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Kristine Opolais brings her heartbreaking interpretation of the title role to the series for the first time.
Great Performances at the Met “Madame Butterfly” airs Sunday, January 12 at 1 p.m. on WXXI-TV.
Roberto Alagna sings Lieutenant Pinkerton, the callous officer who crushes Butterfly’s dreams of love. Debuting conductor Karel Mark Chichon leads a cast that includes Maria Zifchak as Suzuki and Dwayne Croft as Sharpless.
Hosted by comedian and disability activist Daryl “Chill” Mitchell, the Media Access Awards ceremony honors artists and film and television projects that are inclusive of disabled talent in front of and behind the cameras.
2024 Media Access Awards airs Friday, January 17, 2025 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI app.
The Media Access Awards ceremony took place on October 29, 2024 in Hollywood, CA. The show marks the first fully accessible awards show in history with heartwarming and empowering moments from stars including Michael J. Fox, Selma Blair, Marlee Matlin, and more.
Founded by the late Norman Lear in 1979, the Media Access Awards pioneered the celebration of on-screen representation for the disability community. Television host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel will present a special tribute to Lear who passed in December 2023.
This program is presented as part of Dialogue on Disability, a partnership between WXXI and Al Sigl Community of Agencies – in conjunction with the Herman and Margaret Schwartz Community Series. Dialogue on Disability is supported by the Fred L. Emerson Foundation with additional support from The Golisano Foundation. The weeklong initiative runs January 13-19, 2025
WXXI and Al Sigl have been hosting Dialogue on Disability since 2005. In 2014, with the support of businessman and philanthropist Tom Golisano and the Golisano Foundation, Move to Include™ was formed. This initiative enables WXXI to present and develop programming that promotes inclusion year round.
This two-part documentary captures the pulse of a city and the people who work and live there, all trying to build a better future.
Independent Lens “Dallas, 2019” airs Fridays, January 3 and 10 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV
A cross section of life in Dallas the year before the pandemic hit, as fault lines emerge between those who follow, make, and battle the law. This five-part series follows the harried lives of city workers, community organizers, and diverse citizens as they confront natural and human-made disasters, a struggling school system, and cycles of incarceration. What will the future of Dallas look like?
Experience this annual beloved concert from the Golden Hall of the Musikverein celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Johann Strauss.
Great Performances “From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration 2025” airs Wednesday, January 1 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV.
Ring in 2025 with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in the Golden Hall of the Musikverein in this beloved annual concert. PBS favorite Hugh Bonneville hosts the traditional concert for the eighth consecutive year, commemorating the 200th birthday of Johann Strauss. Showcasing the talents of the orchestra accompanied by on-location dance sequences with the Vienna State Ballet, the program also takes audiences on a tour of The Leopold Museum, the grand Südbahn Hotel, the mountains of the Semmering Hirschenkogel ski resort and more. Conducted by Riccardo Muti for the seventh time, PBS favorite Hugh Bonneville returns to host.
To mark the passing of former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away December 29 at the age of 100, WXXI presents two encore broadcasts.
In Their Own Words “Jimmy Carter” and American Experience “Jimmy Carter” air Wednesday, January 1 on WXXI-WORLD.
In Their Own Words “Jimmy Carter” airs Wednesday at 7 p.m. This episode, which originally aired in 2021, explores the intimate and inspiring story of a long-shot outsider who beat the odds against him again and again and never looked back in his quest to better the lives of millions. Jimmy Carter’s journey from poor, rural peanut farmer to become the 39th president of the United States will be revealed to be a story of faith, determination and humanity. Repeats Thursday, January 2 at 10 a.m.
American Experience “Jimmy Carter” airs Wednesday, at 8 p.m. Through interviews with the people who know him best, Jimmy Carter traces his rapid ascent in politics, dramatic fall from grace and unexpected resurrection, including Carter family home movies and a rare film sequence of Carter’s final hours in the Oval Office, when he and his advisors waited in vain for the release of the Americans who had been held hostage in Tehran for 444 days. Repeats Thursday, January 2 at 8 a.m.
In memory of Rochester attorney Justin Vigdor, who passed away earlier this week, WXXI presents a special broadcast of an episode of Norm & Company from 2013 featuring Mr. Vigdor as the guest.
Norm & Company: Justin Vigdor airs Friday, January 3 at 5:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV.
In 2013, Mr. Vigdor, then Senior Counsel at Boylan Code LLP, sat down with WXXI President Norm Silverstein for an episode of Norm & Company. In the episode he speaks about his military law career, how he came to make Rochester his home, and his extensive involvement in the Rochester community.
Hosted by former and long-time WXXI President Norm Silverstein, Norm & Company is a series where long-time Rochesterians recount fascinating stories about their lives in the community.
This WXXI production explores the seven principles that are the foundation of Kwanzaa by sharing seven real-life stories of impact.
Cultural Expressions: Kwanzaa airs Sunday, December 29 at 7 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD.
Honoring the heritage, unity, culture, and rich contributions of African Americans, Kwanzaa is more than just a celebration; it’s a way of life. Cultural Expressions: Kwanzaa explores the seven principles that are the foundation of Kwanzaa by sharing seven real-life stories of impact. These stories reveal how each principle plays a role in the Black community, illustrated through cultural elements of dance, storytelling, music, and spoken word.
Cultural Expressions: Kwanzaa features interviews with Dr. David A. Anderson/Sankofa, Rochester Kwanzaa Coalition; Ms. Melba Ayco, Artistic Director and Owner, Northwest Tap Connection; Delores Jackson Radney, Rochester Kwanzaa Coalition; Melanie Funchess, Principal & CEO, Ubuntu Village Works LLC; Reenah Golden, Founder and Artistic Director, Avenue Blackbox Theatre; Anthony and Zakiya King, Owners of Cerebral Kingdom Bookstore; Dr. Shaun Nelms, EPO Superintendent, East High School; Shawn Dunwoody, Digital Designer Dunwoodē Designs; Terrie Ajile Axam, Founder Artistic Director, Total Dance/Dancical Productions Inc., and Terry Chaka, Rochester Kwanzaa Coalition.
Cultural Expressions: Kwanzaa is a WXXI Public Media production from 2022. The production team includes: Teej Jenkins-Routier, producer/director; Joanne V. Gordon, editor/producer; and Rhonda Austin, associate producer.
The life and legacy of Jewish theologian and philosopher Abraham Joshua Heschel.
Spiritual Audacity: The Abraham Joshua Heschel Story airs Saturday, December 21 at 11 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel fled Nazi Germany to became “an authoritative voice not only in the Jewish community but in the religious life of America.” His book, “The Prophets” inspired Martin Luther King, Jr. to invite him to take a roll in the Civil Rights Movement. Heschel was an outspoken critic of the Vietnam War, an advocate for Soviet Jewry and a pioneer of interfaith dialogue.
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