Dame Julie Andrews returns to Vienna for New Year’s treat

By Jay Bobbin © Zap2it

The sound of music still warms Dame Julie Andrews’ heart, particularly on New Year’s Day.

The Oscar, Emmy, Grammy and Kennedy Center Honors recipient has been the host of the Vienna Philharmonic’s traditional holiday concert of Strauss selections on PBS’ “Great Performances” for four of the past five years. She returns to the Musikverein to preside over the program for the fifth time Wednesday, Jan. 1 (check local listings), as Daniel Barenboim conducts the orchestra. The Vienna State Opera also will perform again.

“I’m a huge fan,” Andrews says of Barenboim, who also was the conductor the first time she succeeded Walter Cronkite in hosting the special in 2009. “I couldn’t be more thrilled, and what a kudo for PBS that he’s doing it. It’ll be a good one.”

Andrews gets to tour Vienna sites in the course of the show, but she knows its overall effect is very dependent on the music chosen. “Of course, it’s mostly dedicated to the Strauss family,” she confirms, “but sometimes, it’s also to do with Haydn and the fact that he lived there, or that Mozart went there to visit somebody.

“They always finish with the Blue Danube Waltz, so last year, we did a moment where I was standing by the Danube (river). Those kinds of things are lovely, as are the castles and the homes and the museums that we visit.”

Since she prepares for the concert while celebrating the holidays with her family, Andrews allows “it’s a logistics thing. Just before Christmas, I’m in Los Angeles. For the second year in a row, I helped the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the L.A. Philharmonic - of which I’m a very proud board memberwith their children’s concert. The kids are bused in from areas that are in need, and they sing Christmas songs and just have a ball.

“Then I fly back to Long Island (New York) and join my family there, and the day after Christmas, I fly out to Austria. And since I’m there, I give myself the luxury of going to our home in Switzerland, which we’ve had now for close to 45 years. That is my joy and my treat to myself.”

After Carrie Underwood starred in NBC’s live, muchwatched production of “The Sound of Music” last month, ABC gave Andrews’ classic movie version its annual holiday season telecast. That film marks its 50th anniversary in 2015, but the same milestone is being reached in 2014 by the Disney favorite for which Andrews won her Academy Award, “Mary Poppins.”

As part of the celebration, the movie has just made its debut on Blu-ray, and its soundtrack is being added to the Grammy Hall of Fame. “It’s sort of unbelievable, slightly mind-boggling to me,” Andrews muses of the “Poppins” anniversary. “It’s not 50 years, is it? It doesn’t feel like it. I lost 20 years somewhere. I think this thing called life got in the way.”

Here are additional highlights of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day programming.

“The Walking Dead” marathon (Tuesday, Dec. 31, AMC): You say you want zombies to help you end one year and start the next? Obviously, you need look no further. All four seasons to date will be shown in their entirety, continuing through New Year’s Day.

“The Twilight Zone” marathon (Tuesday, Syfy): A festival of episodes of Rod Serling’s classic fantasy-suspense anthology has been a TV indicator of the new year for quite some time, and it remains in place.

“New Year’s Rockin’ Eve Presents the 50 Greatest Women in Music” (Tuesday, ABC): Thanks to Dick Clark Productions’ extensive archive of performances from “American Bandstand” and past New Year’s Eve specials, it’ll be easy for this show’s staff to gather clips of the ladies on the list.

“Live From Lincoln Center: New York Philharmonic Gala With Yo-Yo Ma” (Tuesday, PBS; check local listings): The cello master joins the orchestra for a celebration recorded in September and featuring Ravel’s “Bolero”; Audra McDonald hosts.

“That’s Entertainment!” (Tuesday, Turner Classic Movies): It’s become a tradition for the channel to mark New Year’s Eve with the hugely enjoyable 1974 compilation of scenes from MGM musicals, and it does so again. Principal TCM host Robert Osborne also introduces the two sequels and “That’s Dancing!”

“Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2014 With Ryan Seacrest” (Tuesday, ABC): In its second year since the passing of its founder, this staple of New Year’s Eve viewing continues with Seacrest still carrying the mantle ... and Jenny McCarthy and Fergie returning as cohosts. Artists including Robin Thicke, Jennifer Hudson and Jason Derulo start the festivities in prime time; as usual, those resume in late-night.

“NBC’s New Year’s Eve With Carson Daly” (Tuesday, NBC): Just as the Seacrest-hosted event does, Daly begins the celebration in prime time and carries it past stations’ late local news.

“New Year’s Eve Live” (Tuesday, Fox): As in past years, Times Square and Las Vegas will be the focal points for the network’s coverage as midnight approaches.

“New Year’s Eve Live With Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin” (Tuesday, CNN): How will Griffin mortify Cooper? You know she’ll find a way as they share hosting duties in New York’s Times Square for the seventh consecutive year.

“125th Tournament of Roses Parade” (Wednesday, ABC, CBS, NBC, Hallmark Channel, HGTV): One of sportscasting’s true legends, Los Angeles Dodgers announcer Vin Scully, is the latest grand marshal for the ever-floral procession of floats and marching bands through the streets of Pasadena, Calif.

ACROSS

1. Actor on “Castle” (2)

9. __ Paris; role on “Star Trek: Voyager”

10.“__ and Again” (1999-2002)

11.“I-See-You.__”; 2006 film for Beau Bridges

13.Harness straps

15.Mom on “Everybody Loves Raymond”

17.Reality series that began in 2011 (2)

18.Zebulon Walton, to John

20.“__ Joe: Retaliation”; Channing Tatum movie

21.“Your __ Parade” (1950-59)

23.Adams or Johnson

24.Linear measures: abbr.

25.Stewart or Serling

26.“__ Are Men”; 2013 sitcom

29.1988 Martin Sheen film

30.Toni Collette series

34.Opera based on a Goethe tragedy

4. Prefix for seen or spoken

5. Clapton’s initials

6. Do’s followers (2)

7. Unit of farmland

8. “__ __ Married an Axe Murderer”; 1993 movie

9. Series for Michaela Watkins (2)

12.Role on “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” (2)

14.Org. for Ducks and Penguins

16.“__ of Valor”; 2012 Alex Veadov film

19.Nurse’s helper

20.“The __ Wife”

22.Poet Eliot, for one

23.Miranda Bailey or Callie Torres: abbr.

27.Scrubber’s item

28.Monogram for the FBI’s Hoover

30.Enormous

31.WWII French battle site (hyph.)

32.“True __”; John Wayne movie

33.Role on “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.”

35.Chad’s continent: abbr.

37.Blocker, for one

40.“__’ Blue Eyes”

41.Fraternity letter