PBS: Great Performances - Ellis Island

ARTISTS
Carl St.Clair, conductor
CAST in order of appearance:
- Lesley Fera, reading the words of Helen Lansman Cohen
- Michael Nouri, reading the words of James Apanomith
- Samantha Sloyan, reading the words of Lillian Galletta
- Lucas Near-Verbrugghe, reading the words of Lazarus Salamon
- Kira Sternbach, reading the words of Helen Rosenthal
- Barry Bostwick, reading the words of Emanuel “Manny” Steen
- Camryn Manheim, reading the words of Katherine Beychok
PROGRAM
BOYER: Ellis Island: The Dream of America
PBS' "Great Performances" and Pacific Symphony, led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, pay tribute to America’s history with a performance of composer Peter Boyer’s Grammy-nominated contemporary classical work “Ellis Island: The Dream of America." This stirring work celebrates the historic American immigrant experience with actors and projected images.
PBS' "Great Performances" - July 3, 2020 at 9 p.m.
An ambitious blending of narration, projected historical images and music, Boyer’s dramatic and evocative "Ellis Island: The Dream of America" frames seven stories of real people who came to America through Ellis Island between the years 1910 to 1940, which were collected by the Ellis Island Oral History Project. This recording of Pacific Symphony's April 7-8, 2017 performances was the first-ever PBS “Great Performances” broadcast from Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
Interview on ABC with composer Peter Boyer about "Ellis Island"
Preview Talk with KUSC Radio Personality Alan Chapman
Program Notes
Learn more about the music in the program notes. (Note: only "Ellis Island" will be broadcast.)