April 2023 - WETA Magazine

WETA Focus

In April, we are very proud to premiere two wonderful new television series — one for a nationwide audience and one exclusively for viewers in the national capital area. Starting Wednesday, April 26, we bring to PBS viewers around the country the new history series Iconic America: Our Symbols and Stories with David Rubenstein. This fascinating series is the result of a partnership between WETA, our longtime friend David Rubenstein, and production team Show of Force. Spotlighting American symbols, archetypes and places, the eight programs feature David illuminating the intriguing history and changing meaning of these icons, offering new perspective on how we tell — and retell — our American story. In each program, he travels the country, interviewing a wide array of people, including historians, community members and others who help further our understanding of these symbols and provide context for their resonance. The Iconic America project includes an extensive education and outreach component to inspire further inquiry about the nation’s history.

On April 3, we roll out our engaging new WETA local travel series Get Out of Town, which airs each Monday in April and May, presenting great getaways within a half-day’s drive from Washington, D.C. With mother-daughter hosts Laurita and Lauren Portee leading the way, learn about where to go, where to stay, local history, nearby activities, and dining options. Exploring our region, the vibrant series will both entertain you and inspire you to take to the road.

We also have several intriguing events in store for you this month.

• On April 7: We and the Arlington Public Library celebrate WETA founder Elizabeth Campbell — a truly extraordinary Arlingtonian — at the Shirlington Library branch.

• On April 12: We present a season-ending online Finding Your Roots event that features the series’ host, our friend and production partner Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., sharing behind-the-scenes stories.

• On April 25: WETA holds a very special in-person Iconic America preview event, offering a unique opportunity to hear series host David Rubenstein discussing history with distinguished guests.

I hope to see you there! Enjoy all that WETA has to offer this month, and thank you for your support.

Sharon Percy Rockefeller President and Chief Executive Officer, WETA

Attend a WETA Finding Your Roots Virtual Event on April 12

WETA invites you to attend a free virtual event Wednesday, April 12 at 8 p.m. that marks the end of Season Nine of the genealogy and history series Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. This National Virtual Conversation — Finding Your Roots Family Album: Series Highlights — surrounding the WETA co-production and its content features the series’ host Prof. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and senior producer Sabin Streeter sharing behind-the-scenes stories from Season Nine and the series archive. Thomas Allen Harris, of the Family Pictures Institute for Inclusive Storytelling, moderates the conversation. To learn more and to register for the event, visit weta.org/FYRAprilConversation

Prof. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

ICONIC AMERICA

OUR SYMBOLS AND STORIES WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN

Special Event April 25 in D.C. RSVP Now!

WETA members and their guests are invited to attend a free special event illuminating the new public television history series Iconic America: Our Symbols and Stories with David Rubenstein, which premieres beginning April 26 on WETA PBS and WETA Metro and on PBS stations nationwide. The preview screening and discussion will take place Tuesday, April 25 at 7 p.m. at Lisner Auditorium at The George Washington University in downtown Washington, D.C. Tickets are free but reservations are required.

The event will feature a conversation about the American people’s shared history and how the new series uses American symbols as a gateway to understanding the nation’s past and present. The discussion features Secretary of the Smithsonian Lonnie Bunch; Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden; and series host and executive producer David Rubenstein. PBS NewsHour contributor and New York Times columnist David Brooks moderates the discussion. The event will also include preview highlights from the absorbing eight-episode series.

For event details and to RSVP, visit weta.org/iconicamericaevent

JArlington Public Library Exhibit on WETA Founder Elizabeth Campbell Opens with an April 7 Event

oin WETA, the Arlington Public Library and the Center for Local History for a special celebration of Elizabeth Campbell (1902-2004) — the first president of WETA and a co-founder of the station. The free event takes place Friday, April 7, 1-3 p.m. in the Campbell Room at the Arlington Public Library’s Shirlington branch and will feature the opening of the Elizabeth Campbell Desk Exhibit. WETA has donated Mrs. Campbell’s longtime office desk to the library, which has prepared an educational exhibit about her life and her extraordinary contributions to the Arlington community. Guest speakers will introduce the exhibit, the library will provide a children’s craft and light refreshments and attendees can enjoy a photo op with Clifford the Big Red Dog.

A lifelong education advocate, Campbell in 1947 became the first woman to be elected to a school board in Virginia when she won a seat on the Arlington County School Board. She served for three terms and took up the struggle to desegregate Virginia’s public schools. Recruited to head the Greater Washington Educational Television Association, she joined a group of visionaries that in 1961 launched WETA’s noncommercial educational television service for the national capital area. Campbell served as the station’s president for a decade before stepping aside to become vice president of community affairs in 1971, a position she held as an unpaid volunteer for more than 40 years, until her death at the age of 101 in 2004.

WETA and the opportunities for lifelong learning that it provides are Elizabeth Campbell’s magnificent legacy. An educator, mother and idealist, she dared to create change in our community and succeeded. She remains an inspiration at WETA. Please join us at Shirlington Library on April 7 to celebrate this remarkable woman.

CHAD EVANS WYATT

ICONIC AMERICA

OUR SYMBOLS AND STORIES WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN

New WETA co-production premieres Wednesdays starting April 26 at 10 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro and streams on the PBS App

How did American icons, symbols and places come to be associated with particular ideas, take on significance, and become nearly universal in public consciousness — and what do changing interpretations of their meaning indicate about our society? The new history series Iconic America: Our Symbols and Stories with David Rubenstein, developed and brought to a nationwide audience in partnership with WETA, seeks to find out, illuminating fascinating American history as it examines the stories behind iconic national symbols across the country and traces the arc of their resonance.

Guiding the inquiries in the eight-episode series is David Rubenstein — co-founder of The Carlyle Group, patriotic philanthropist, lifelong student of history, and the series’ host and executive producer. With a unique mix of curiosity, engagement and wry humor, he spotlights indelible artifacts, locations, and archetypes — and how Americans identify with them. Four April and May episodes spotlight Fenway Park, the Hollywood Sign, the Gadsden Flag, and the Cowboy, and an additional four episodes in July and August feature the Statue of Liberty, the American Bald Eagle, Stone Mountain, and the Golden Gate Bridge.

In each episode, Rubenstein visits special places around the country to meet and engage with historical thinkers, community members, and subject matter experts. Together, they dive deeply into each symbol’s story and how its meaning has changed over time, using these icons as a gateway to understanding America’s past and present.

A proponent of civics and history education in the United States, Rubenstein highlights the value of sharing the nation’s stories. “I’ve long been struck by the

strength of American symbols while saddened by how little we know about them,” said Rubenstein. “Our goal with this series is to explore the history and meaning of these iconic symbols and to better understand the bigger issues and societal currents they reveal.”

Spotlighting the icons, the series engages with complex and difficult questions that arise, probing how these manifestations of our history are sometimes highly contested as different groups invest them — and at times freight them — with distinct meanings. The symbols that endure speak to what a society values and how people see themselves, and they help us to contextualize a nation’s shared past in the present moment.

In the programs, Rubenstein’s quest for a deeper understanding of these symbols takes him to an array of regions and communities, from Boston to San Francisco and New York to Oklahoma City. He conducts interviews with historians and history makers from the worlds of sports, politics, entertainment, and academia, including David “Big Papi” Ortiz (former Red Sox player) and Lake Iolani Stevens (Women’s Ranch Bronc Champion); Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-SC) and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL); Sylvester Stallone (actor,

Host David Rubenstein travels around the nation to explore America’s history through its iconic symbols and places. Above, he visits the vault in the Library of Congress.

screenwriter, and filmmaker) and Melissa Rivers (writer, host, and producer); and Hasan Kwame Jeffries (associate professor of history at The Ohio State University) and Michael Boulware Moore (founding president and former chief executive officer of the International African American Museum).

Essential to the project’s goals are the robust engagement and education campaigns designed to encourage people of all ages to explore local history. Eighteen PBS stations are developing companion content exploring iconic regional symbols. The Eureka, California station, for example, will celebrate the Redwood Tree. In Schenectady, immigration experts and residents will discuss New York as a place of refuge. Musical events in Nashville will highlight the experiences of BIPOC American cowboys. Some stations are exploring culture through events and digital content celebrating iconic foods, from the San Antonio puffy taco to the delights at the Iowa State Fair. Inspiring a new generation of history lovers, the project is also providing nationwide teacher trainings, virtual tours for classrooms, and expertly crafted lesson plans.

Iconic America: Our Symbols and Stories with David Rubenstein is a production of Show of Force, DMR Productions, and WETA. To learn more about the series, visit the project’s website at pbs.org/iconicamerica, which goes live in mid-April. Engage with the series on social media using the hashtag #IconicAmericaPBS.

Funding for Iconic America: Our Symbols and Stories with David Rubenstein is provided by The Zohar and Lisa Ben-Dov Family through the Luminescence Foundation.

Iconic America on WETA PBS & WETA Metro (repeats Sundays at 2 p.m. on WETA PBS, noon on WETA Metro)

April 26, 10 p.m. •

Fenway Park

Baseball is a favorite American pastime and obsession, and no ballpark is more iconic than Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. Experience the story of a city’s loyalty to its team and love for its ballpark through thick and thin.

May 3, 10 p.m. •

The Hollywood Sign

The Los Angeles landmark was erected in 1923 originally as a real estate advertisement. Learn about its history and how it has become an international symbol of fame, fortune, and the American Dream.

May 10, 10 p.m. •

The Gadsden Flag

The “Don’t Tread on Me” flag was once a potent symbol of independence. Discover how it has been co-opted by a variety of Americans over its long history.

May 17, 10 p.m. •

The Cowboy

The cowboy is the quintessential American — fiercely independent, brave and laconic. Hear about the myths and realities of this archetype, which remains as powerful as ever in the 21st century.

Upcoming episodes:

The Statue of Liberty, Wednesday, July 12 at 10 p.m.

The American Bald Eagle, Wednesday, July 19 at 10 p.m. Stone Mountain, Wednesday, July 26 at 10 p.m.

The Golden Gate Bridge, Wednesday, August 2 at 10 p.m.

“Our goal with this series is to explore the history and meaning of these iconic symbols and to better understand the bigger issues and societal currents they reveal.”

— David Rubenstein

New WETA travel series airs Mondays, April 3-May 22 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS and 8 p.m. on WETA Metro; streams on the PBS App and weta.org

The mid-Atlantic region is a traveler’s paradise; within just a half-day’s drive of D.C., the possibilities for exploration and adventure are endless. With so many enticing options and historical riches, and so much natural beauty, it can be difficult to know where to go — and what to do when you get there. To help inspire a memorable getaway and provide a guide to great places to visit, WETA has created the new local television series Get Out of Town. The series features road trips to eight amazing areas near the nation’s capital, showcasing destinations in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

From the same production team behind If You Lived Here, WETA’s popular D.C.-area house-hunting and neighborhood series, Get Out of Town recommends places to stay, restaurants to try and activities for people with all kinds of interests and a variety of budgets. The fun new WETA production also introduces the residents, business owners, historians, guides, chefs, artists and others who make each of the road trip experiences special. Among the locations spotlighted are Southwest Pennsylvania; the Chesapeake Bay; Harpers Ferry, West Virginia; Deep Creek Lake in Maryland; the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia; and Philadelphia.

At the heart of the new series are its engaging co-hosts, D.C.-area mother-daughter duo Laurita Portee and Lauren Portee. In the premiere episode of the series, as they pass the lodge at Nemacolin Resort in the Laurel Highlands region of Pennsylvania, Laurita says to Lauren, “that’s where we stayed 15 years ago.”

It’s a little moment, easily missed, but it is part of the unusual alchemy of Get Out of Town. The series is unique among travel shows — there aren’t many mother-daughter hosting pairs in the travel television landscape; and the programs focus locally, spotlighting places around the region that viewers can easily explore for the first time or visit again.

Enthusiastic travelers, the hosts started foraying out on trips together in 2012. Laurita is retired, and her daughter Lauren recently finished a master’s of science degree in occupational therapy from Howard University. As they travel by car or train to their destinations in the programs, they at times revisit places they’ve been to before but find new activities, adventures and impressions awaiting them.

For example, the Richmond, Virginia episode, airing April 10, is a kind of homecoming. Laurita is a Richmond native and Lauren received her BS in psychology at the University of Richmond. The May 8 episode takes the pair to Charlottesville and the University of Virginia campus, where Laurita earned her degree in urban planning — and a full scholarship for track and field. So it’s no surprise that they’d meet up with family at a local restaurant in Richmond or tour familiar college landmarks in Charlottesville, but some of their activities, from historical tours to museum visits, give them the chance to discover how much has changed, and how much there is to do, even for returning visitors.

First stop: Fallingwater

No matter where they go, though, Laurita and Lauren share an infectious joy for getting out and exploring together. They have different tastes in lodging; Lauren prefers hotels and their amenities while her mother loves quaint bed-and-breakfasts in small towns. Both are “foodies” and enjoy everything from a crab feast in St. Michaels, Maryland, to cheesesteaks in Philadelphia. And on their adventures, they push each other out of their respective comfort zones, especially when it comes to trying outdoor activities such as river rafting, kayaking, and urban bike tours.

In each episode, Laurita and Lauren’s excitement to be out on the road together and the intriguing destinations they visit are an invitation to WETA viewers to get out of town themselves, without ever having to get on a plane. Tune in to Get Out of Town each Monday from April 3 through May 22 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS and 8 p.m. on WETA Metro. Episodes will be available each week to stream on the PBS app and at weta.org

DESTINATIONS:

April 3: Laurel Highlands, PA

Hosts Laurita and Lauren drive to southwest Pennsylvania to visit the Laurel Highlands region, where they soak up views of rolling hills, worldfamous architecture like Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, and local food and history.

April 10: Richmond, VA

Just a quick and affordable train ride away, Richmond, Virginia offers the hosts an art- and culture-filled adventure that includes museum visits, bike tours and delicious food.

April 17: St. Michaels, MD

Laurita and Lauren take to the water in the seaport town of St. Michaels, Maryland. They learn to sail, explore the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and crack local crabs for dinner.

April 24: Deep Creek Lake, MD

Mountain and water views abound on a visit to Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, where the hosts’ adventures include paddle boarding, kayaking and roller coaster rides.

May 1: Harpers Ferry, WV

Laurita and Lauren enjoy a thrilling and tasty visit to Harpers Ferry in West Virginia; their adventures include river rafting and bread-making.

May 8: Charlottesville, VA

A visit to Charlottesville, Virginia, offers a new perspective on Laurita’s former college town, as well as horseback riding, a visit to a nearby vineyard and a poignant personal tour of Monticello.

May 15: Philadelphia, PA

Cheesesteaks and history — plus a run up the famous Rocky steps — are on the itinerary as the hosts visit Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

May 22: Shenandoah Valley, VA

The mountains are calling in the season finale, which features Laurita and Lauren enjoying scenic views from high atop Skyline Drive and deep in Luray Caverns.

Dramas in April

TSundays, 8-11 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro; Thursdays on WETA PBS

his month, the stellar Sunday-night drama lineup continues, as more new episodes of popular offerings Call the Midwife (8 p.m.) and Sanditon on Masterpiece (9 p.m.), and new presentation Marie Antoinette (10 p.m.), premiere on WETA PBS and WETA Metro. Stream the programs with WETA Passport. Call the Midwife and Marie Antoinette continue into May, but after Sanditon concludes, on April 30 at 9 p.m. the new Masterpiece production Tom Jones enters the drama bloc. The May WETA Magazine (in homes in late April) will spotlight the new series, but plan to tune in for the four-part adaptation of Henry Fielding’s classic novel, which follows the tale of a young man’s love for a wealthy heiress in 18th-century England. The cast includes (above) Sophie Wilde as Sophia Western and Solly McLeod as Tom Jones — alongside Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso), James Fleet, Shirley Henderson, Alun Armstrong, and a host of others.

On Thriller Thursdays in April, enjoy more classic episodes of Agatha Christie’s Marple, featuring Julia McKenzie (Cranford) in the iconic role of ultra-perceptive sleuth Miss Marple — joined by guest stars from the pantheon of U.K. acting greats. WETA PBS presents weekly double features of the mystery series.

Rubell Museum, Molly Smith and More on WETA Arts

HMonday, April 3 at 9:30 p.m. on WETA PBS; 8:30 p.m. on WETA Metro; stream on the PBS App

osted by Felicia Curry, the April episode of WETA’s local arts showcase WETA Arts visits a new museum, meets an activist artist, and spotlights the outgoing artistic director of Arena Stage. First, tour the Rubell Museum, a new contemporary art museum located in Southwest D.C. Internationally renowned art collectors Don and Mera Rubell and their son Jason Rubell discuss their passion for art and the mission behind their museum. Next, meet aerialist, weaver, and installation artist Kirsty Little. Originally from London, Little now makes art inspired by feminist themes in her Mt. Rainier, Maryland studio. Then Felicia Curry visits the Arena Stage theater in Southwest D.C. to interview the company’s long-time artistic director, Molly Smith, who is retiring at the end of this theater season after 25 years and over 200 productions. WETA Arts repeats April 17 at 9:30 p.m. on WETA PBS; 8:30 p.m. weekly on WETA Metro.

Great Performances: Now Hear This, Series 4

AFridays at 9 p.m. in April on WETA PBS & WETA Metro; stream on the PBS App

n ongoing Great Performances miniseries presents more musical explorations with host Scott Yoo (left), renowned violinist and conductor of the Mexico City Philharmonic. Airing on Friday nights in April, Now Hear This merges music, storytelling, travel and culture, as Yoo chases the secret histories of some of the greatest music ever written. Piazzolla’s History with Tango (April 7) visits Buenos Aires, Argentina with Yoo and flutist Alice Dade to explore the evolution of composer Astor Piazzolla’s work and the tango music genre itself as it becomes fused with jazz. Schumann: Genius and Madness (April 14) visits Scotland, Germany and France with Yoo as he investigates the connection between composer Robert Schumann’s bipolar disorder and creative genius. In Andy Akiho Found (his) Sound (April 21), experience the creation of music from the Japanese American composer using “found” instruments. And in Albéniz: Portraits of Spain (April 28), discover the inspirations Spain provided composer Isaac Albéniz — with Yoo, Scottish Grammy-winning guitarist David Russell, and musicians from Albéniz’s birthplace in the Pyrenees mountains as well as Sevilla, Mallorca and elsewhere.

COURTESY MAMMOTH SCREEN/MASTERPIECE RUBELL MUSEUM

Tom Jones premieres April 30

COURTESY ARCOS FILMS

Rubell Museum DC

TONY POWELL

Arena Stage’s Molly Smith

My Grandparents’ War, Series 2

Tuesdays, April 11-May 2 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro; stream on the PBS App

Following on the May 2022 episodes of Series 1, a new season of My Grandparents’ War features a new quartet of celebrities retracing the footsteps of their elders and learning how World War II changed the lives of their families and the world. On April 11, follow actor Kit Harington, who has played soldiers, spies and warriors, as he discovers that his grandparents played comparable roles in their real lives during the war; he gains a new appreciation of their courage and sacrifice. On April 18, follow actor Keira Knightley as she learns of the extraordinary triumphs and tragedies her grandparents faced during some of the biggest conflicts of World War II. In the April 25 episode, watch actor Toby Jones uncover the stories of his maternal grandparents, who rarely spoke about their wartime hardships when he was growing up. Wrapping up Season 2, the May 2 episode features singersongwriter Emeli Sandé discovering her grandparents’ wartime courage spanning World War II, the Mau Mau insurgency in Kenya, and the fight for independence in Zambia.

La Frontera with Pati Jinich, Series 2

Mondays, April 3, 10 & 17, 10 p.m. on WETA PBS; stream on the PBS App

In a new season of the engaging culinary travel program, visit the U.S. borderlands with James Beard Award-winning chef Pati Jinich as she experiences the region’s culture, people and cuisine. Jinich, a resident of the national capital area, resident chef of the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, and cookbook author, produces and hosts Pati’s Mexican Table, the culinary series that airs Saturdays at 5 p.m. on WETA PBS and weekdays in the 1 p.m. hour on WETA Metro. In the new season of La Frontera, Jinich travels in Southern California and Baja, Arizona and Sonora, and New Mexico and Chihuahua, sharing meals with “fronterizos” — borderlanders — from all walks of life and reflecting on the melding of cultures. The three episodes, Fronterizos of the Golden Coast (April 3); Ancient Seeds & Desert Ghosts (April 10) and Back to the Middle (April 17) demystify the borderland communities and illuminate the soul of each region.

American History Night Documentaries

Saturdays on WETA PBS

In Saturday-night American history programming in April, WETA PBS features American Experience films that illuminate the nation’s stories across a variety of eras and topics:

• Taken Hostage (April 1 & 8, 8 p.m.), revisits the 1979-1981 Iran hostage crisis, when 52 Americans were held hostage at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran during the Carter administration.

• The Murder of Emmett Till (April 15, 8 p.m.), a film by Stanley Nelson, spotlights the horrific 1955 killing of a 14-year-old Black youth in Mississippi.

• Zoot Suit Riots (April 15, 9 p.m.) revisits 1940s L.A., when racial tensions led to riots and violence.

• Driving While Black: Race, Space and Mobility in America (April 22, 8 p.m.) explores how the advent of car travel brought mobility and freedom for Black Americans but also exposed them to discrimination and violence.

• The American Diplomat (April 29, 8 p.m.) examines how three Black ambassadors — Edward R. Dudley, Terence Todman and Carl Rowan — broke racial barriers at the U.S. State Department during the Cold War.

• The Codebreaker (April 29, 9 p.m.) spotlights Elizebeth Friedman, a pioneering U.S. government cryptanalyst.

COURTESY ©WONDERHOOD STUDIOS/ ALL3MEDIA INTERNATIONAL

H.

ARMSTRONG ROBERTS/CLASSICSTOCK/GETTY IMAGES

NOVA: Weathering the Future & Chasing Carbon Zero

MWednesdays, April 5, 12 & 26 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro; stream on the PBS App

arking the celebration of Earth Day this month, science series NOVA presents climate related programs, including two premieres. In Weathering the Future (April 12), the series explores how, as extreme weather in the U.S. affects more people — with longer heat waves, more intense rainstorms, megafires and droughts — Americans are responding by marshaling ancient wisdom and innovating new solutions. In Chasing Carbon Zero (April 26), NOVA investigates what it will take for the U.S. to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and avoid the biggest impacts of climate change. The program spotlights tangible solutions, from expanding the availability of renewable energy options, to designing more energy-efficient buildings, and revolutionizing the transportation sector.

Carbon dioxide is not the only greenhouse gas of concern — controlling methane flowing into the atmosphere might be one of the strongest levers in curbing global warming in the near-term. Tune in to encore NOVA episode Arctic Sinkholes (April 5), in which scientists investigate the implications of evidence that rapidly melting soil in the Arctic is releasing vast amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

The Sun Queen: American Experience

ATuesday, April 4 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro; stream on the PBS App

new film by Amanda Pollak explores the life of solar energy pioneer Mária Telkes, a Hungarian-American chemical engineer and inventor who for nearly 50 years applied her prodigious intellect to harnessing the power of the sun. She designed and built the world’s first successfully solar-heated modern residence (the Dover Sun House in Dover, Massachusetts); identified a promising new chemical that, for the first time, could store solar heat like a battery; and created a solar-power oven that is still in use. And yet, along the way, she was undercut and thwarted by her boss and colleagues — all men — at MIT. Despite these obstacles, Telkes persevered and, upon her death in 1995, held more than 20 patents. She is now recognized as a pioneer in the field of sustainable energy. A largely forgotten heroine, Telkes was remarkable in her vision and tenacity — a scientist and a woman in every way ahead of her time. Her research and innovations from the 1930s through the 1970s continue to shape how we power our lives today.

Changing Planet, Series 2

AWednesday, April 19 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro; stream on the PBS App

year after the series Changing Planet presented a global environmental health check of bellweather biomes, the program returns for a second season to revisit six of the planet’s most vulnerable ecosystems and catch up with the inspiring people introduced in the first season: scientists and local experts fighting to safeguard their communities and wildlife and charting the progress of their gamechanging environmental projects. Join host and conservation scientist Dr. M. Sanjayan — above in Australia’s outback — to meet people who deepen our understanding of these habitats and introduce new potential solutions to combat the effects of the climate crisis. The series will monitor climate change in the six iconic locations around the world each year over a total of seven years, revisiting each to mark Earth Day. Sanjayan, who has reported for CBS News and collaborates with BBC and PBS, is chief executive officer of non-profit environmental organization Conservation International, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

COURTESY JENNIFER JONES/BBC STUDIOS

RALPH MORSE/THE LIFE PICTURE COLLECTION/SHUTTERSTOCK

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/passporthelp

Before We Die, Series 2

Lesley Sharp (Scott & Bailey) and Vincent Regan star in the UK version of this crime series, set in Bristol. Binge-watch 5 new Season 2 episodes with WETA Passport as of April 10 (and 6 Season 1 episodes).

Tom Jones on Masterpiece

A drama starring Solly McLeod reimagines the classic Henry Fielding novel, following the title character’s complicated journey to finding real love. Binge-watch 4 episodes with WETA Passport starting April 30.

Nina, Series 1 & 2

A French hospital drama stars Annelise Hesme (right) as a nurse trainee who must overcome obstacles in her private life, as a mother, and at her hospital workplace. Binge-watch 18 episodes now with WETA Passport.

Dicte, Series 1

A Danish series stars Iben Hjejle (High Fidelity) as a crime reporter who has returned to her hometown to start a new life after a divorce. Binge-watch 10 Season 1 episodes now with WETA Passport.

Inspector Ricciardi, Series 1

Lino Guanciale stars in the Italian crime drama as a police detective in 1930s Naples who can see and hear the ghosts of people who have died violently.

Binge-watch 6 episodes now with WETA Passport.

Inspector Lewis, Series 1-8

Kevin Whately and Laurence Fox star in the popular Oxford-set spin-off of the classic Inspector Morse detective series based on Colin Dexter’s novels. Binge-watch 36 episodes now with WETA Passport.

Also streaming with WETA Passport are a vast selection of episodes of science series Nature and NOVA, history series American Experience and Secrets of the Dead, and public affairs series Frontline

Primetime

WETA PBS in April

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

Taken Hostage: American Experience (Pt 1 of 2)

Denotes WETA productions, co-productions and presentations

Call the Midwife, Series 12 (Pt 3 of 8) Sanditon on Masterpiece, Series 3 (Pt 3 of 6)

Antiques Roadshow: Idaho Botanical Garden (Hour 1) Get Out of Town: Laurel Highlands, PA

Finding Your Roots w/ Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Series 9 (Out of the Past )

Finding Your Roots w/ Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Series 9 (Hidden Kin )

Marie Antoinette (Pt 3 of 8. Pick a Princess )

WETA ArtsLa Frontera with Pati Jinich, Series 2 (Pt 1 of 3. Fronterizos of the Golden Coast )

The Sun Queen: American ExperienceFrontline: America and the Taliban (Pt 1 of 3)

Nature: Remarkable Rabbits NOVA: Arctic Sinkholes

Agatha Christie’s Marple: Murder Is Easy

Washington Week History with David Rubenstein, Season 4 (Ada Ferrer )

Secrets of the Dead: Leonardo, The Man Who Saved Science

Agatha Christie’s Marple: They Do It With Mirrors

Great Performances: Now Hear This (Piazzolla’s History with Tango )

Taken Hostage: American Experience (Pt 2 of 2)

Call the Midwife, Series 12 (Pt 4 of 8) Sanditon on Masterpiece, Series 3 (Pt 4 of 6)

Art in the Twenty-First Century: Everyday Icons

Finding Your Roots w/ Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Series 9 (Salem’s Lot )

Marie Antoinette (Pt 4 of 8. Queen of France )

Antiques Roadshow: Idaho Botanical Garden (Hour 2) Get Out of Town: Richmond, VA American Anthems (Ep 1) La Frontera with Pati Jinich, Series 2 (Pt 2 of 3. Ancient Seeds & Desert Ghosts )

Finding Your Roots w/ Henry Louis Gates, Jr.,

Encore: Country Roots

My Grandparents’ War: Series 2 (Kit Harington )

Nature: The Hummingbird EffectNOVA: Weathering the Future

Agatha Christie’s Marple: Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?

Washington Week History with David Rubenstein, Season 4 (Ian W. Toll )

Frontline: America and the Taliban (Pt 2 of 3)

The Earthshot Prize 2022

Agatha Christie’s Marple: The Pale Horse

Great Performances: Now Hear This (Schumann: Genius and Madness )

The Murder of Emmett Till: American Experience Zoot Suit Riots: American Experience

Call the Midwife, Series 12 (Pt 5 of 8) Sanditon on Masterpiece, Series 3 (Pt 5 of 6)

Antiques Roadshow: Idaho Botanical Garden (Hour 3) Get Out of Town: St. Michaels, MD

Finding Your Roots w/ Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Encore: Slave Trade

Next at the Kennedy Center: Ballet Hispánico’s Doña Perón

Finding Your Roots w/ Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Series 9 (Secret Lives )

Marie Antoinette (Pt 5 of 8. Rebel Queen )

WETA ArtsLa Frontera with Pati Jinich, Series 2 (Pt 3 of 3. Back to the Middle )

My Grandparents’ War: Series 2 (Keira Knightley )

Nature: Niagara Falls Changing Planet, Series 2

Agatha Christie’s Marple: The Secret of Chimneys

Washington Week History with David Rubenstein, Season 4 (Simon Winchester )

How Saba Kept Singing

Agatha Christie’s Marple: The Blue Geranium

Great Performances: Now Hear This (Andy Akiho Found [his] Sound )

Driving While Black: Race, Space and Mobility in America

Call the Midwife, Series 12 (Pt 6 of 8) Sanditon on Masterpiece, Series 3 (Pt 6 of 6)

Antiques Roadshow: Shelburne Museum (Hour 1) Get Out of Town: Deep Creek Lake, MD American Anthems (Ep 2)

Next at the Kennedy Center: Continuum: Jason Moran & Christian McBride

Finding Your Roots w/ Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Series 9 (Far From Home )

Marie Antoinette (Pt 6 of 8. Deus Ex Machina )

Independent Lens: Free Chol Soo Lee (to 11:30pm)

Finding Your Roots w/ Henry Louis Gates, Jr.,

Encore: Fashion’s Roots My Grandparents’ War: Series 2 (Toby Jones )

Nature: Treasure of the CaribbeanNOVA: Chasing Carbon Zero

Frontline: America and the Taliban (Pt 3 of 3)

Iconic America: Our Symbols and Stories w/ David Rubenstein (Ep 1. Fenway Park )

Agatha Christie’s Marple: The Mirror Crack’d from Side to SideAgatha Christie’s Marple: A Caribbean Mystery

Washington Week History with David Rubenstein, Season 4 (Lien-Hang T. Nguyen )

The American Diplomat: American Experience

Great Performances: Now Hear This (Albeniz: Portraits of Spain )

International Jazz Day from the United Nations

The Codebreaker: American Experience Finding Your Roots w/ Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Series 9 (Rising From the Ashes )

Call the Midwife, Series 12 (Pt 7 of 8) Tom Jones on Masterpiece (Pt 1 of 4)Marie Antoinette (Pt 7 of 8. The Ostrich )

TV Listings

WETA PBS in April

Listings are accurate as of press time. For latest schedules, visit weta.org/schedule 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 18 for information.

Program Key

Blue type — WETA productions, co-productions and presentations. R — Repeat of recent programming.

2

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 SECRETS OF THE DEAD: LADY SAPIENS — The history series spotlights new science and research about prehistoric women. R

Sundays at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro

The final season of Masterpiece drama Sanditon (above) continues through April 23; additional Sunday dramas Call the Midwife (8 p.m.) and Marie Antoinette (10 p.m.) continue into the first week of May.

1 Saturday

6AM WASHINGTON WEEK R

6:30 FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER — R

7AM PBS NEWSHOUR R

8AM JOSEPH ROSENDO’S TRAVELSCOPE

8:30 RICK STEVES’ EUROPE

9AM THIS OLD HOUSE + ASK THIS OLD HOUSE

10AM IT’S ACADEMIC — See tonight’s 7 p.m. listing.

10:30 MOTOR WEEK

11AM HOW SHE ROLLS

11:30 K EVIN BELTON’S COOKIN’ LOUISIANA

12N A CHEF’S LIFE

12:30 CHRISTOPHER KIMBALL’S MILK STREET TELEVISION

1:00 NICK STELLINO: STORYTELLER

1:30 LIDI A’S KITCHEN

2:00 IN JULI A’S KITCHEN WITH MASTER CHEFS

2:30 S ARA’S WEEKNIGHT MEALS

3:00 JOANNE WEIR’S PLATES AND PLACES

3:30 NE W SCANDINAVIAN COOKING

4:00 COOK’S COUNTRY FROM AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN

4:30 AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN FROM COOK’S ILLUSTRATED

5:00 PATI’S MEXICAN TABLE

5:30 S AMANTHA BROWN’S PLACES TO LOVE

6:00 PBS NEWS WEEKEND — John Yang anchors.

6:30 WASHINGTON WEEK R

7:00 IT’S ACADEMIC — The TV quiz show showcases the academic achievements of local D.C.-area high school students. Journalist Hillary Howard hosts. Competing this week are Einstein, Bishop Ireton and Loudoun Valley high schools. Repeats 11pm tonight; Mondays, 3pm on WETA PBS, 7pm on WETA Metro

7:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SEASON 4 —

Episode 10 of 10 Lynne Cheney R

8:00 TAKEN HOSTAGE: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — Revisit the Iran hostage crisis, when 52 Americans were held hostage at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. Part 1 of 2. Explore how America’s quarter-century of unwavering support for its ally, the Shah of Iran, set the stage for the crisis after the violent Islamic revolution that overthrew him in 1979. Repeats midnight; Sun 4/2, 11pm

10:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SERIES 9 — Encore episode: Hidden Kin (Julia Roberts and Edward Norton).

11:00 IT’S ACADEMIC — See the 7 p.m. listing. R

11:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SEASON 4 —

Episode 10 of 10 Lynne Cheney R

12M TAKEN HOSTAGE: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — Part 1 of 2 R

1:00 JONI MITCHELL: THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS GERSHWIN PRIZE FOR POPULAR SONG — In this WETA coproduction, singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell receives the 2023 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song at an all-star tribute filmed at DAR Constitution Hall on March 1 in Washington, D.C. Performers included James Taylor, Brandi Carlile, Annie Lennox, Herbie Hancock, Cyndi Lauper, Marcus Mumford, Graham Nash, Diana Krall, Angélique Kidjo, Ledisi, and Lucius. R

2:30 GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET: LA TRAVIATA — The new Met production of Verdi’s beloved tragedy stars soprano Nadine Sierra as Violetta, the consumptive heroine fighting to find true happiness. Tenor Stephen Costello portrays Violetta’s ardent yet impetuous lover, Alfredo, and baritone Luca Salsi rounds out the principal cast as Alfredo’s disapproving father.

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 SE AT AT THE TABLE — A talk show series featuring hosts Denene Millner, Monica Pearson and Christine White gives voice to African American women’s diverse experiences, perspectives and challenges.

6:00 PBS NEWS WEEKEND — John Yang anchors. Repeats Monday, 7am

6:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SEASON 4 — Episode 10 of 10 Lynne Cheney R

7:00 TELL ME MORE WITH KELLY CORRIGAN — In this WETA presentation, New York Times bestselling author Kelly Corrigan interviews influential people. Lisa Feldman Barrett, Neuroscientist; plus a Series 3 encore.

8:00 C ALL THE MIDWIFE, SERIES 12 — Part 3 of 8. As she sets about helping a mother whose newborn baby is suffering from a clotting disorder, Nancy is harboring a secret of her own. Sister Veronica meets a newlywed on her rounds, and the case shocks the women of Nonnatus house.

9:00 SANDITON ON MASTERPIECE, SERIES 3 — The third and final season of the drama — based on Jane Austen’s final, incomplete novel — continues. Part 3 of 6. The day of Georgiana’s trial arrives, and she gets a surprise visit from an old friend. Colbourne’s shooting party goes ahead, and as he gets closer to Lydia, Charlotte must confront all that she’s lost.

10:00 M ARIE ANTOINETTE — Transforming from a Dauphine to the Queen of Style, Marie Antoinette must learn the rules of the Court and attempt to recreate Versailles in her image. But her successes provoke jealousy and rivalry. Part 3 of 8. Pick a Princess. The Royal Family goes on holiday at Fontainebleau. Marie Antoinette discovers du Barry’s plan to welcome Provence’s betrothed. Antoinette’s escalating hostilities with du Barry threaten her relationship with the King.

11:00 TAKEN HOSTAGE: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — Part 1 of 2 R

JOSS BARRATT ©RED PLANET (SANDITON

3 Monday

WEEKDAYS IN APRIL:

6AM NHK NE WSLINE

6:30AM BBC NEWS

7AM (Mondays:) PBS NEWS WEEKEND

7:30 (Mondays:) WASHINGTON WEEK — R

7AM (Tuesdays-Saturdays:) PBS NEWSHOUR — R

8AM-3PM WETA KIDS PROGRAMMING

3PM (Mondays:) IT’S ACADEMIC

5PM AM ANPOUR AND COMPANY — Rpt of previous night

6PM BBC NEWS

6:30 BBC NEWS AMERICA

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Each weeknight, the WETA production provides in­depth analysis of current events with a news summary, live studio interviews and discussions of domestic and international issues. Amna Nawaz and Geoff Bennett anchor. Visit pbs.org/newshour Rpts next day, 7am

8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: IDAHO BOTANICAL GARDEN, HOUR 1 — Gem State treasures sparkle at Idaho Botanical Garden, including a discovery worth up to $80,000.

9:00 GE T OUT OF TOWN — Mother­daughter duo Laurita and Lauren Portee host this new WETA travel and adventure series that offers a guide to getaways to delightful destinations within a half­day’s drive of Washington, D.C. Episode 1 of 8: Laurel Highlands, PA. The hosts drive to Southwest Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands to soak up views, world­class architecture and local history. They stay at Oak Lodge and Falling Rock at Nemacolin, enjoy local meals at The Darlington Inn and Out of the Fire Café, and take a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater. The adventure includes summer tubing, mini golf, and meeting some local animals.

9:30 WETA ARTS — This month on WETA Arts, tour the Rubell Museum — a new contemporary art museum in Southwest D.C. — and meet its founders; get to know aerialist, weaver, and installation artist Kirsty Little at her Mt. Rainier, Maryland studio; and hear from Molly Smith, the artistic director of Washington, D.C.’s Arena Stage. Repeats Sun 4/9, 3:30pm; Mon 4/17, 9:30pm

10:00 L A FRONTERA WITH PATI JINICH, SERIES 2 — Savor the sights, sounds and flavors of the U.S.­Mexico borderlands alongside chef Pati Jinich in a new season of explorations. Part 1 of 3. Fronterizos of the Golden Coast. Jinich travels the California part of the border, meeting the people of the Golden Coast to experience the melding of cultures, cross­border collaborations, and the region’s explosive growth.

11:00 AM ANPOUR AND COMPANY — Capping primetime programming each weeknight, Christiane Amanpour leads conversations with global thought leaders on contemporary issues. Repeats next weekday, 5pm 4 Tuesday

8:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SERIES 9 — In the season­ending episode of this WETA co­production, join Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates,

Jr., as he delves into the genealogy of famous Americans. Episode 10 of 10. Out of the Past. Gates uncovers the lost roots of actors Billy Crudup and Tamera Mowry­Housley, traveling back generations to recount significant events in history — from the American Revolution to the journey of the Mayflower — in a deeply personal way. Repeats Sun 4/9, 4pm

9:00 THE SUN QUEEN: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — Learn about inventor Mária Telkes, who spent nearly 50 years exploring how to harness the sun’s power. Battling sexism at MIT, she persevered to design the first successfully solar­heated house in 1948 and held more than 20 patents.

10:00 FRONTLINE: AMERICA AND THE TALIBAN — Frontline investigates how America’s 20­year investment in Afghanistan culminated in Taliban victory. Drawing on decades of on­the­ground reporting, and interviews with Taliban and U.S. officials, the program reports on missteps and consequences. Part 1 of 3. Part 2 airs April 11. Part 3 airs April 25.

5 Wednesday

8:00 N ATURE: REMARKABLE RABBITS — There are more than 100 domestic and wild kinds of rabbits and hares, from snowshoe hares to Flemish giants. Despite their remarkable ability to reproduce, many wild rabbits are in danger of being eradicated.

9:00 NOVA: ARCTIC SINKHOLES — Scientists investigate colossal explosions in Siberia and other evidence that rapidly melting soil in the Arctic is releasing vast amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. What are the implications for our climate future?

10:00 SECRETS OF THE DEAD: LEONARDO, THE MAN WHO SAVED SCIENCE — Leonardo da Vinci is well known for his inventions as well as his art. But new evidence shows that many of his ideas were realized long before he sketched them out in his notebooks — some even 1,700 years before. Where did his concepts come from?

6 Thursday

8:00 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: MURDER IS EASY — Julia McKenzie stars as perceptive sleuth Miss Marple in adaptations of Agatha Christie mysteries. During a chance encounter on a train, elderly Miss Pinkerton confides in Miss Marple that she is going to Scotland Yard to report a murderer who has struck several times in a peaceful village. When Marple later reads that Pinkerton died in a tragic accident before making her report, Miss Marple determines that she herself must find the killer.

9:30 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: THEY DO IT WITH MIRRORS — Julia McKenzie stars. Sensing danger surrounding her sister Carrie­Louise, Ruth Van Rydock enlists the help of old friend Miss Marple. However, after Carrie­Louise’s step­brother is murdered during a dress rehearsal of an amateur stage show, Miss Marple has to draw from her deep understanding of human character to unpick the conjuring trick played out by the murderer — and reveal their identity. (90 min.)

Thursdays at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS

WETA Thriller Thursdays present more Agatha Christie’s Marple episodes. Above: Julia McKenzie stars as Miss Marple alongside Benedict Cumberbatch in the adaptation Murder Is Easy (April 6).

Mondays at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS, 8 p.m. on WETA Metro New WETA local travel series Get Out of Town begins April 3 with a trip to Laurel Highlands, PA, where mother­daughter hosts Laurita Portee and Lauren Portee tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater.

7:30 p.m. Sundays starting April 9 on WETA PBS

Tell Me More with Kelly Corrigan enters Season 5 with new episodes featuring the New York Times bestselling author conducting more interviews with influential guests. The April 9 program features author Michael Lewis (“Moneyball,” “The Big Short” and more).

7 Friday

8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — WETA’s weekly production 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 4/8, 6am, 6:30pm; Mon 4/10, 7:30am

8:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SEASON 4 — David Rubenstein discusses history with acclaimed scholars and authors, uncovering the evolution of the American story and offering a sense of how history gets made. Episode 1 of 10. Ada Ferrer. The Pulitzer Prizewinning author and historian unravels the complex intertwining of the U.S. and Cuba’s foreign policy and domestic affairs, from proxy conflicts during the Cold War, to how Cuban-American relations are used as a cipher for a president’s foreign policy. Repeats Sat 4/8, 7:30pm, 11:30pm

9:00 GREAT PERFORMANCES: NOW HEAR THIS: PIAZZOLLA’S HISTORY WITH TANGO — In a new season of the music exploration series, tango to Buenos Aires, Argentina with host Scott Yoo and flutist Alice Dade to explore the evolution of composer Astor Piazzolla’s work and the tango music genre itself as it becomes fused with jazz across time and numerous instruments.

Repeats Sun 4/9, noon

10:00 AR T IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY: EVERYDAY

ICONS — Four contemporary artists breathe new life into some of humanity’s oldest artforms, icons and monuments, creating paintings, sculptures and films out of everyday objects and popular culture. Artists in the spotlight include Michelle Obama portrait painter Amy Sherald. Repeats Sun 4/9, 1pm 8

Saturday

6AM-6PM See the Saturday, April 1 listings.

6:00 PBS NEWS WEEKEND — John Yang anchors.

6:30 WASHINGTON WEEK R

7:00 IT’S ACADEMIC — The TV quiz show showcases the academic achievements of local D.C.-area high school students. Journalist Hillary Howard hosts. Competing this week are Centreville, Fairfax and Wheaton high schools. Repeats 11pm tonight; Mondays, 3pm on WETA PBS, 7pm on WETA Metro

7:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SEASON 4 — Ada Ferrer R

8:00 TAKEN HOSTAGE: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — Part 2 of 2 Through riveting accounts from hostages, journalists and officials, learn how Iran held 52 hostages at the American embassy in Tehran from November 1979 to January 1981 — a defining crisis of Jimmy Carter’s presidency. Repeats midnight; Sun 4/9, 11pm

10:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SERIES 9 — Encore episode: Salem’s Lot (Claire Danes and Jeff Daniels).

11:00 IT’S ACADEMIC — See the 7 p.m. listing. R

11:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SEASON 4 — Ada Ferrer R

12M TAKEN HOSTAGE: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — Part 2 of 2 R

9 Sunday

6AM-12N See the Sunday, April 2 listings.

12N GREAT PERFORMANCES: NOW HEAR THIS: PIAZZOLLA’S HISTORY WITH TANGO R

1:00 AR T IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY R

2:00 AMERICA’S REQUIEM: A KNEE ON THE NECK — A concert program honors the legacy of George Floyd with Adolphus Hailstork’s A Knee on The Neck, composed around the poetry of Dr. Herbert Martin and performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorale under the direction of Maestro Piotr Gajewski and Chorus Master Eugene Rogers. Participating are members of The Washington Chorus and the Howard University Chorale, featuring J’Nai Bridges, Norman Shankle, and Kenneth Overton. The program concludes with Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor, featuring Janai Brugger. Rpts 4/10, 5pm

3:30 WETA ARTS R

4:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SERIES 9 — Episode 10 of 10. Out of the Past R

5:00 THE CHAVIS CHRONICLES

5:30 A SE AT AT THE TABLE

6:00 PBS NEWS WEEKEND — John Yang anchors. Repeats Monday, 7am

6:30 CELEBRITY ANTIQUES ROAD TRIP — British celebrities compete in a search for antiques that will win biggest at auction. Accompanied by experts, they traverse Great Britain looking for treasures. Episode 1. Phyllis Logan and Kevin McNally. Downton Abbey’s Phyllis Logan goes head-to-head with her husband, film star Kevin McNally. They travel through Kent in search of great finds.

7:30 TELL ME MORE WITH KELLY CORRIGAN, SERIES 5 — In a new season of this WETA presentation, New York Times bestselling author Kelly Corrigan interviews influential people. Episode 1, Michael Lewis, author and financial journalist

8:00 C ALL THE MIDWIFE, SERIES 12 — Part 4 of 8. Nurse Crane is shocked when her fitness comes into question during a ventouse training course; Trixie cares for a Hindu mother and her newborn twins; and a stomach flu outbreak afflicts the maternity home.

9:00 SANDITON ON MASTERPIECE, SERIES 3 — Part 4 of 6 Charlotte attempts to distance herself from Colbourne, but as they are repeatedly thrown into each other’s orbit, their chemistry grows along with Ralph’s suspicions. Meanwhile, Georgiana is unraveling.

10:00 M ARIE ANTOINETTE — Part 4 of 8. Queen of France. Marie Antoinette and Louis are about to make their first official visit to Paris. But the King becomes ill and succession becomes a reality. Du Barry knows that she needs to protect herself from the future Queen of France.

11:00 TAKEN HOSTAGE: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — Pt 2 of 2 R

10 Monday

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Weeknights. Visit pbs.org/newshour Repeats next day, 7am

8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: IDAHO BOTANICAL GARDEN, HOUR 2 — See breathtaking appraisals at Idaho Botanical Garden; one is up to $40,000.

Sunday, April 9 at 2 p.m. on WETA PBS

National Philharmonic performs A Knee on The Neck, composer Dr. Adolphus Hailstork’s tribute to the life and loss of George Floyd. Piotr Gajewski conducted the 2022 world premiere at The Music Center at Strathmore by the National Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorale, Washington

Chorus, Howard University Chorale, and soloists.

9:00 GE T OUT OF TOWN — Mother-daughter duo Laurita and Lauren Portee host this new WETA travel and adventure series that offers a guide to getaways to delightful destinations within a half-day’s drive of Washington, D.C. Episode 2 of 8: Richmond, VA. Just a quick and affordable train ride away, Richmond offers Laurita and Lauren an art- and culture-filled adventure. They tour the Poe Museum and the Virginia Museum of History and Culture and take an art and history bike tour with Basket and Bike. Along the way, they stay at the Linden Row Inn and the Quirk Hotel and Art Gallery, and enjoy meals at Lillie Pearl and Wong Gonzalez.

9:30 AMERICAN ANTHEMS — Country music stars write and perform songs celebrating the inspiring efforts of individuals facing extraordinary circumstances. Episode 1 Grammy-winner Jennifer Nettles meets Seth Grumet — founder of Stomp the Monster, which he started during chemotherapy — and she creates a soaring anthem about his life.

10:00 L A FRONTERA WITH PATI JINICH, SERIES 2 — Part 2 of 3. Ancient Seeds & Desert Ghosts. Jinich travels along both sides of the Arizona-Sonora border through some of the most untouched places in North America. She hunts for an ancient chile, visits a ghost town, drops water for migrants, and more.

11 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 delves into the genealogy of famous Americans. Season 7 encore: Country Roots (Clint Black and Rosanne Cash). Repeats Sun 4/16, 4pm

9:00 M Y GRANDPARENTS’ WAR, SERIES 2 — Follow leading artists of stage and screen as they re-trace the footsteps of their grandparents and learn how World War II changed the lives of their families. Episode 1 of 4. Kit Harington. Join the actor, who has played soldiers, spies, and — in Game of Thrones — warriors, as he discovers that his grandparents played comparable roles in their real lives during World War II, and he gains a new appreciation of their courage and sacrifice. Repeats Sun 4/16, 3pm

10:00 FRONTLINE: AMERICA AND THE TALIBAN — Frontline investigates how America’s 20-year investment in Afghanistan culminated in Taliban victory. Drawing on decades of on-the-ground reporting, and interviews with Taliban and U.S. officials, the program reports on missteps and consequences. Part 2 of 3. Part 3 airs April 25.

12 Wednesday

8:00 N ATURE: THE HUMMINGBIRD EFFECT — Explore Costa Rica, one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. From rainforests to volcanos, tiny architects and caretakers at the heart of this vast wildlife diversity keep this ecological giant running: the hummingbirds.

9:00 NOVA: WEATHERING THE FUTURE — As extreme weather in the U.S. affects more people — with longer heat waves, more intense rainstorms, megafires and droughts — discover how Americans are fighting back by marshaling ancient wisdom and innovating solutions.

10:00 THE EARTHSHOT PRIZE 2022 — A global environmental prize founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation in 2020 aims to spotlight, support and scale groundbreaking solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. The 2022 prize ceremony, hosted in Boston and featuring celebrity presenters, celebrated 15 global finalists, and awarded five winners with £1 million in prize money to aid their work.

Repeats Sun 4/16, 2pm

13 Thursday

8:00 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: WHY DIDN’T THEY ASK EVANS? — Julia McKenzie stars. As the sole witness to a dying man’s enigmatic last words, would-be young adventurer Bobby Attfield is determined to solve the riddle they posed and forms an unlikely alliance with socialite Frankie Derwent and visiting family friend Miss Marple. But when someone tries to kill Bobby, they all realize a murderer is at large.

9:30 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: THE PALE HORSE — Julia McKenzie stars. Miss Marple’s old friend Father Gorman is found murdered. When Marple receives a list of names

Wednesday, April 12 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro Nature episode The Hummingbird Effect explores the biodiversity of Costa Rica through a look at its beloved, vital creatures. The tiny birds are a key species for the ecosystem’s flora and fauna.

mailed by Gorman moments before his death, she determines to find justice for her friend. A clue leads her to the Pale Horse, an inn run by modern-day witches. (90 min.)

14 Friday

8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — Repeats Sat 4/15, 6am, 6:30pm; Mon 4/17, 7:30am

8:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SEASON 4 — Episode 2 of 10. Ian W. Toll. The historian discusses the strategic decisions and naval operations behind the assault the U.S. waged on the Japanese navy in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, as World War II in the Pacific entered its endgame in June 1944. Repeats Sat 4/15, 7:30pm, 11:30pm

9:00 GREAT PERFORMANCES: NOW HEAR THIS: SCHUMANN: GENIUS AND MADNESS — Visit Scotland, Germany and France with host Scott Yoo as he investigates the connection between Robert Schumann’s bipolar disorder and creative genius — via experts, musical performances, and examining the work of other artists outside the world of music. Repeats Sun 4/16, noon

10:00 NE XT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER: BALLET HISPÁNICO’S DOÑA PERÓN — Ballet Hispánico explores Evita Perón’s diverging legacies in this invigorating and emotional work. Her rags-to-riches story is interpreted through movement — following her journey from dancehall performer to Argentina’s First Lady and sudden death. Repeats Sun 4/16, 1pm

15 Saturday

6AM-6PM See the Saturday, April 1 listings.

6:00 PBS NEWS WEEKEND — John Yang anchors.

6:30 WASHINGTON WEEK R

7:00 IT’S ACADEMIC — The TV quiz show showcases the academic achievements of local D.C.-area high school students. Journalist Hillary Howard hosts. Competing this week are students from Blake, Parkdale and Woodgrove high schools Repeats 11pm tonight; Mondays, 3pm on WETA PBS, 7pm on WETA Metro

7:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SEASON 4 — Ian W. Toll R

8:00 THE MURDER OF EMMETT TILL: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — Filmmaker Stanley Nelson’s documentary explores the tragic story of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old Black youth who in August 1955 was abducted, tortured and killed after being accused of offending a white woman in Mississippi. His murder horrified the nation and mobilized the civil rights movement. Repeats midnight; Sun 4/16, 11pm

9:00 ZOOT SUIT RIOTS: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — In the aftermath of a highly publicized trial for the murder of a young Mexican American man in 1942, Los Angeles erupted in violent riots that scarred race relations for decades. Hector Elizondo narrates. Repeats 1am; Sun 4/16, midnight

10:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SERIES 9 — Encore episode: Secret Lives (Carol Burnett and Niecy Nash).

TRES DE JUNIO, COSTA RICA. CREDIT: ©FILIPE DEANDRADE

11:00 IT’S ACADEMIC — See the 7 p.m. listing. R

11:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SEASON 4 — Ian W. Toll R

12M THE MURDER OF EMMETT TILL: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE R

1AM ZOOT SUIT RIOTS: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE R

16

Sunday

6AM-12N See the Sunday, April 2 listings.

12N GREAT PERFORMANCES: NOW HEAR THIS: SCHUMANN: GENIUS AND MADNESS R

1:00 NE XT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER: BALLET HISPÁNICO’S DOÑA PERÓN — R

2:00 THE EARTHSHOT PRIZE 2022 R

3:00 M Y GRANDPARENTS’ WAR, SERIES 2 — Kit Harington R

4:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. — Season 7 encore: Country Roots R

5:00 THE CHAVIS CHRONICLES

5:30 A SE AT AT THE TABLE

6:00 PBS NEWS WEEKEND — John Yang anchors. Repeats

Monday, 7am

6:30 CELEBRITY ANTIQUES ROAD TRIP — British celebrities compete in an antiques hunt. Episode 2. Dame Diana Rigg and Neil Dudgeon. Midsomer Murders star Neil Dudgeon takes on friend Dame Diana Rigg in a quest for antiques glory. The two seek treasures in their native Yorkshire with experts in tow.

7:30 TELL ME MORE WITH KELLY CORRIGAN, SERIES 5 — In a new season of this WETA presentation, New York Times bestselling author Kelly Corrigan interviews influential people. Episode 2, Constance Wu, actress and author.

8:00 C ALL THE MIDWIFE, SERIES 12 — Part 5 of 8. Nancy oversees a child born out of wedlock, but things take a very unexpected and shocking turn. Dr. Turner and Sister Veronica discuss a new contraception procedure: the Vasectomy. The Board of Health delivers some unwelcome news to Sister Julienne.

9:00 SANDITON ON MASTERPIECE, SERIES 3 — Part 5 of 6 Charlotte and Colbourne rush to Augusta’s aid, and it’s revealed whether Edward has really changed. Georgiana is reunited with a ghost from her past, and Charlotte must make a decision about her future.

10:00 M ARIE ANTOINETTE — Part 5 of 8. Rebel Queen. Louis may now be King, but Marie Antoinette is determined to launch her reign as the Queen of France. First steps — organize a glittering Inauguration Ball and convince Louis to choose her pro-Austrian candidate as his new Prime Minister.

11:00 THE MURDER OF EMMETT TILL: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE R

12M ZOOT SUIT RIOTS: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE R 17

Monday

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Weeknights. Visit pbs.org/newshour Repeats next day, 7am

8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: IDAHO BOTANICAL GARDEN, HOUR 3 — See the top treasures at the Idaho Botanical Garden; one is appraised for up to $100,000.

Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on WETA PBS

Celebrity Antiques Road Trip features prominent figures hitting the road with an equal budget to compete in an antiquing competition — and learn a bit of history — around Great Britain. Above center: Neil Dudgeon and the late Dame Diana Rigg in the April 16 episode.

9:00 GE T OUT OF TOWN — Mother-daughter duo Laurita and Lauren Portee host this new WETA travel and adventure series that offers a guide to getaways to delightful destinations within a half-day’s drive of Washington, D.C. Episode 3 of 8: St. Michaels, MD. Laurita and Lauren take to the water in the seaport town of St. Michaels, Maryland. They learn to sail with Sail Selina II and explore the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, while staying at the Wildset Hotel and the Inn at Perry Cabin. Food exploration includes cracking crabs at The Crab Claw and enjoying local fare at Ava’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar.

9:30 WETA ARTS — See the April 3, 9:30 p.m. listing. R

10:00 L A FRONTERA WITH PATI JINICH, SERIES 2 — Part 3 of 3 Back to the Middle. Jinich travels the New Mexico and Chihuahua border region, one of the most unique and bio-diverse places. She meets architect Ronald Rael, observes migratory species, visits a remote Mennonite camp, and more.

18 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 delves into the genealogy of famous Americans. Season 6 encore: Slave Trade (Ava DuVernay, S. Epatha Merkerson and Questlove). Repeats Sun 4/23, 4pm

9:00 M Y GRANDPARENTS’ WAR, SERIES 2 — Episode 2 of 4 Keira Knightley. Follow the actress as she learns, through conversations with family members and historians, of the extraordinary triumphs and tragedies her grandparents faced during some of the biggest conflicts of World War II. Repeats Sun 4/23, 3pm

10:00 HOW SABA KEPT SINGING — Musician David “Saba” Wisnia believed that he survived the horrors of Auschwitz by entertaining the Nazi guards with his beautiful singing voice. Join David and his grandson Avi as they embark on a journey exploring the mystery of Saba’s past — and unlock a secret. Repeats Sun 4/23, 2pm

19 Wednesday

8:00 N ATURE: NIAGARA FALLS — Visit this geological wonder and witness its stunning beauty and a wide variety of wildlife — mammals, birds and reptiles — that call it home. Three separate waterfalls combine to form the second largest waterfall in the world.

9:00 CHANGING PLANET, SERIES 2 — In its second year, the series Changing Planet revisits six of Earth’s most vulnerable ecosystems and catches up with inspiring people introduced in the first season (2022): scientists and local experts fighting to safeguard their communities and wildlife — and charting the progress of their environmental projects. Conservation scientist Dr. M. Sanjayan hosts.

Saturday, April 15 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS

WETA features Stanley Nelson’s film The Murder of Emmett Till on American Experience as part of American History Night. The program probes the brutal 1955 killing of the Black youth (above, with his mother) in Mississippi and the miscarriage of justice that followed.

20 Thursday

8:00 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: THE SECRET OF CHIMNEYS — Julia McKenzie stars. Miss Marple accompanies Lady Virginia Revel to a weekend party at her family

IMAGE COURTESY MAMIE TILL MOBLEY

Friday,

home — a house prized for its diplomatic gatherings until a diamond was stolen there 20 years before. Politician George Lomax has persuaded Virginia’s father to host the gathering for an important visitor. Virginia is torn between two suitors, and when a murder occurs, Miss Marple must expose the killer.

9:30 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: THE BLUE GERANIUM — Julia McKenzie stars. Miss Marple talks her way into the gentlemen’s club of her old friend Sir Henry Clithering to ask for his help with a case. She has new evidence about the Blue Geranium Murder and needs Sir Henry’s help to stop a court hearing. Did the wealthy Mary Pritchard really die of shock when the geranium in her wallpaper turned blue? (90 min.)

21 Friday

8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — Repeats Sat 4/22, 6am, 6:30pm; Mon 4/24, 7:30am

8:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SEASON 4 — Episode 3 of 10. Simon Winchester. The bestselling author examines how humanity’s quest to acquire territory and wield power — including European imperialism and the dispossession of Native American populations — has shaped history. Repeats Sat 4/22, 7:30pm, 11:30pm

9:00 GREAT PERFORMANCES: NOW HEAR THIS: ANDY AKIHO FOUND (HIS) SOUND — Experience the creation of music from this Japanese American composer with host Scott Yoo using “found” instruments. To develop a music video, the two visit New York City and explore the creative process with an interactive light show and more. Repeats Sun 4/23, noon

10:00 NE XT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER: CONTINUUM: JASON MORAN & CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE — Music icons Jason Moran and Christian McBride collaborate in an electrifying jazz performance at the Kennedy Center. They share stories about their legendary teachers and introduce their protégés. Repeats Sun 4/23, 1pm

22 Saturday

6AM-6PM See the Saturday, April 1 listings.

6:00 PBS NEWS WEEKEND — John Yang anchors.

6:30 WASHINGTON WEEK R

7:00 IT’S ACADEMIC — The TV quiz show showcases the academic achievements of local D.C.-area high school students. Journalist Hillary Howard hosts. Competing this week are Churchill, Meridian and St. Albans high schools. Repeats 11pm tonight; Mondays, 3pm on WETA PBS, 7pm on WETA Metro

7:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SEASON 4 — Simon Winchester R

8:00 DRIVING WHILE BLACK: RACE, SPACE AND MOBILITY IN AMERICA — A documentary film by Gretchen Sorin and Ric Burns explores how the advent of the automobile brought new freedoms and new perils for Black Americans on the road in the United States. Repeats tonight, midnight; Sun 4/23, 11pm

10:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SERIES 9 — Encore episode: Far from Home (Cyndi Lauper, Jamie Chung and Danny Trejo).

11:00 IT’S ACADEMIC — See the 7 p.m. listing. R

11:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SEASON 4 — Simon Winchester R

12M DRIVING WHILE BLACK: RACE, SPACE AND MOBILITY IN AMERICA — R

23 Sunday

6AM-12N See the Sunday, April 2 listings.

12N GREAT PERFORMANCES: NOW HEAR THIS: ANDY AKIHO FOUND (HIS) SOUND R

1:00 NE XT AT THE KENNEDY CENTER: CONTINUUM: JASON MORAN & CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE R

2:00 HOW SABA KEPT SINGING R

3:00 M Y GRANDPARENTS’ WAR, SERIES 2 — Keira Knightley. R

4:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. Season 6 encore: Slave Trade R

5:00 THE CHAVIS CHRONICLES

5:30 A SE AT AT THE TABLE

6:00 PBS NEWS WEEKEND — John Yang anchors. Repeats Monday, 7am

6:30 CELEBRITY ANTIQUES ROAD TRIP — British celebrities compete in an antiques hunt. Episode 3. Bernard Cribbins and Barry Cryer. Witness a battle for antiques glory between two comedy legends, who search for treasures in Hertfordshire.

7:30 TELL ME MORE WITH KELLY CORRIGAN, SERIES 5 — In a new season of this WETA presentation, New York Times bestselling author Kelly Corrigan interviews influential people. Episode 3, Lang Lang, classical pianist

8:00 C ALL THE MIDWIFE, SERIES 12 — Part 6 of 8. One of the boys of Buckle’s paper shop becomes unwell. Sister Veronica spearheads a new council initiative to monitor the health of working children in the borough. Trixie is thrown into a challenging case involving an underage mother.

9:00 SANDITON ON MASTERPIECE, SERIES 3 — Part 6 of 6 Charlotte desperately wants to tell Colbourne the truth about her feelings, but a shocking revelation stops her in her tracks. Having opened her heart, Georgiana’s worst fears are realized when she discovers she has been abandoned.

10:00 M ARIE ANTOINETTE — Part 6 of 8. Deus Ex Machina. Surprisingly, the person who comes to Versailles to save the royal marriage is Marie Antoinette’s brother, Joseph, who realizes he will have his work cut out if he’s going to unite the couple and save the FrancoAustrian alliance.

11:00 DRIVING WHILE BLACK: RACE, SPACE AND MOBILITY IN AMERICA R

24 Monday

7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Weeknights. Visit pbs.org/newshour Repeats next day, 7am

8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: SHELBURNE MUSEUM, HOUR 1 — Roadshow makes surprising finds at the Shelburne Museum in Vermont; guess the find that’s up to $100,000.

9:00 GE T OUT OF TOWN — Mother-daughter duo Laurita and Lauren Portee host this new WETA travel and adventure series that offers a guide to getaways to delightful destinations within a half-day’s drive of Washington, D.C. Episode 4 of 8: Deep Creek Lake, MD. Mountain and water views beckon on Laurita and Lauren’s visit to Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. The Lake Pointe Inn connects them to paddleboarding and kayaking in nearby Deep Creek Lake State Park, while the Wisp Resort offers roller coasters that spiral down the side of the often-snow-covered Wisp Mountain. Meals at Firewater Kitchen & Bar and Dutch’s at Silver Tree are also part of the adventure.

9:30 AMERICAN ANTHEMS — Country music stars write and perform songs celebrating the inspiring efforts of individuals facing extraordinary circumstances. Episode 2. Pocket Change. Ashley Ruiz is a “hope dealer,” dedicating herself to paying for people’s laundry in lowincome communities. Lee Brice creates a celebratory guitar jam for her.

10:00 INDEPENDENT LENS: FREE CHOL SOO LEE — Sentenced to death for a 1973 San Francisco murder, Korean immigrant Chol Soo Lee was set free after 10 years inside San Quentin, finding himself in a new fight to rise to the expectations of the people who believed in him. (90 min.)

April 21 at 10 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro

The ongoing series Next at the Kennedy Center presents Continuum: Jason Moran & Christian McBride, which features the two music icons performing in concert as they elevate and uphold the jazz tradition.

Wednesday, April 26 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro Nature: Treasure of the Caribbean explores the discovery of a vast coral reef off the Belize and Guatemala coast that marks a new chapter in understanding the interdependence of corals and fish.

25

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 delves into the genealogy of famous Americans. Season 6 encore: Fashion’s Roots (Diane Von Furstenberg, Narciso Rodriguez and RuPaul Charles). Repeats Sun 4/30, 4pm

9:00 M Y GRANDPARENTS’ WAR, SERIES 2 — Episode 3 of 4 Toby Jones. Watch as the actor uncovers the remarkable World War II stories of his maternal grandparents, who rarely spoke about their wartime experiences when he was growing up. Jones learns how their love endured, despite the hardships they faced. Repeats Sun 4/30, 3pm

10:00 FRONTLINE: AMERICA AND THE TALIBAN — Frontline concludes its investigation into how America’s 20-year investment in Afghanistan culminated in Taliban victory. Part 3 of 3 26

Wednesday

8:00 N ATURE: TREASURE OF THE CARIBBEAN — The discovery of a coral reef in Guatemala that is five times the size of Manhattan marks an exciting new chapter in understanding corals, the fish that need them, and the battle to save the reefs worldwide.

9:00 NOVA: CHASING CARBON ZERO — Can the U.S. reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and avoid the biggest impacts of climate change? Experts say it can be done. Learn about the technology that could get America there.

10:00 ICONIC AMERICA: OUR SYMBOLS AND STORIES WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN — In this new documentary series, a WETA co-production, David Rubenstein explores America’s history through examinations of iconic national symbols: indelible artifacts, places and archetypes. Each episode tells the story of one symbol to reveal its origins, significance, and the arc of its resonance. Episode 1 of 8. Fenway Park. Baseball is a favorite American pastime and obsession, and no ballpark is more iconic than Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. Learn the story of a city’s loyalty to its team and love for its ballpark through thick and thin. Repeats Sun 4/30, 2pm

27 Thursday

8:00 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: THE MIRROR CRACK’D FROM SIDE TO SIDE — Julia McKenzie stars. Hollywood glamor arrives in St. Mary Mead when actress Marina Gregg and her film-director husband, Jason Rudd, take up residence in the hamlet. Curious locals gather at a reception hosted by the couple and a fan drinks a poisoned cocktail. For whom was the drink really intended? Miss Marple investigates.

9:30 AGATHA CHRISTIE’S MARPLE: A CARIBBEAN MYSTERY — Julia McKenzie stars. While staying at a lavish tropical island hotel, Miss Marple investigates the sudden death of a fellow guest. She and a curmudgeonly business tycoon unravel a web of deceit, murder and “dark magic,” leaving Marple to consider every one of the hotel’s guests a suspect. Sir Antony Sher guest stars in the episode.

28 Friday

8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK — Repeats Sat 4/29, 6am, 6:30pm; Mon 5/1, 7:30am

8:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SEASON 4 — Episode 4 of 10. Lien-Hang T. Nguyen. The awardwinning historian and former war refugee draws on her personal and professional journey in a discussion on the contested history of the war in Vietnam. Repeats Sat 4/29, 7:30pm, 11:30pm

9:00 GREAT PERFORMANCES: NOW HEAR THIS: ALBÉNIZ: PORTRAITS OF SPAIN — Discover the inspirations Spain provided composer Isaac Albéniz with host Scott Yoo and Scottish Grammy-winning guitarist David Russell, along with musicians from Albéniz’s birthplace in the Pyrenees and from elsewhere. Repeats Sun 4/30, noon

10:00 INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY FROM THE UNITED NATIONS — Jazz stars from around the globe gather to celebrate the unifying power of music, with performances by Herbie Hancock, David Sanborn, Shemekia Copeland, Gregory Porter, Lizz Wright, José James, Hiromi, Marcus Miller, Ravi Coltrane and others. Repeats Sun 4/30, 1pm

ICONIC AMERICA: OUR SYMBOLS AND STORIES WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN A WETA CO-PRODUCTION

10 p.m. Wednesdays starting April 26 on WETA PBS & WETA Metro Iconic America: Our Symbols and Stories with David Rubenstein explores American history through close examination of iconic national symbols: indelible artifacts, places and archetypes. The new series spotlights their origins, significance and resonance. Episode 1, April 26, spotlights Boston’s Fenway Park. Above: Former Red Sox player David Ortiz discusses the historic ballpark.

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. ©2023 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 36, Number 4. ISSN No. 1041-2700.

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6AM-6PM See the Saturday, April 1 listings.

6:00 PBS NEWS WEEKEND — John Yang anchors.

6:30 WASHINGTON WEEK R

7:00 IT’S ACADEMIC — The TV quiz show showcases the academic achievements of local D.C.-area high school students. Journalist Hillary Howard hosts. Competing this week are Sidwell Friends, South Lakes and McDonough high schools. Repeats 11pm tonight; Mondays, 3pm on WETA PBS, 7pm on WETA Metro

7:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SEASON 4 —

Lien-Hang T. Nguyen. R

8:00 THE AMERICAN DIPLOMAT: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE ― Learn about the lives and legacies of three African American ambassadors — Edward R. Dudley, Terence Todman and Carl Rowan — who pushed past historical and institutional racial barriers in the State Department to reach high-ranking appointments in the Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations. Repeats tonight, midnight; Sun 4/30, 11pm

9:00 T HE CODEBREAKER: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE — Discover the fascinating story of Elizebeth Smith Friedman, the groundbreaking cryptanalyst who helped bring down Al Capone and break up a Nazi spy ring. Her work helped to lay the foundation for modern codebreaking today. Repeats tonight, 1am; Sun 4/30, midnight

10:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SERIES 9 — Encore episode: Rising from the Ashes (Brian Cox and Viola Davis).

11:00 IT’S ACADEMIC — See the 7 p.m. listing. R

11:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SEASON 4 — Lien-Hang T. Nguyen. R

12M THE AMERICAN DIPLOMAT: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE R

1AM THE CODEBREAKER: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE R

30

Sunday

6AM-12N See the Sunday, April 2 listings.

12N GREAT PERFORMANCES: NOW HEAR THIS: ALBÉNIZ: PORTRAITS OF SPAIN R

1:00 INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY FROM THE UNITED NATIONS R

2:00 ICONIC AMERICA: OUR SYMBOLS AND STORIES WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN — Episode 1 of 8. Fenway Park. R

3:00 M Y GRANDPARENTS’ WAR, SERIES 2 — Toby Jones. R

4:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. Season 6 encore: Fashion’s Roots. R

5:00 THE CHAVIS CHRONICLES

5:30 A SE AT AT THE TABLE

6:00 PBS NEWS WEEKEND — John Yang anchors. Repeats Monday, 7am

6:30 CELEBRITY ANTIQUES ROAD TRIP — British celebrities compete in an antiques hunt. Episode 4. Nick Hewer and Margaret Mountford. The two British TV stars become rivals in this action-packed search for treasures around the South of England.

7:30 TELL ME MORE WITH KELLY CORRIGAN, SERIES 5 — In a new season of this WETA presentation, New York Times bestselling author Kelly Corrigan interviews influential people. Episode 4, Maya Shankar, cognitive scientist and podcaster.

8:00 C ALL THE MIDWIFE, SERIES 12 — Part 7 of 8. Trixie and Matthew’s wedding preparations are underway as a joyous occasion brings the community together. Nancy visits a homeless family and its plight is brought to the attention of Nonnatus house.

9:00 TOM JONES ON MASTERPIECE — Two lovers follow their hearts in this new adaptation of Henry Fielding’s novel, bringing mid-18th-century England to life in all its passion and prejudice, luxury, and loose morals. Part 1 of 6 Tom and Sophia hit it off, despite their wildly contrasting backgrounds. Molly complicates the picture for Tom, and Blifil for Sophia.

10:00 M ARIE ANTOINETTE — Part 7 of 8. The Ostrich. Marie Antoinette is pregnant at last! But her reputation is attacked when pornographic pamphlets appear at Versailles challenging the legitimacy of her unborn child. Louis demands a full-blown investigation to apprehend the seditious traitors.

11:00 THE AMERICAN DIPLOMAT: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE

12M THE CODEBREAKER: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE R

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Fios 472

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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 KIDS

• Clifford the Big Red Dog, 6am

• Elinor Wonders Why, 6:30am

• Dinos aur Train, 7am

• Pinkalicious & Peterrific, 7:30am, 8am

• S esame Street, 8:30am, 9am

• Work It Out Wombats!, 9:30am

• Rosie’s Rules, 10am — new episodes April 3-5

• Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, 10:30am, 11am

• Cur ious George, 11:30am, 12n

• Donkey Hodie, 12:30pm, 1pm

• Work It Out Wombats!, 1:30pm

• Rosie’s Rules, 2pm — new episodes April 3-5

• Alma’s Way, 2:30pm, 3pm

• Nature Cat, 3:30pm, 4pm — new episodes April 17-20

• Ar thur, 4:30pm, 5pm

• Odd S quad, 5:30pm

• W ild Kratts, 6pm, 6:30pm

• Molly of Denali, 7pm, 7:30pm

• Cyberchase, 8pm

• Hero Elementary, 8:30pm

• X avier Riddle and the Secret Museum, 9pm

• L et’s Go Luna! 9:30pm

On Fridays:

• The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo + Shorts, 6:30pm

• WETA PBS Kids Family Night, 7-10pm

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

WEEKDAYS ON WETA PBS, 8 AM – 3 PM

• W ild Kratts, 8am

• Cur ious George, 8:30am

• Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, 9am

• Rosie’s Rules, 9:30am — new episodes April 3-5

• S esame Street, 10am

• Work It Out Wombats!, 10:30am

• Donkey Hodie, 11am

• Pinkalicious & Peterrific, 11:30am

• Elinor Wonders Why, 12n

• Nature Cat, 12:30pm

• Hero Elementary, 1pm

• X avier Riddle and the Secret Museum,

• Molly of Denali, 2pm

• Alma’s Way, 2:30pm

SUNDAYS ON WETA PBS, 6 AM - 9 AM

• Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, 6am

• Ar thur, 6:30am

• Molly of Denali, 7am

• W ild Kratts, 7:30am

• Hero Elementary, 8am

• Alma’s Way, 8:30am

WETA Metro is the 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.

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

Human: The World Within

Saturdays, April 1 & 8, 8-11 p.m. on WETA Metro

A six-part 2021 science series takes a deep dive into the incredible universe inside the body to discover the biology that all humans share. Human: The World Within uncovers the science behind how our bodies work and how our lives, passions and goals are powered by the systems that define our biology as a species. Jad Abumrad, of the popular podcast RadioLab, narrates the journey. In the series, profiles of a diverse group of people from around the world become entry points into the inner workings of six bodily systems: nervous, circulatory, digestive, immune, sensory and reproductive. Experts show how the feats humans are capable of trace back to the body’s resilience. Episodes are Birth, Pulse, Fuel, Defend, Sense and React

Civilizations

Thursdays, April 6, 13 & 20, 8-11 p.m. on WETA Metro

A 2018 series narrated by actor Liev Schreiber explores the power of art from earliest civilizations to the present. The nine-part series is an exploration of the premise that it is through the creative imagination that humanity expresses its most essential self. Civilizations travels the globe to six continents, visiting such cultural landmarks as the great mosques of Istanbul, the ancient cities of Mesoamerica, the Buddhist caves of Ajanta in India, the Aztecs’ Templo Mayor in modern Mexico City, and the funeral site of China’s first emperor — and exploring treasures such as Olmec sculpture, African bronzes and masks (right, from Benin), Japanese prints, French Impressionist paintings, the landscape scrolls of classical China, and much more. Among the contributors to the programs are art historian Simon Schama, classics scholar Mary Beard, and historian David Olusoga.

When Disaster Strikes

Saturday, April 29, 8-11 p.m. on WETA Metro

A three-part 2021 series spotlights three natural disasters and the human response — exploring the mechanics of disaster relief, following heroes responding on the ground, and recounting extraordinary personal stories of determination and hope. Episodes are A Perfect Storm: Mozambique; The Silent Killer: Somalia; and Paradise Lost: Bahamas. In Mozambique, spotlighted is the race to help rescue and support survivors of massive flooding from Cyclone Idai; in Somalia, the series examines drought and resulting humanitarian efforts to contend with mass migration, food shortage and malnutrition; and in the Bahamas, the series follows aid workers helping survivors after one of the Caribbean’s strongest hurricanes strikes.

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British Television at Its Best

VISIT WETA.ORG/SCHEDULE FOR A COMPLETE

PROGRAM LINEUP

Series

8:30pm 9pm

Masterworks Showcase

• The Hour, Series 1 (starts 4/20)

• 8pm: Foyle’s War, Series 4 & 5

Series

• 4/1: Yorkshire Vet (8-11pm, rpts starting 11pm)

• Escape to the Chateau, Series 5

• Winston Churchill’s War (starts 4/30)

The Vicar of Dibley, Series 1 & 2

Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Series 1

Frankie Drake Mysteries, Series 1

Death in Paradise, Series 10 9:30pm 10pm Location, Location, Location

• Agatha Christie’s Poirot, Series 6 (Series 9 starts 4/12) (2 hrs)

• The Coroner, Series 2

• 9pm: Miss Scarlet and The Duke, Series 3

• 9pm: Sanditon, Series 3 (starts 4/14)

• 4/8: Yorkshire Vet, 8pm & 11pm; Mystery of Edwin Drood, 9pm (2 hrs)

• 4/15: Murder, They Hope (8-11pm, rpts starting 11pm)

• Alibi (starts 4/27) 10:30pm 11pm Still Open All Hours (two episodes)

• 10pm: All Creatures Great and Small, Series 2 (Series 3 starts 4/21)

BBC News BBC NewsBBC News 11:30pm

Hamish Macbeth, Series 2 BBC News

• BBC News at 12m

• McLeod’s Daughters, Series 2

• The Hour (starts 4/20)

• 4/22+4/29: Broadchurch, Series 1, 8pm; (8-11pm eps rpt starting 11pm)

SUNDAYMONDAYTUESDAYWEDNESDAYTHURSDAYFRIDAY SATURDAY

WETA UK Highlights

The Vicar of Dibley

Mondays at 9 p.m. starting April 3 on WETA UK

Apopular British sitcom created by screenwriter/director Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Notting Hill, Love Actually, Blackadder and Mr. Bean), this series was written for its lead actor, comedian Dawn French (left, with Emma Chambers as assistant Alice Tinker). Set in a fictional Oxfordshire village, the storyline follows the vicar, newly assigned after the 1992 changes in the Church of England that permitted the ordination of women. The tiny congregation — six faithful, eccentric souls — reacts to her arrival with a mixture of wonder and horror. David Horton, autocratic head of the parish council, is appalled; but Rev. Geraldine Granger steps full of optimism into Dibley’s quaint world.

Alibi

WThursdays at 10 p.m. starting April 27 on WETA UK

ETA UK reprises a romantic dark comedy that follows two people brought together in the most unusual of circumstances. Starring Michael Kitchen (Foyle’s War), Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda), Phyllis Logan (Downton Abbey) and Tom Knight (EastEnders), and written by acclaimed screenwriter Paul Abbott, known for hit series including Reckless and Touching Evil, the three-part 2003 drama features a rollercoaster of love, murder and lies. As the story begins, Greg Brentwood throws an anniversary party for his wife, Linda, at their house. Later that night, Marcey, one of the caterers, returns to the house to retrieve her handbag and walks in on an astonishing scene that binds her to Greg.

Broadchurch, Series 1

WSaturdays, 8-11 p.m. starting April 22 on WETA UK

ETA UK presents the acclaimed, BAFTA- and Peabody Award-winning 2013 crime drama Broadchurch (9 p.m.), starring Emmy Award-winner David Tennant and Academy Award-winner Olivia Colman as police detectives Alec Hardy, a new arrival, and Ellie Miller, a local. Together they must investigate the murder of 11-year-old Danny Latimer in coastal Dorset. The slowly unfolding mystery follows the aftermath of the crime and its impact in a seemingly placid seaside town. In the case, secrets abound when the murder sparks grief, suspicion and an unwanted media frenzy. As the town’s locals start to open up about what they do and don’t know, the police must catch the killer. Series 1 features 8 episodes.

The Hour, Series 1

WThursdays at 8 p.m. starting April 20 on WETA UK

ETA reprises a six-part drama set in 1956 Britain spotlighting a new current-affairs television program, The Hour, being launched by BBC at the time of the Suez Crisis and the Hungarian Revolution. Ben Whishaw, Romola Garai and Dominic West star, alongside Tim Pigott-Smith, Anton Lesser, Anna Chancellor and others. In the story, young TV journalists Freddie and Bel yearn for bigger, bolder stories to spotlight. Freddie is drawn into a murky world of subterfuge, intimidation, political scheming, and a shattering conspiracy. Joining the team producing The Hour, the two begin work for the show’s charismatic anchor, and a love triangle emerges that drives their ambitions for the broadcast.

Also this month: WETA UK reprises French police drama Astrid, Tuesdays at 9 p.m.; presents the Draper’s Tours comic-mystery Murder, They Hope, Saturday, April 15, 8-11 p.m.; and features Season 1 of celebrity history series My Grandparents’ War, Sundays at 8 p.m. starting April 23 (Season 2 airs on WETA PBS & WETA Metro this month).

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The WETA World channel is a 24/7 news and public affairs service devoted to fact-based nonfiction 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.

Real Stories from Around the World

Doc World: Keep It a Secret

Sunday, April 9 at 10 p.m. on WETA World; stream with WETA Passport

A film recounts the inspiring true story of the dawn of Irish surfing and how the sport’s pioneers found peace in the surf during the most violent years of The Troubles in Ireland. In 1972, every international sporting event in the country was canceled, except for one. Teams from around the world refused to travel to Ireland amid the height of sectarian unrest. Amidst the conflict, surf pioneers in both Dublin and Belfast transcended political hostilities to host the 1972 Eurosurf Championship. Keep It a Secret chronicles idealism in the midst of a violent conflict, and reveals how surfing gave a group of young people hope at a time of despair; how the sport would alter their lives; and how the community they formed would leave a lasting impression upon Ireland.

AfroPop: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange

Mondays at 8 p.m. on WETA World

In the April 3 episode of AfroPop: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange — the series spotlighting life, art and culture in the African diaspora — presents Rosalynde LeBlanc and Tom Hurwitz’s study of eminent choreographer Bill T. Jones’ masterpiece ballet D-Man in the Waters. The groundbreaking work of art was first performed in 1989 in response to the devastating impact of the AIDS crisis.

The episode Can You Bring It shows how, decades later, dance professor LeBlanc — and Jones (on left) — worked to bring the dance to life with contemporary students born after the height of the global health crisis. Other Monday AfroPop episodes this month spotlight superstar singer-songwriter Angélique Kidjo (April 10); artist Bill Traylor (April 17); and a traditional masked dance of Mozambique (April 24).

8 Billion Angels

Thursday, April 20 at 7 p.m. on WETA World

As humanity’s demand for resources vastly exceeds nature’s ability to sustain it, food, water, climate and extinction emergencies are unfolding before our eyes. 8 Billion Angels spotlights the conflict between the size of our global population and the sustainability of the planet. The filmmakers tackle a variety of misperceptions: that technology can save us; that reducing consumption is the only answer; and that blame lies in the developing world. Airing as part of a slate of programs on WETA World marking Earth Day, the film takes a journey into the lives of those witnessing an unfolding global crisis — and explores solutions.

WETA Classical Celebrates Composer Sergei Rachmaninoff

By Jim Allison, Program Director, WETA Classical & WETA VivaLaVoce

This month marks the 150th birth anniversary of Sergei Rachmaninoff, one of the most popular composers we play on WETA Classical. Born in Russia on April 1, 1873, he became one of the twentieth century’s greatest pianists and composers. His second and third piano concertos, the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, the second symphony, Vocalise, and Prelude in C-sharp Minor have remained audience favorites year after year.

The classical music world is celebrating Rachmaninoff 150 in many ways. The most impressive feat has already occurred: the “Rachmarathon” of all five works for piano and orchestra — performed in one evening at Carnegie Hall in January. Pianist Yuja Wang joined the Philadelphia Orchestra under Yannick Nézet-Séguin in an astounding display of Rachmaninoff’s creativity as a composer and Yuja Wang’s mastery of these works, which are among the most challenging pieces for a pianist to tackle.

WETA Classical will also join in the Rachmaninoff 150 celebration throughout April. Here are some ways you can learn more about his life and music:

• In our Classical Breakdown podcast episode #50, WETA Classical hosts John Banther and Linda Carducci explore the life and music of Rachmaninoff. And in episode #69, Banther and Bill Bukowski discuss the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, including “breaking down” the compositional trick used in the famous 18th Variation. You can listen at classicalbreakdown.org or on your favorite podcast app.

• Our Classical Score blog will focus on several aspects of Rachmaninoff’s music throughout April. We’ll hear from local performers who are presenting his works and we’ll share resources to help in the enjoyment of his music. Look for the Rachmaninoff collection of articles at classicalscore.org

One of the aspects we’ll explore is what makes the distinctive Rachmaninoff sound. Rachmaninoff stated that “a composer’s music should express the country of his birth, his love affairs, his religion, the books which have influenced him, the pictures he loves.” Although Rachmaninoff lived solely in America and Western Europe after the 1917 Russian Revolution, he never lost his love of his homeland. His fascination with the sound of Russian Orthodox chant, the resonance of cathedral bells, and the expressiveness of Russian folk song forms the basis of his signature sound. On the blog, we’ll share some examples of how his soaring melodies and rich harmonies bear a striking resemblance to the sounds and sights he absorbed early in his life in Russia.

On the blog, we’ll also share news about the restoration of Rachmaninoff’s Villa Senar on Lake Lucerne in Switzerland. It was here that he wrote the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini and where he enjoyed driving his speedboat on the scenic lake below the Alps.

On-air, we’ll present Rachmaninoff Moments throughout April. On WETA Classical, we’ll present his many creative and demanding works for solo piano, and his orchestral and chamber music. On WETA VivaLaVoce, we’ll focus on his great choral works, his many art songs, and his three operas. Broadcast details will be available at wetaclassical.org on Rachmaninoff’s birthday, April 1.

Rachmaninoff, 1921

OF CONGRESS/GEORGE GRANTHAM BAIN COLLECTION/BAIN NEWS SERVICE/PUBLIC DOMAIN

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS/KUBEY-REMBRANDT STUDIOS/PHILADEPHIA, PA/PUBLIC DOMAIN

Classical for Washington

Rachmaninoff Celebration on NSO Showcase

Wednesday, April 5 at 9 p.m.

Rachmaninoff’s 150th birthday is April 1, and April’s NSO Showcase celebrates in a big way, with the composer’s towering masterpiece, the Piano Concerto No.3 Host Nicole Lacroix notes, “This performance from November 2018 had Kennedy Center audiences and critics cheering. It was a double NSO debut — for Mexican conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto (Musical America named him Conductor of the Year the following year) and pianist Denis Kozhukhin, winner of the 2010 Queen Elisabeth Competition. Reviewers raved about a superb, breathtaking performance.” As The Washington Post wrote: “What Kozhukhin offers is a 21st-century take on Russian fireworks, dazzling and strong yet emphasizing musicality over circus tricks, even in the astonishing cadenza.”

Schubert’s “Unfinished” Symphony and The Block by Composer-in-Residence Carlos Simon round out the program with Gianandrea Noseda on the podium. Tune in to NSO Showcase on April 5 at 9 p.m. on WETA Classical; the program streams all month on wetaclassical.org

Chiarina Chamber Players on Front Row Washington

Monday, April 10 at 9 p.m.

Front Row Washington host John Banther recommends the program’s April 10 broadcast featuring Chiarina — a local ensemble of chamber players — performing music by contemporary American composers at St. Mark’s Church in Washington, D.C. The group says “In this special program featuring voices of our time, we bring together first- and second-generation American composers and music inspired by common threads: remembrance, longing, and human displacement. These works connect composers, musical subjects, listeners, and their identities, allowing art to communicate experience.” Among the composers whose works are featured are Richard Danielpour, Mary Kouyoumdjian, Polina Nazaykinskaya, Tania León, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Mohammed Fairouz and Bright Sheng. Founded in 2015 by pianist Efi Hackmey and cellist Carrie Bean Stute, Chiarina presents chamber music performances in Capitol Hill. Front Row Washington airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on WETA Classical.

Bach’s St. Matthew Passion on Choral Showcase

Sunday, April 2 at 9 p.m.

This month, Choral Showcase offers a Palm Sunday presentation of the St. Matthew Passion by Johann Sebastian Bach; a dramatic depiction of the passion and death of Jesus, and a profound expression of one man’s faith. “The compositional details, and the great care Bach took with the final score reveal just how special he thought it was,” says program host Bill Bukowski. “It’s considered to be one of the great works of Western art.” The performance by the Chorus and Orchestra of Collegium Vocale Ghent is conducted by Philippe Herreweghe and features tenor Ian Bostridge (Evangelist); bass Franz-Josef Selig (Jesus); and soprano Sibylla Rubens; countertenor Andreas Scholl; and basses Werner Gura and Dietrich Henschel. Choral Showcase airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on WETA Classical.

Also in April on WETA Classical: The series Center Stage from Wolf Trap on Saturday, April 8 at 9 p.m. concludes its season with Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center performing works by Mozart, Chopin, Ravel and Gershwin, including Rhapsody in Blue for piano, four hands. Opera Matinee on Saturday, April 22 at 1 p.m. presents Mozart’s grand “choral opera” Idomeneo, recounting the legend of the King of Crete who faces terrible consequences from his vow to Neptune in return for safe passage. Michael Spyres is featured in the title role.

PAUL MARC MITCHELL

MUSEO DEL PRADO MADRID/WIKI COMMONS/PUBLIC DOMAIN

Descent from the Cross by Rogier van der Weyden, ca. 1435

Pianist Denis Kozhukhin

Chiarina COURTESY THE ARTISTS

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