 of 6, It’s Nation Time (1968-2013), reviews the many issues, including true racial equality, that remain unresolved. Repeats Sun 8/15, 9am, 11pm 11:30 CLASSICAL REWIND: A MY MUSIC SPECIAL — R 1AM EAT YOUR MEDICINE: THE PEGAN DIET WITH MARK HYMAN, MD — R

WETA Television

6AM KEN BURNS: HEMINGWAY — R 7:30 MY MUSIC: ANDY WILLIAMS: GREATEST LOVE SONGS —R 9AM THE AFRICAN AMERICANS: MANY RIVERS TO CROSS — Episodes 4-6 of 6. R 1:30 RICK STEVES: EUROPE AWAITS — R 3:30 NATURE: PANDAS: BORN TO BE WILD — Unlock the mysteries of wild pandas whose counterparts in captivity are known for their gentle image. Journey through China’s steep Qinling Mountains with filmmakers, scientists and rangers to witness pandas’ startling courtship and aggression behaviors. Repeats Wed 8/18, 8pm 5:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND — Repeats Monday, 7am 5:30 GREAT PERFORMANCES: BROADWAY: BEYOND THE GOLDEN AGE — See the Friday, August 20, 9 p.m. listing. Repeats Fri 8/20, 9pm; Sun 8/22, 10am 7:30 ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL: BETWEEN THE PAGES — Get to know the cast and creators of the hit Masterpiece series based on James Herriot’s beloved books. Savor the best moments from the first season, including Dame Diana Rigg in her final role as Mrs. Pumphrey, and look ahead to Season 2. Repeats Tue 8/17, 11:30pm; Sun 8/22, 3:30pm 9:00 UNFORGOTTEN, SERIES 4 ON MASTERPIECE — Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar star. Part 6 of 6. Despite a tragic turn of events, Sunny and the team narrow down the suspects. Will they succeed in bringing Walsh’s killer to justice?

10:00 PROFESSOR T — Ben Miller stars. Part 6 of 6. The Dutiful Child. When an attempt is made on a billionaire businessman’s life, Professor T suspects the culprit may be much closer to home than the police suspect.

It’s Professor T’s birthday and with it comes a haunting childhood memory.

11:00 THE AFRICAN AMERICANS: MANY RIVERS TO CROSS — Episodes 4-6 of 6. R

16 Monday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Weeknights. Repeats next day, 7am 8:00 RICK STEVES: BEST OF THE ALPS — Join European travel expert Rick Steves on an alpine adventure with scenic train rides, breathtaking lifts, majestic glaciers and unforgettable hikes. The program celebrates nature and culture while visiting the high points of Europe: the Dolomites in Italy and the Zugspitze in Austria; the Matterhorn, the Jungfrau and Appenzell in Switzerland; and, in France, starting off from Chamonix, the Aiguille du Midi and the iconic Tour du Mont Blanc trail.

10:00 SUZE ORMAN’S ULTIMATE RETIREMENT GUIDE — R 12M EASY YOGA: THE SECRET TO STRENGTH AND BALANCE WITH PEGGY CAPPY — R

17 Tuesday 8:00 KEN BURNS: HEMINGWAY — Celebrate the critically acclaimed documentary series from filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick about iconic literary figure Ernest Hemingway. This in-depth program features exclusive interviews with Burns, Novick, writer Geoffrey Ward and others who helped bring together the powerful six-hour series, a WETA co-production. Jeff Daniels hosts. Featuring revealing moments from the film, Ken Burns: Hemingway provides insights into the heroic personality of the famed author — and his literary achievements. Repeats Wed 8/18, 3pm; Sat 8/21, 8pm 10:00 MY MUSIC: ANDY WILLIAMS: GREATEST LOVE SONGS — Enjoy the romantic crooner’s biggest hits and bestloved ballads including “Moon River,” “Love Story,” “Dear Heart” and “Born Free.” His hugely successful career bridged the generations, with repertoire ranging from classic standards to modern pop songs.

11:30 ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL: BETWEEN THE PAGES — R

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Thursday, August 19 at 10 p.m. on WETA PBS Liza with a Z presents Liza Minnelli performing in an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning 1972 concert film produced by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse. Fosse also directed and choreographed the program.

18 Wednesday 8:00 NATURE: PANDAS: BORN TO BE WILD — Unlock the mysteries of wild pandas whose counterparts in captivity are known for their gentle image. Journey through China’s steep Qinling Mountains with filmmakers, scientists and rangers to witness pandas’ startling courtship and aggression behaviors.

9:30 JOHN DENVER: COUNTRY BOY — An intimate profile spotlights the popular late singer-songwriter. His life and legacy are explored with friends, managers, family members, and the musicians who toured with him for decades.

Repeats Sat 8/21, noon, 10pm; Sun 8/22, 5:30pm 11:00 RICK STEVES: EUROPE AWAITS — R

19 Thursday 8:00 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: AT BERTRAM’S HOTEL — Geraldine McEwan stars. When Miss Marple stays in London’s fashionable Bertram’s Hotel, she notes an atmosphere of danger behind the highly polished veneer. Many of her fellow guests are gathered for the will reading of a multi-millionaire who disappeared years previously. Repeats Sat 8/21, 1:30pm, 1am 10:00 LIZA WITH A Z — See a popular 1972 concert film, made for television, that starred Liza Minnelli and was produced by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse. Fosse also directed and choreographed the performance, and Ebb wrote and arranged the music with his song-writing partner John Kander. Minnelli sings and dances to a variety of popular songs, highlights from Cabaret, and material specifically written for her by Kander and Ebb, most notably the title song. The production won four Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award.

11:30 CHANGE YOUR BRAIN, HEAL YOUR MIND WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — R

20 Friday 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — Repeats Sat 8/21, 6am; Mon 8/23, 7:30am 8:30 THE DAVID RUBENSTEIN SHOW: PEER TO PEER CONVERSATIONS, SEASON 3 — Jack Nicklaus, Golf Legend.

9:00 GREAT PERFORMANCES: BROADWAY: BEYOND THE GOLDEN AGE — Go backstage on Broadway from 1959 to the early 1980s through interviews with theater legends, including Carol Burnett, Liza Minnelli, Dick Van Dyke and many others, who illuminate a variety of classic shows such as Bye, Bye Birdie, Pippin and A Chorus Line. Repeats Sun 8/22, 10am 11:00 MY MUSIC: COUNTRY POP LEGENDS — Join Roy Clark for a reunion of country music legends, including Glen Campbell, Crystal Gayle, BJ Thomas, the Bellamy Brothers and others. New performances are mixed with vintage tributes to classic stars such as Tammy Wynette, Gene Autry, Johnny Cash and Buck Owens.

Repeats Sat 8/21, 6pm; Sun 8/22, 11pm

12 AUGUST 2021 • Stream select programs via the free PBS Video App.

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6AM 6:30 7AM 8AM 10AM 12M 1:30 3:30 5:30 6:00 8:00

10:00

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WASHINGTON WEEK — R FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER — R PBS NEWSHOUR — R EAT YOUR MEDICINE: THE PEGAN DIET WITH MARK HYMAN, MD — R SUZE ORMAN’S ULTIMATE RETIREMENT GUIDE — R JOHN DENVER: COUNTRY BOY — R AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: AT BERTRAM’S HOTEL —R RICK STEVES: EUROPE AWAITS — R PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND MY MUSIC: COUNTRY POP LEGENDS — R KEN BURNS: HEMINGWAY — Celebrate the critically acclaimed documentary series from filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick about iconic literary figure Ernest Hemingway. This in-depth program features exclusive interviews with Burns, Novick, writer Geoffrey Ward and others who helped bring together the powerful six-hour series, a WETA co-production. Jeff Daniels hosts. Featuring revealing moments from the film, Ken Burns: Hemingway provides insights into the heroic personality of the famed author — and his literary achievements.

JOHN DENVER: COUNTRY BOY — An intimate profile spotlights the popular late singer-songwriter. His life and legacy are explored with friends, managers, family members, and the musicians who toured with him for decades.

MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER: ONE NIGHT LONELY — Join the acclaimed singer-songwriter-musician for a rare solo performance, filmed in November 2020, at Carpenter’s favorite venue, Virginia’s Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. The concert features selections from her most recent album, The Dirt and The Stars.

AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: AT BERTRAM’S HOTEL —R

22 Sunday 6AM RICK STEVES: EUROPE AWAITS — R 8AM EASY YOGA: THE SECRET TO STRENGTH AND BALANCE WITH PEGGY CAPPY — R 9AM EASY YOGA FOR ARTHRITIS WITH PEGGY CAPPY — R 10AM GREAT PERFORMANCES: BROADWAY: BEYOND THE GOLDEN AGE — R 12M UNDERGROUND RAILROAD: THE WILLIAM STILL STORY — Learn how extraordinary people risked their lives to help fugitive slaves escape via the 19th-century clandestine Underground Railroad. Among them was William Still of Philadelphia, a free Black man who accepted delivery of transported crates containing “human cargo.” This documentary reveals some of the stories behind this humanitarian enterprise.

1:30 CHANGE YOUR BRAIN, HEAL YOUR MIND WITH DANIEL AMEN, MD — R 3:30 ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL: BETWEEN THE PAGES — R 5:00 PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND — Repeats Monday, 7am

GETTY IMAGES

21 Saturday

Sunday, August 22 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things follows the six-decade journey of the extraordinary performer as her sublime voice transforms the tragedies and troubles of her life into joy.

Above: Fitzgerald on stage with bandleader Chick Webb, 1938.

5:30 JOHN DENVER: COUNTRY BOY — R 7:00 RICK STEVES: BEST OF THE ALPS — Join European travel expert Rick Steves on an alpine adventure with scenic train rides, breathtaking lifts, majestic glaciers and unforgettable hikes. The program celebrates nature and culture while visiting the high points of Europe: the Dolomites in Italy and the Zugspitze in Austria; the Matterhorn, the Jungfrau and Appenzell in Switzerland; and, in France, starting off from Chamonix, the Aiguille du Midi and the iconic Tour du Mont Blanc trail.

9:00 ELLA FITZGERALD: JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS — Follow the life and musical journey of the beloved vocalist. Interviews include Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Smokey Robinson, and Fitzgerald’s son, Ray Brown, Jr. 11:00 MY MUSIC: COUNTRY POP LEGENDS — R 1AM SUZE ORMAN’S ULTIMATE RETIREMENT GUIDE — R

23 Monday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Weeknights. Repeats next day, 7am 8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: PHILBROOK MUSEUM, HOUR 1 — Travel to Tulsa for Roadshow treasures appraised at Philbrook Museum of Art. Which item is worth $71,000?

9:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: PHILBROOK MUSEUM, HOUR 2 — Experience more outstanding Oklahoma appraisals at Philbrook Museum, including a $30,000-$50,000 find.

10:00 POV: AMÉRICA — In this independent documentary film, Diego lives away from his family, where he scrubs wax in a surf shop by day and stilt-walks the esplanade by night. He returns home after his grandmother, América, falls from her bed, leading to his father’s arrest for elder neglect. (60 min.)

COURTESY AARON FARRINGTON

24 Tuesday

Saturday, August 21 at 11:30 p.m. on WETA PBS Mary Chapin Carpenter: One Night Lonely features the acclaimed singer-songwriter-musician in a rare solo performance filmed in November 2020 at Wolf Trap, Carpenter’s favorite venue. The show features selections from her 2020 album The Dirt and The Stars.

8:00 NATIVE AMERICA — Discover the cities, science, art and beliefs that connected Native Americans 15,000 years ago. Part 1 of 4. From Caves to Cosmos. Combine ancient wisdom and modern science to answer a 15,000-yearold question: who were America’s First Peoples? The answer hides in Amazonian cave paintings, Mexican burial chambers, New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon and waves off California’s coast.

9:00 THE BIG BURN: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — Learn the story of a massive wildfire that swept across the Northern Rockies in August 1910, devouring more than three million acres in 36 hours. The catastrophe would define the fledgling U.S. Forest Service and the nation’s fire policy for much of the 20th century.

10:00 FRONTLINE: CHINA’S COVID SECRETS — Frontline explores the story of the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic and how China responded. Chinese scientists and doctors, international disease experts and health officials reveal missed opportunities to suppress the outbreak, and lessons for the world. (90 min.)

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of Writers. Finding one’s voice as a writer takes dedication, courage and a willingness to reimagine the world through words on a page. Novelist Margaret Atwood, playwright Danai Gurira and others talk about finding meaning as a writer. (30 min.)

28 Saturday

GRAPHIC COURTESY TWIN CITIES PBS

6AM WASHINGTON WEEK — R 6:30 FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER — R 7AM PBS NEWSHOUR — R 8AM-8PM WETA VIEWER FAVORITES 8:00 UNFORGIVABLE BLACKNESS: THE RISE AND FALL OF JACK JOHNSON — A film directed by Ken Burns and co-produced by Florentine Films and WETA chronicles the life and career of the first African American heavyweight boxing champion, who suffered racially motivated persecution by the U.S. government. Part 1 of 2.

Johnson enters the world of professional boxing and in 1908 captures the heavyweight title, setting in motion a worldwide search for a “white hope” to defeat him. In the 1910 “Battle of the Century” that results, Johnson fights ex-title holder Jim Jeffries.

10PM-6AM WETA VIEWER FAVORITES Wednesday, August 25 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro When Whales Walked: Journeys in Deep Time spotlights the ancient ancestors of four creatures: crocodiles, birds, whales and elephants — and follows scientists tracing their evolution in fossil clues.

WETA Television

25 Wednesday 8:00 NATURE: NATURAL BORN REBELS: HUNGER WARS — Meet the animals who will steal, cheat and fight to get food, including kleptomaniac crabs, thieving macaques, con-artist spiders, tricky tigers and cannibalistic lizards.

9:00 WHEN WHALES WALKED: JOURNEYS IN DEEP TIME — Meet the ancient ancestors of four iconic creatures: crocodiles, birds, whales and elephants. Join top scientists as they follow clues from the fossil record and make exciting new discoveries. (2 hrs.)

26 Thursday 8:00 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: ORDEAL BY INNOCENCE — Geraldine McEwan stars. Jacko Argyle — convicted of murdering his adoptive mother — went to the gallows protesting his innocence. Jacko’s family is shocked when, some months later, stranger Dr. Arthur Calgary proves that Jacko did have an alibi — he was with him at the time of the murder. Marple must sort out the case.

9:45 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: TOWARDS ZERO — Geraldine McEwan stars. The formidable Lady Tressilian (Eileen Atkins, Gosford Park) hosts a house party on her estate, and Miss Marple, in attendance, is intrigued when a woman who tells a story about a child murderer is soon found dead. (to 11:30pm)

27 Friday 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — Repeats Sat 8/28, 6am; Mon 8/30, 7:30am 8:30 THE DAVID RUBENSTEIN SHOW: PEER TO PEER CONVERSATIONS, SEASON 3 — John Rogers, Ariel Investments Chairman and CEO. 9:00 GREAT PERFORMANCES: VIENNA PHILHARMONIC SUMMER NIGHT CONCERT 2021 — Enjoy the Vienna Philharmonic’s annual summer night concert, featuring pianist Igor Levit under the direction of guest conductor Daniel Harding at Austria’s Schönbrunn Palace.

10:30 BEYOND THE CANVAS, SEASON 2 — Enjoy the best arts and culture reporting from PBS NewsHour’s CANVAS arts series. PBS NewsHour’s Amna Nawaz hosts. World

29 Sunday 6AM-9PM WETA VIEWER FAVORITES 9:00 WICKED IN CONCERT: A MUSICAL CELEBRATION OF THE ICONIC BROADWAY SCORE — Enjoy a celebration of one of the most successful productions in Broadway history. At its heart, Wicked is a story of personal empowerment, of an unlikely friendship and what it means to be different. Kristin Chenowith and Idina Menzel guide this concert version of the famed musical, exploring the story of Elphaba and Glinda, the journey of two young women.

Featuring an all-star cast and fresh orchestral arrangements of iconic songs such as “Dancing Through Life,” “Popular,” “Defying Gravity” and many others, Wicked in Concert explores these themes and reimagines the musical in an intimate concert setting. Repeats tonight 11:00 WICKED IN CONCERT — (encore) 1AM-6AM WETA VIEWER FAVORITES

30 Monday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Weeknights. Visit pbs.org/newshour.

Repeats next day, 7am 8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: CHURCHILL DOWNS RACETRACK, HOUR 1 — It’s off to the races for impressive appraisals at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

One may be up to $200,000.

9:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: CHURCHILL DOWNS RACETRACK, HOUR 2 — Discover more first-place finds at Churchill Downs Racetrack. Which is $70,000-$90,000?

10:00 POV: THE SONG OF THE BUTTERFLIES — Indigenous painter Rember Yahuarcani pursues a successful career in Lima, but when he finds himself in a creative rut, he returns home to his Amazonian community and discovers why his ancestors’ stories cannot be forgotten. (60 min.)

31 Tuesday 8:00 NATIVE AMERICA — Part 2 of 4. Nature to Nations.

Explore the rise of great American nations. Investigate lost cities in Mexico, a temple in Peru, a potlatch ceremony in the Pacific Northwest, and a New York shellbead tapestry whose story inspired our own democracy.

9:00 GENERATION 9/11 — Follow seven young people whose fathers died on 9/11. When they were born, the nation was drawn together. Twenty years later, in a divided America, they enter adulthood with a sense of responsibility that stems from their own personal September 11 tragedy. (2 hrs.)

WETA Magazine is published monthly by the Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association for its members. Three dollars of each member’s dues are designated for its subscription. WETA occasionally exchanges member names with other organizations. If you wish that your name not be exchanged, please call Audience Services at 703-998-2724. ©2021 by Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association.

All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written permission.

Periodical postage paid at Arlington, VA 22210 and additional offices. Send address changes to WETA, 3939 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, Virginia 22206. Volume 34, Number 8. ISSN No. 1041-2700.

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

Publisher Mary Stewart Editor Jeff Giese Design MANIFEST LLC Editorial and Advertising Offices 3939 Campbell Ave. Arlington, VA 22206

14 AUGUST 2021 • Stream select programs via the free PBS Video App.

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The WETA PBS Kids channel offers a safe haven for young viewers, presenting educational programming 24 hours each day, seven days a week.

WEEKDAYS ON WETA PBS • Hero Elementary, 8am • Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, 8:30am • Curious George, 9am • Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, 9:30am • Donkey Hodie, 10am • Elinor Wonders Why, 10:30am • Sesame Street, 11am • Pinkalicious & Peterrific, 11:30am • Dinosaur Train, 12n • Clifford the Big Red Dog, 12:30pm • Sesame Street, 1pm • Donkey Hodie, 1:30pm • Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, 2pm • Let’s Go Luna!, 2:30pm

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood New episodes premiere August 16-20!

8 a.m./8:30 a.m. weekdays on WETA PBS Kids; 9:30 a.m./2 p.m. on WETA PBS

A

ugust heralds five new episodes of WETA PBS Kids presentation Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood! Young viewers can join Daniel and his friends for a week of “firsts” in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. Follow along as Margaret celebrates her first Thank-You Day, Daniel takes his first trip to the hospital and Prince Wednesday’s brother departs for college.

The Emmy-winning WETA PBS Kids series from Fred Rogers Productions addresses key social and emotional learning themes for preschoolers and kindergartners and their parents, from managing sibling rivalry and maintaining calm at mealtimes, to missing loved ones, growing up and much more. Each episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood showcases two distinct stories featuring the 4-year-old and his friends, who invite viewers to join them on their adventures as they explore the colorful Neighborhood of Make-Believe. Music reinforces the unique theme of every show, so preschoolers — and parents — can sing along and incorporate the new learning into their daily lives.

©2019 TWIN CITIES PUBLIC MEDIA WORKSHOP, LLC

Visit weta.org/kids for complete WETA PBS Kids listings.

COURTESY THE FRED ROGERS COMPANY

WEEKDAYS ON WETA PBS KIDS • The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, 6am • Ready Jet Go!, 6:30am • Peg + Cat, 7am • Super WHY!, 7:30am • Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, 8am, 8:30am • Sesame Street, 9am • Elinor Wonders Why, 9:30am • Clifford the Big Red Dog, 10am • Dinosaur Train, 10:30am • Let’s Go Luna!, 11am • Nature Cat, 11:30am, 12n • Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, 12:30pm • Molly of Denali, 1pm • Hero Elementary, 1:30pm • Cyberchase, 2pm • Pinkalicious & Peterrific, 2:30pm, 3pm • Elinor Wonders Why, 3:30pm • Donkey Hodie, 4pm • Curious George, 4:30pm, 5pm • Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, 5:30pm • Molly of Denali, 6pm • Hero Elementary, 6:30pm • Wild Kratts, 7pm, 7:30pm • Odd Squad, 8pm, 8:30pm • Arthur, 9pm, 9:30pm • WETA PBS Kids Family Night airs Fridays, 7-10pm

SUNDAYS ON WETA PBS • Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, 6am • Arthur, 6:30am • Molly of Denali, 7am • Wild Kratts, 7:30am • Hero Elementary, 8am • Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, 8:30am

Hero Elementary, weekdays at 1:30/6:30 p.m. on WETA PBS Kids and 8 a.m. on WETA PBS, spotlights a school for budding superheroes, where kids learn to master their innate powers, such as flying and teleportation, while exploring science along the way. The series aims to give children ages 4 to 7 the tools to solve problems by thinking and acting like scientists.

For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org. 15

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British Television at Its Best The WETA UK channel is devoted to the best in British television programming, presenting beloved classics and contemporary series around the clock, seven days a week. WETA UK offers a full schedule of fine entertainment programming — featuring drama, mystery and comedy — in addition to documentary series and news reports.

AUGUST P.M. PROGRAMMING ON WETA UK VISIT WETA.ORG/SCHEDULE FOR A COMPLETE PROGRAM LINEUP SUNDAY

12pm 12:30pm

1pm 1:30pm

2pm 2:30pm

3pm

MONDAY

4:30pm

5pm 5:30pm

6pm 6:30pm

7pm 7:30pm

8pm

10:30pm

11pm

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Last of the Summer Wine

Last of the Summer Wine

Last of the Summer Wine

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

A Place to Call Home (next episode airs Tuesday)

A Place to Call Home (next episode airs Wednesday)

A Place to Call Home (next episode airs Thursday)

A Place to Call Home (next episode airs Friday)

A Place to Call Home (next episode airs Monday)

• The Indian Doctor, Series 3 • Secrets of Royal Travel (8/28)

Escape to the Country, Series 2

Pie in the Sky, Series 3

Agatha Christie’s Poirot

Midsomer Murders

• The Indian Doctor, Series 3

Agatha Christie’s Poirot, Series 9

Midsomer Murders, Series 19 (8/1)

How the Victorians Built Britain, Series 2

• Frankie Drake Mysteries, Series 3 • Secrets of Royal Travel (8/21-8/28)

• The Long Song on Masterpiece (8/1) • Bancroft (starts 4pm 8/8; then 6pm 8/15-8/29)

• The Great Tours: Ireland & Northern Ireland • The Great Tours: The Celtic World (starts 8/30)

• Victoria on Masterpiece (8/1-8/8) • BBC Antiques Roadshow (8/158/29, 5:30pm)

BBC World News Outside Source

• Bancroft (starts 8/27) • Frankie Drake Mysteries, Series 3 • Secrets of Royal Travel (8/19-8/26)

Father Brown, Series 7

• Agatha Christie’s Partners in Crime

EastEnders

BBC Antiques Roadshow

• Secrets of Royal Travel (8/19-8/26)

EastEnders

BBC World News Outside Source

BBC World News Outside Source

BBC World News Outside Source

BBC World News Today

BBC World News America

BBC World News America

BBC World News America

BBC World News America

BBC World News America

• Secrets of Royal Travel (8/1-8/8) • Bancroft (8/158/29; first ep is 4pm 8/8)

’Allo, ’Allo!

’Allo, ’Allo!

’Allo, ’Allo!

’Allo, ’Allo!

’Allo, ’Allo!

Still Open All Hours

Still Open All Hours

Still Open All Hours

Still Open All Hours

Still Open All Hours

All Creatures Great and Small, Series 6 & 7 (original series; next ep airs Sat, 7pm)

Last of the Summer Wine

Last of the Summer Wine

Last of the Summer Wine

Last of the Summer Wine

Last of the Summer Wine

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

Escape to the Country, Series 2

Pie in the Sky, Series 3

Midsomer Murders, Series 19 (Series 16 as of 8/18)

McLeod’s Daughters, Series 1

Masterworks Showcase • Foyle’s War, Series 1, 8pm (starts 8/6)

Father Brown, Series 7

How the Victorians Built Britain, Series 2

All Creatures Great and Small, Series 6 & 7 (original series; two episodes)

Foreign Favourites • Professor T, Series 3, 8pm (Series 1 starts 8/31) • Thou Shalt Not Kill, Series 2, 9pm (8/3) • Seaside Hotel, Series 1, 9pm (starts 8/10) • Line of Separation, Series 2, 10pm (8/3) • Before We Die, Series 1, 10pm (starts 8/10)

Bancroft, Series 1 (starts 8/4)

• The Indian Doctor, Series 3 • Victim (starts 8/26)

• Flesh and Blood on Masterpiece, 9pm (starts 8/6)

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Series 1

Agatha Christie’s Poirot, Series 9 (BBC World News at 12m)

Jack Irish

• Victoria on Masterpiece, 10pm

• Vienna Blood (8/7)

9:30pm

10pm

THURSDAY

Last of the Summer Wine

8:30pm

9pm

WEDNESDAY

Last of the Summer Wine

3:30pm

4pm

TUESDAY

• Inside the Mind of Agatha Christie (8/1, 12n) • Agatha and the…

Truth of Murder (8/1, 1-3pm); …

Curse of Ishtar (8/8, 12n-2pm); …

Midnight Murders (8/8, 2-4pm) • Agatha Christie’s Poirot (8/15, 12n-5:30pm) • Agatha Christie’s Marple (8/22, 8/29, 12n-5:30pm)

• The Great Tours: Ireland & Northern Ireland • The Great Tours: The Celtic World (starts 8/29)

Yes Minister (2 eps)

11:30pm SUNDAY

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All Creatures Great and Small, Series 6 & 7 (original series; two episodes)

Victoria on Masterpiece

• Us on Masterpiece, 10pm (starts 8/27)

BBC World News

BBC World News

BBC World News

Pie in the Sky, Series 3

Professor T, Series 3 (Series 1 starts 8/31)

McLeod’s Foyle’s War, Daughters, Series 1 Series 1

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

BBC World News (12m on 8/27)

FRIDAY

Escape to the Country, Series 2

How the Victorians Built Britain, Series 2

McLeod’s Daughters, Series 1

All Creatures Great and Small, Series 6 & 7 (original series; next ep airs Sun, 7pm)

• Cobra (starts 8/14) McLeod’s Daughters, Series 1 (starts 8/7)

SATURDAY

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WETA UK Highlights Bancroft

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powerful psychological thriller from the director of Vera focuses on the ultimate antiheroine. Formidable Detective Chief Superintendent Elizabeth Bancroft — portrayed

by Sarah Parish (Broadchurch, W1A) — is riding a professional high, leading the charge against a violent gang. Meanwhile, Detective Sergeant Katherine Stevens (Faye Marsay, Game of Thrones) is given a cold case to solve: the murder of Laura Fraser years before.

As Elizabeth and Katherine’s paths cross for the first time, Katherine finds that there’s more to the Fraser case than it seems — and Elizabeth has some secrets in her past that return to haunt her. Art Malik (The Jewel in the Crown) co-stars as DCS Alan Taheeri.

The 2017 drama features four episodes in Series 1; a second season follows in September.

COURTESY ITV

Wednesdays at 9 p.m. starting August 4 on WETA UK

Cobra

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Saturdays at 10 p.m. starting August 14 on WETA UK

The Victim

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Thursdays at 9 p.m. starting August 26 on WETA UK

PARTHENON ENTERTAINMENT/AMERICAN PUBLIC TELEVISION

COURTESY ©SKY UK LIMITED

six-part high-stakes political drama stars Robert Carlyle (Trainspotting, The Full Monty) and Victoria Hamilton (The Crown, Lark Rise to Candleford). The storyline follows the British prime minister and his Cabinet Office Briefing Room A (“COBRA”) team — comprised of experts, planners and senior politicians — as they navigate difficulties in overcoming an unfolding national crisis.

A solar flare wreaks havoc on the United Kingdom, shutting down the electricity grid and creating social and political chaos. In the gripping thriller, Robert Sutherland, the British leader and head of the Conservative Party, and his chief of staff, Anna Marshall, join other members of the government in contending with the disaster. The characters grapple with weighty decisions and responsibilities, while wrestling with pressured personal lives.

n the four-part Scottish drama-thriller, Kelly MacDonald (Boardwalk Empire, No Country for Old Men) portrays Anna Dean, who must stand trial after being accused of leaking her son’s murderer’s new identity online and conspiring to have him killed. Hard-working family man Craig Myers (James Harkness) must try to prove his innocence — or is he really the man who killed Dean’s son 15 years before? John Hannah (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) co-stars as DI Stephen Grover who, previously accused of a crime, relates to Myers and feels he must try to prove the man’s innocence. The series revolves around the trial and Dean’s effort to unmask her son’s killer.

ITV

Also this month: August Is for Agatha! — WETA UK features Agatha Christie movies and episodes of Poirot and Agatha Christie’s Marple, Sundays at noon (see weta.org/schedule). Flesh and Blood on Masterpiece airs Fridays at 9 p.m. starting August 6; Us on Masterpiece starts Friday, August 27 at 10 p.m.; and on the Tuesday-night “Foreign Favourites” showcase, WETA UK reprises Seaside Hotel, Series 1 in anticipation of Series 2 and presents Swedish thriller Before We Die. For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org. 17

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WETA Metro is a new WETA streaming and broadcast television channel that features popular PBS programming and engaging content curated for our local audience, including offerings spotlighting the Metro D.C. community.

The channel is simulcast with WETA PBS most evenings. Each day on WETA Metro, enjoy local programs, news and public affairs offerings (such as PBS NewsHour, weekdays at 6 p.m./11 p.m.), and lifestyle and cultural shows.

VISIT WETA.ORG/SCHEDULE FOR A COMPLETE PROGRAM LINEUP

Stream at weta.org/livestream or via the PBS Video App

Ken Burns Presents: The Gene: An Intimate History WETA co-production airs Saturdays, August 7 & 14 at 9:30 p.m. on WETA Metro

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STEPHANIE BERGER

two-part, four-hour 2020 WETA documentary, based on the book “The Gene: An Intimate History” by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and WETA collaborator Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee, weaves together science, Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee, history, and personal stories to present a historical biography of the human author of The Gene, with Ken Burns genome. The film also explores groundbreaking breakthroughs for diagnosis and treatment of genetic diseases, and the complex web of moral, ethical and scientific questions raised by developments in genetics. The documentary includes interviews with pioneers in genetics and traces the story of this scientific field from its origins, also exploring the massive technological transformation from the 1970s through the 2000s. The program includes stories of contemporary patients seeking cures for their genetic diseases. Visit pbs.org/thegene to learn more.

Friday, August 20 at 9 p.m. on WETA Metro

film explores the world of Chef Patrick O’Connell and his obsession: the double five-star, double five-diamond, Michelin-starred restaurant The Inn at Little Washington — long considered one of the greatest dining experiences in America. The film follows both the front and back of house as this “chef’s chef” and his team celebrate their 40th year in business while chasing the ultimate accolade: a third Michelin star.

O’Connell is revered as a pioneer of refined American cooking, and as the restaurateur who transformed a Virginia country inn into a culinary temple. Behind the fairytale lies a story of a self-taught chef who started with nothing and overcame a long feud with a conservative rural town to create one of the nation’s most renowned restaurants.

COURTESY WGBH

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COURTESY THE INN AT LITTLE WASHINGTON

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The Inn at Little Washington: A Delicious Documentary

Blood Sugar Rising

Saturday, August 21 at 9 p.m. on WETA Metro

two-hour program spotlights the diabetes epidemic in the United States.

Diabetes and pre-diabetes affect more than 100 million people in America, costing more than $325 billion each year. Blood Sugar Rising puts human faces to these statistics, exploring the history and science of the illness through portraits and voices of Americans whose stories shape the film. Together, they illuminate this hidden national crisis. It is predicted that one in three children born since 2000 will develop the disease, but the documentary also reveals new hopes. From the rise of safer, easier medical treatments to new discoveries about lifestyle and environmental factors, the program reports on action being taken to improve diabetes management and prevention.

18 AUGUST 2021 • Stream select programs via the free PBS Video App.

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Via Antenna 26.4 Comcast 270, 1148 Cox 802 Fios 475 RCN 37

The WETA World channel is a 24/7 news and public affairs service devoted to fact-based non-fiction programming, sharing broad perspectives, stories and ideas. WETA World informs and educates, presenting award-winning documentaries and domestic and international news broadcasts. The channel features a slate of original programs that examine issues with a diversity of voices and illuminate conflicts, movements and cultures around the globe.

VISIT WETA.ORG/SCHEDULE FOR A COMPLETE PROGRAM LINEUP

Real Stories from Around the World

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Doc World: Road Runners

Sunday, Aug. 1 at 10 p.m. on WETA World

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n Montego Bay, Jamaica, three athletes from Spot Valley High School prepare to compete in the island’s greatest sporting event: Champs. The Doc World film Road Runners follows the students over the course of a year while highlighting the historic and contemporary issues of the island — where “all-inclusive” international resorts sit alongside crime and poverty. Through a story of hope, struggle and identity, see what it means to grow up in Jamaica, and learn why these young athletes are striving for success that could shape the course of the rest of their lives. Stream with WETA Passport as of August 1.

ocumentary series America ReFramed features Pyne Poynt (August 3), spotlighting Camden, New Jersey, one of America’s poorest cities, whose youth are numbed by a plague of despair, generational poverty, gun violence, and open-air drug markets, With dogged determination, resident Bryan Morton rallies an array of stakeholders to reclaim Pyne Poynt Park as a safe space for little league baseball teams and the community. In the film, multiple voices converge to tell their community’s story, from the formerly incarcerated drug dealers turned little-league coaches to the police who are re-trained to guard the public safety with compassion and empathy. Morton’s crusade transforms Pyne Poynt Park from a drug-infested battlefield into a field of dreams where, for sacred hours, youths can play in the field and feel free.

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America ReFramed

Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on WETA World, repeating Saturdays at 10 p.m.

Wild Metropolis

Friday August 13, 7-10 p.m. on WETA World

BBC/PBS

miniseries from the BBC and PBS spotlights how a diverse cast of animals is adjusting to life in the newest and fastest-changing habitat on the planet — cities — as more and more wild animals make their home in urban areas. Wild Metropolis presents footage of these animals and examines how they have applied natural-born skills and abilities to their new homes while also making great physical and behavioral adaptations. A wide range of species is featured, from humpback whales in New York’s Hudson River to penguins in Cape Town, from otters in Singapore to pythons on Bangkok streets. The series explores some of the world’s best-known cities from the perspective of the animals who live in them. The three episodes, Residents, Commuters and Survivors, also air August 26 on WETA Metro.

In August, WETA World offerings include more than 55 films on the theme of nature and the environment, including miniseries such as Big Pacific, Forces of Nature, Spy in the Wild, Earth’s Natural Wonders and Life from Above.

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Classical WETA 90.9 FM Favorites and Masterpieces on Choral Showcase Sundays at 9 p.m. on Classical WETA

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By Bill Bukowski, Midday On-Air Host

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Saturdays at 9 p.m. on Classical WETA

COURTESY CD SYNDICATIONS/RICHARD BOWDITCH

Chamber Music on Center Stage from Wolf Trap

he chamber music series Center Stage from Wolf Trap continues its broadcast run on Saturday evenings at 9 p.m. in August. The series showcases live performances recorded from the concert series Chamber Borromeo String Quartet Music at The Barns, which presents chamber music artists and ensembles recorded in the Barns at Wolf Trap. Lee Anne Myslewski, Director of Artistic Administration for the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Art’s Opera & Classical Programming Division, hosts the program along with WETA announcer Rich Kleinfeldt. This month’s programs are: • August 7: Jeffrey Kahane (piano) and Atos Trio • J.S. Bach “Goldberg” Variations, No. 16-Aria da Capo; Rachmaninoff Trio élégiaque in G Minor.

• August 14: Borromeo String Quartet • Beethoven Quartet in F Major, Op. 135; Shostakovich Quartet No. 1 in C Major, Op. 49.

• August 21: LA Guitar Quartet • Illimani Inti [arr. Scott Tenant] LA Guitar Quartet La Fiesta de la Tirana; Hermeto Pascoal [arr. William Kanengiser] De Sábado pro Dominguinhos; Leo Brouwer Paisaje Cubano con Lluvia; Arranged by William Kanengiser, Music from the Time of Cervantes; Ian Krouse Antique Suite for Four Guitars (after Neusidler).

• August 28: Will Liverman (operatic baritone) and Ken Noda (piano) • Schubert Winterreise No. 1-11 plus Q&A with Will Liverman and Ken Noda.

COURTESY CD SYNDICATIONS/JIRO SCHNEIDER

Classical WETA 90.9 FM

COURTESY THE ARTISTS

edieval music, choral favorites and Renaissance masterpieces abound this month on Classical WETA’s Choral Showcase! From 1151, one of the oldest surviving musical manuscripts is the Ordo Virtutum, or “Play of the Virtues” by Hildegard von Bingen. This morality play dramatizes the struggle of a wandering soul (Anima) between the lures of the devil and 12 personified virtues. Released this summer, in what is called “the first complete, historically accurate recording,” Patrick Dupre Quigley directs Seraphic Fire (left) on the August 1 program.

Seraphic Fire On August 8, we’ll hear two beloved requiems: the 1893 version of Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem with Ensemble Aedes and Les Siècles; and from 1947, the Requiem of Maurice Duruflé for chorus and organ, sung by the Houston Chamber Choir.

We’ll offer masterpieces of the Renaissance with Claudio Monteverdi’s Vespro Della Beata Vergine — the Vespers of the Blessed Virgin — on August 15, in a landmark recording with the Monteverdi Choir and the English Baroque Soloists under John Eliot Gardiner. On August 22, we present Masters of the Portuguese Renaissance with sacred works by Manuel Cardoso, Diogo Dias Melgás and Filipe de Magalhães in performances by Cupertino, Pro Cantione Antiqua, and A Capella Portuguesa.

A dramatic oratorio inspired by the Book of Revelation, The Book of the Seven Seals by Austrian composer Franz Schmidt is his last great work, premiering in 1938. Franz Welser-Most conducts the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Chorus on the August 29 program. Tune in to Choral Showcase, Sunday evenings at 9 p.m.

VivaLaVoce on vivalavoce.org

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Stream audio at classicalweta.org

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Classical for Washington “Welcome Back!” to Live Music

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By Nicole Lacroix, Afternoon On-Air Host

Pianist Daniil Trifonov

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discovered Louise Farrenc’s Third Symphony in March, on my first day back at the Kennedy Center.

Classical WETA’s NSO Showcase team, producer John Banther, music recordist and editor Charles Lawson and I had been invited to a live rehearsal with National Symphony Orchestra music director Gianandrea Noseda, the first in a year! As I sat down in the empty Concert Gianandrea Noseda and the NSO Hall, the orchestra rehearsed the slow movement of Farrenc’s Symphony No. 3, which opens with a soulstirring clarinet melody. It was followed by Haydn’s “Miracle” Symphony, an appropriate choice.

Live music is indeed miraculous. This concert was recorded live, but for a digital audience.

When, two months later, I saw the announcement for a real live concert featuring the superstar pianist Daniil Trifonov in the devilish Shostakovich Piano Concerto No.1, I immediately bought a “pod” of tickets. I’ve been going to the Kennedy Center since it opened, but this felt strange. There were only 250 audience members in a hall that seats about 2,500. The irrepressible Maestro Noseda greeted us from the stage and we all burst into applause. Audience and performers alike were about to receive a great gift — one I know I’ve taken for granted for so many years. I hope we can carry this renewed appreciation of live music into the future, as we look forward to an extraordinary new NSO season. By the way, the Farrenc/Haydn and the Trifonov concerts are both available on the NSO’s Digital Stage and at NationalSymphony.org.

NSO Showcase returns to Classical WETA this fall with an exciting new lineup of concerts.

Saturdays at 1 p.m. on Classical WETA

By Linda Carducci, Morning On-Air Host

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assion rules the heart in operas presented in August on Classical WETA Opera House in recorded performances by renowned opera houses: • Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, by Dmitri Shostakovich, airs August 7. This tale of a married woman whose passion for another man leads to murder was a great success when premiered in Leningrad in 1934 but was soon banned by Soviet authorities until 1961. We’ll hear a performance by the Royal Opera House in London, sung in Russian and starring soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek (below) in the title role.

• Il Trovatore, one of Giuseppe Verdi’s most popular operas, airs August 14 in a 1960 recording from the Swedish Royal Opera that will showcase the late, renowned Swedish tenor, Jussi Björling. Verdi’s dramatic piece from his masterful middle-to-late period traces love, revenge, and a horrifying family connection.

• The focus shifts to the 20th century on August 21 with Richard Strauss’s searing Elektra. The Swedish Royal Opera brings us another vintage recording from 1965 with legendary soprano Birgit Nilsson. This highly charged, psychological drama is based on the ancient Greek myth of a woman obsessed with avenging the murder of her father. Sung in German.

• French romance ends the month on August 28 with Manon by Jules Massenet in a Paris Opera production starring Pretty Yende in the title role. Massenet’s lyricism and resplendent choral segments bring to life a tragic story of a charming young woman whose quest for romance and a better life ends in disrepute and failed love. Sung in French.

Classical WETA 90.9 FM

Classical WETA Opera House

Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk

Classical WETA: 90.9 FM Greater Washington; 88.9 FM Frederick; WGMS 89.1 FM Hagerstown

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