PBS and BYUtv to premiere "Season of Light: Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir" Featuring Disney and Broadway Star Lea Salonga and World-Renowned Actor Sir David Suchet

No. 1 annual primetime holiday performance broadcast returns with inspirational music and a hope-filled story from World War II

SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- "Season of Light: Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir" starring Tony Award-winning Disney and Broadway star Lea Salonga ("Mulan," "Miss Saigon") and world-renowned screen and stage actor Sir David Suchet ("Agatha Christie's Poirot") will premiere on PBS and BYUtv this December.

Now in its 20^th televised year, the beloved annual holiday program, presented by Boston public media producer GBH, weaves together inspirational music – including nods to Salonga's Filipina heritage – with hope-filled storytelling about Sir Nicholas Winton, a real-life hero who saved the lives of hundreds of Jewish children during World War II. The result is a universally moving program that invites hope and welcomes the spirit of sharing goodness this holiday season. The 90-minute "Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir" will premiere on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 8 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS App. BYUtv will air the special on Sunday, Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. ET on BYUtv, BYUtv.org and the BYUtv app.

"I like to think that, in whatever language, music transcends every manmade barrier," said Salonga. "There is one Filipino song that I have just been loving to perform that's about finding peace, quiet and hope amidst chaos and devastation, and it's one of the most beautiful Christmas songs of any language. It feels like a gift to have been there in such an incredible space, with everybody from the musicians to members of the crew and the little kids who get to dance, all of whom met us with kindness at every step."

Salonga joins The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square in singing cherished Christmas carols, hymns and holiday classics. In one highlight, she delivers a powerful performance of a World War II-era song in Tagalog, "Payapang Daigdig," which shares a message of finding peace and hope amidst devastation. Classical pieces, such as Felix Mendelssohn's triumphant "And Then Shall Your Light Break Forth," complement well-known holiday favorites such as "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year." As the evening's narrator, Suchet powerfully recounts the story of Winton, an English stockbroker who worked tirelessly in the months before World War II to save endangered Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia, orchestrating the safe passage of 669 refugees, with a known posterity of 6,000.

"I've appeared with other orchestras, but never in a space like this and never with a choir like this," said Suchet. "Yet the more I worked with everybody, including the wonderful staff and the crew, the space seemed to warm up. Being there with the Choir and the amazing talents that they give so generously from their hearts was tremendous. I know where that sound comes from, and if it doesn't come from the heart, then the audience doesn't feel it. The Tabernacle Choir makes us feel it, and it is such a privilege to be on the stage knowing that we are all together."

Per tradition, this year's "Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir" was filmed in December 2022 to air this year. The program unites a 500-person-strong cast including The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, Bells at Temple Square and Gabriel Trumpet Ensemble to deliver an unforgettable program in front of three live audiences in Salt Lake City's 21,000-seat Conference Center at Temple Square. 

Over the past two decades, the annual television broadcast has featured stars such as Audra McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, Angela Lansbury, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Kelli O'Hara, Santino Fontana, Gladys Knight, Megan Hilty, Natalie Cole, Sutton Foster, David Archuleta, Renée Fleming, Deborah Voigt, John Rhys-Davies, Hugh Bonneville, Richard Thomas, Jane Seymour, Neal McDonough, David McCullough and many more.

"Working with Lea Salonga and Sir David Suchet was a pure delight, and as you take in all that they have done as artists, you realize that they truly are the embodiment of the season of light that we speak to with this year's Christmas concert special," said Mack Wilberg, music director of The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square. "Throughout their impactful careers, they have been tremendous examples of achieving excellence while continuing to be a force for good. We are proud to share their powerful voices through this performance with everyone and celebrate our inspiring message of kindness and peace."

Lea Salonga is a multiple award-winning actress and singer renowned across the world for her powerful voice and perfect pitch. She is best known for her Tony Award-winning role in "Miss Saigon." Lea was awarded the Disney Legends Award in 2011, and fans of all ages recognize Lea as the singing voice of Princess Jasmine from "Aladdin" and Fa Mulan from "Mulan." As a concert artist, Lea gave two tours in 2019 and 2022 that saw sold-out audiences and record-breaking sales across North America and the United Kingdom.

David Suchet, eminent stage, screen, and television actor, is best known for his role as the engaging, suave and precise Hercule Poirot in 70 episodes of "Agatha Christie's Poirot" for over 24 years. Suchet has received many awards and nominations for his decades of work on stage. In 2011 Queen Elizabeth awarded him Commander of the Order of the British Empire and in 2020 Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire for his services to drama and charity.

"Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir" is co-presented annually by inspirational family television network BYUtv and GBH, the largest creator of PBS content for TV and the web. BYUtv is also the television home of the Choir's weekly program "Music & the Spoken Word." 

Funding for "Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir" on PBS is provided, in part, by Ronald C. & Kaye Gunnell, Charles & Janet Stoddard and David B. & Jolynn Davies.

For more information, please visit pbs.org/tabernaclechoir.

About The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square
The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square is a world-renowned, 360-member choir credited with over 4,800 episodes of its weekly live performance of "Music & the Spoken Word." The program is the longest continuing network broadcast in history, now in its 95^th year. The Choir has traveled around the world performing in acclaimed concert halls, for the inaugurations of seven U.S. presidents beginning with its first for President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965, at World's Fairs and expositions, in acclaimed concert halls, on television and radio broadcasts and now internet streams, and numerous other prestigious events and occasions. The Choir has won four Emmy Awards, 1 Grammy Award and multiple Grammy nominations, was awarded the National Medal of the Arts in 2003 and inducted into the Classical Music Hall of Fame in 2015. It has released over 200 recordings which have earned two platinum and five gold albums and hit #1 on Billboard's classical music charts 15 times.

The Orchestra at Temple Square is a 200-member, all-volunteer symphony orchestra organized in 1999 to perform and accompany the musical ensembles of The Tabernacle Choir organization. The Choir and Orchestra, with their incomparable medley of voices and instruments and their shared faith in God, are a significant, recognizable presence in the world of music, giving service through song. More info at https://www.thetabernaclechoir.org/ or by following the Choir on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

About BYUtv
BYUtv provides families more than 2,000 hours of uplifting and compelling programming they can enjoy together. The network's content is trusted, contemporary and clean, yet clever and sophisticated enough to inspire children and parents alike. BYUtv's diverse portfolio of original, co-produced and acquired content includes scripted and unscripted dramas and comedies, competition shows, concert specials and 700+ hours of live HD collegiate sports. BYUtv is available in approximately 40 million homes in every state of the country on DISH Network, DirecTV and more than 130 major cable systems. A digital pioneer, BYUtv was the first U.S. television network to stream all its content live and free of charge over the internet. Today, BYUtv has more than two million YouTube subscribers and two billion views and is available live and on-demand on multiple digital platforms at no cost, including Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox, Windows, digital apps for iOS and Android, and BYUtv.org. Based in Provo, Utah, BYUtv is part of BYU Broadcasting, which is owned by Brigham Young University.

About GBH
GBH is the leading multiplatform creator for public media in America. As the largest producer of content for PBS and partner to NPR and PRX, GBH delivers compelling experiences, stories and information to audiences wherever they are. GBH produces digital and broadcast programming that engages, illuminates and inspires, through drama and science, history, arts, culture and journalism. It is the creator of such signature programs as MASTERPIECE, ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, FRONTLINE, NOVA, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, Arthur and Molly of Denali and a catalog of streaming series, podcasts and on-demand video. GBH's television channels include GBH 2, GBH 44, GBH Kids and national services WORLD and Create. With studios and a newsroom headquartered in Boston, GBH reaches across New England with GBH 89.7, Boston's Local NPR; CRB Classical 99.5; and CAI, the Cape and Islands NPR station. Dedicated to making media accessible to and inclusive of our diverse culture, GBH is a pioneer in delivering media to those who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind and visually impaired. GBH creates curriculum-based digital content for educators nationwide with PBS LearningMedia and has been recognized with hundreds of the nation's premier broadcast, digital and journalism awards. Find more information at gbh.org.

About PBS 
PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 42 million adults on linear primetime television, more than 15 million users on PBS-owned streaming platforms, and 56 million people view PBS content on social media, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS's broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS LearningMedia for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. As the number one educational media brand, PBS KIDS helps children 2-8 build critical skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality content on TV — including a PBS KIDS channel — and streaming free on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video app, games on the PBS KIDS Games app, and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at PBS.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, Facebook, Instagram, or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on Twitter.

SOURCE BYUtv