Monday Dec 19th
11pm - EUROPEAN CHRISTMAS MARKETS - Travel/Culture
A delightful journey to discover Europe's Christmas Markets.
Discover Europe’s Christmas Markets, where the town center, market square, or just the side of the narrow, cobblestone streets come alive in the dark of winter with festively decorated wooden stalls, offering hot wine, regional food, Christmas decorations, sweet confections, toys, regional crafts and local entertainment. Journey to eight enchanting medieval and castle towns in Germany, France and Switzerland. Learn the history of the town, see their Christmas markets, and celebrate the magic of the season. Enjoy special folk arrangements of traditional Christmas carols performed by the Kingston Trio.
11:30pm - CHRISTMAS ON THE DANUBE - Travel/Culture
Visit cities along the Danube, which are particularly spectacular at Christmas.
Visit the magnificent Danube cities of Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. Learn about the history of each location, visit the Christmas markets, see the holiday decorations, and discover their traditions, such as the ancient tradition of Gingerbread and the lore behind the composition of that most famous Christmas carol, Silent Night. The journey is accompanied by classical music by great composers from the regions we visit.
Tuesday Dec 20th
10pm - ELLA WISHES YOU A SWINGING CHRISTMAS WITH VANESSA WILLIAMS - Performance - The American Pops Orchestra presents music from "Ella Wishes You a Swingin' Christmas," Ella Fitzgerald's album of holiday classics; hosted by Vanessa Williams.
In collaboration with the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, the American Pops Orchestra presents an evening celebrating the entire iconic album of holiday classics. This 60-minute performance stars host and vocalist Vanessa Williams with appearances by Dee Dee Bridgewater, Norm Lewis, Carmen Ruby Floyd, Nova Payton, Dave Detwiler and Morgan James.
11pm - ST. OLAF CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL: LOVE DIVINE - Performance - For many people, over several generations, the celebration of the Advent – Christmas – Epiphany season begins with the annual St. Olaf Christmas Festival, a century-old tradition of the college.
The St. Olaf Christmas Festival is one of the oldest musical celebrations of Christmas in the United States. Led by five conductors, it features more than 500 student musicians who are members of the college’s world-renowned choirs and orchestra.
The festival features a rich repertoire of classic Advent and Christmas compositions, familiar carols, hymns from around the world, and contemporary pieces from a diverse range of composers and cultures, offering music that both celebrates the Norwegian American history of the college while also highlighting beautiful works from around the globe.
THE ST. OLAF CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL FACTS & FIGURES
- 1912 - A musical program for the college community began and was planned and directed by F. Melius Christiansen, founder of the St. Olaf Music Department.
- 7,000+ guests will attend the Festival concerts and special events.
- 500 student musicians will participate as members of the five Choirs and Orchestra.
Wednesday Dec 21st
9pm - O HOLY NIGHT: CHRISTMAS WITH THE TABERNACLE CHOIR - Performance
Following a twenty-year long tradition, O Holy Night marks the first return of the in-person concert special since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was recorded over three nights in December 2021 in Salt Lake City’s Conference Center located at Temple Square.
The longstanding tradition, which has welcomed some of the most well-known singers and performers from Broadway, music, film and television, has been the No. 1 primetime holiday program on PBS for 17 years since it first aired in 2004.
10pm - ANTHONY WILLIAMS' URBAN NUTCRACKER - Performance - A modern retelling of "The Nutcracker" draws upon classical ballet, urban tap, hip-hop, swing, flamenco, step and jazz.
Anthony Williams’ Urban Nutcracker puts a modern spin on the 19th Century fairy tale. Strains of Duke Ellington dovetail with the buzz of neon, driven by the heartbeat of Tchaikovsky, blending classic ballet, urban tap, hip hop, step and jazz into something special. You could say it is a fusion of modern and classical dance....but it's more! It's a celebration of our multicultural community!
11:30pm - THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS IN ALSACE - Travel/Culture - Experience the delightful way that the towns and villages of the Alsace region of France celebrate Christmas.
The Magic of Christmas in Alsace drops you into a small region of France where the residents of the village towns celebrate the holidays with over the top decorations and traditional celebrations. Learn the legend of the first Christmas tree, see glass blowers at work, adventure through the Manger Trail and find a medieval Christmas market. As the grapes of the winemaking towns sleep for winter, the region explodes with color and creativity.
Thursday Dec 22nd
10pm - THE ORNAMENT OF THE WORLD - Culture/Documentary - See how Muslims, Jews, and Christians in medieval Spain forged a common cultural identity.
Traveling through Cordoba, Granada, Seville and Toledo, we retrace the 800-year period in medieval Spain when Muslims, Christians, and Jews forged a common cultural identity that frequently transcended their religious differences. This remarkable story reveals what made this rare and fruitful collaboration possible, and what ultimately tore it apart.
Saturday Dec 24th
11pm - O HOLY NIGHT: CHRISTMAS WITH THE TABERNACLE CHOIR - Performance
*** REBROADCAST ***
Sunday Dec 25th
7am - 20 YEARS OF CHRISTMAS WITH THE TABERNACLE CHOIR - Performance/History
Brian Stokes Mitchell reflects on 20 years of Christmas specials of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square; featuring appearances and performances by Kristen Chenoweth, Audra McDonald, Hugh Bonneville, the Sesame Street Muppets, and more.
9am - CELEBRATE & SING! GLORY TO THE NEWBORN KING - Performance - A concert featuring secular and sacred music.
This spectacular Christmas concert of secular and sacred music is under the direction of Steven R. Jobman and performed by the Preston Hollow Presbyterian church’s renowned 150-voice Sanctuary Choir, orchestra and Organist/Artist-in-Residence, Bradley Hunter Welch. The program also features handbells, bagpipes, jazz ensemble and soloists.
10am - THE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSE KING - Performance - Alan Cumming recounts the origin story of how a prince got put into a nutcracker.
Conceived by John Mauceri, this new work is a re-imagination of Tchaikovsky’s holiday favorite, "The Nutcracker." Based on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s 1816 book, Alan Cumming recounts the origin story of how a prince got put into a nutcracker. Unlike the ballet, we also learn what happens when the young girl grows up, having saved the prince, and what they are doing today.
11:30am - ANTHONY WILLIAMS' URBAN NUTCRACKER - Performance *** REBROADCAST ***
