Segments by Date

Soprano Benita Valente isn't as visible as some of her peers, in part because she hasn't recorded as much as other opera stars. Lloyd Schwartz hopes a new album of lieder will raise Valente's profile.

Language commentator Geoff Nunberg considers the use of the word "legend," which he believes ascribes too much importance to what could more accurately be described as "fame."

Raymond Bonner's book examines the collusion between the Philippines' Marcos regime and the U.S. government. Fresh Air book critic John Leonard has a review.

Jim Nicholson started off as an investigative reporter before becoming a celebrated obituary writer. He works for the Philadelphia Daily News.

Rock historian Ed Ward takes a look at the Liverpool rock scene that produced the Beatles. Judging from early recordings, he believes it's no accident that the Beatles rose to stardom, while many of their peers were largely forgotten.

The African American diva says she faced few racial barriers in the opera world. She credits the work of black singers who came before her, as well as the myriad performance opportunities available to her in Germany, for helping launch her career.

Best known for his role as Colonel Klink in Hogan's Heroes, Werner Klemperer plays Herr Schulz in the revival of Cabaret. Klemperer grew up in Berlin during the time the musical is set.

A new reissue of Dizzy Gillespie recordings showcases his pioneering music in a variety of different ensemble settings.

The writer's award-winning play, The House of Blue Leaves, enjoyed an acclaimed revival and is being produced for television. The story follows the life of an unsuccessful songwriter in Queens.

For those who missed the theatrical release, critic Ken Tucker recommends watching the suspense film on home video.

Jamie Wyeth's grandfather, N.C. Wyeth was an illustrator; his father is the renowned realist painter Andrew Wyeth. The youngest Wyeth tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross about the various ways he honed his craft -- without a formal art school education.

Stephen Schiff thinks everyone involved in the new film Ishtar was going through the motions, including stars Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty.

The horror writer, who features explicit and often nauseating imagery in his stories, has gained notoriety for his first novel, The Damnation Game.

Language commentator Geoff Nunberg considers the strange uselessness of foreign language phrase books for tourists and travelers.

The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd dispenses with laugh tracks and multi-camera shots, which allows the show to explore new territories in television comedy.

Jazz critic Francis Davis believes the saxophonist's new album demonstrates both compositional and improvisatory prowess.

Impresario Joseph Papp helped launch Broadway hits like A Chorus Line and The Pirates of Penzance, and founded the New York Shakespeare Festival. He talks about the political aspects of theater casting, production, and criticism.

Harry Shearer got his start in show business at the age of seven. He now writes comedy for television and radio. Shearer joins Fresh Air's Terry Gross to discuss his experiences onstage, finding an outlet for his political humor, and his love of bad TV.

Time Magazine film critic Richard Schickel's new book compiles promotional photographs of film actors that were taken while they were under contract with movie studios -- a publicity model which became obsolete with the advent of television talk shows and the decline of studio contracts.

Former Democratic congressperson and presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy has a new memoir about his political career called Up 'til Now. He talks to Fresh Air's Terry Gross about the tumultuous Vietnam War years.