Intimate Apparel
Season 50 Episode 2 | 2h 11m 32sVideo has Closed Captions
Experience this powerful opera with a libretto by Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage.
Experience the story of seamstress Esther who begins writing to a mysterious suitor laboring on the Panama Canal. Featuring music by Ricky Ian Gordon, a libretto by Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, this powerful opera is directed by Tony winner Bartlett Sher.
Major series funding for GREAT PERFORMANCES is provided by The Joseph & Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust, Sue...
Intimate Apparel
Season 50 Episode 2 | 2h 11m 32sVideo has Closed Captions
Experience the story of seamstress Esther who begins writing to a mysterious suitor laboring on the Panama Canal. Featuring music by Ricky Ian Gordon, a libretto by Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, this powerful opera is directed by Tony winner Bartlett Sher.
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Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship-Next on "Great Performances," a new opera adaptation of Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer-Prize-winning play "Intimate Apparel" from Lincoln Center Theater.
In 1905 New York, Esther makes her living sewing ladies' undergarments for a wide range of clients, but she dreams of more.
-♪ What do you want, Esther ♪ ♪ Don't be proud ♪ -♪ I'm a beautician ♪ ♪ Running a parlor... ♪ -35 and unmarried, romance seems out of reach until Esther begins exchanging letters with a Panama Canal laborer named George Armstrong.
When George arrives, he sets in motion a complex love story and Esther's personal journey of self-realization.
-♪ 'Cause no one does it for us ♪ -Directed by Tony-award winner Bartlett Sher and featuring a libretto by Lynn Nottage and score by Ricky Ian Gordon, "Intimate Apparel" is next.
-♪ No one does it for us ♪ ♪♪ Major funding for "Great Performances" is provided by... ...and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.
Thank you.
♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ Step lively!
♪ ♪ Twirl!
Parade!
♪ -♪ Step lively ♪ -♪ Walk proudly!
Promenade!
♪ -♪ Walk proudly ♪ -♪ Strut blithely!
♪ ♪ Head held high!
♪ ♪ Sweep, kick, twirl, smile, cakewalk, style!
♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ There you are ♪ -♪ Yes, sir ♪ -♪ Corinna Mae ♪ -[ Laughing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -[ Giggling ] ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ A man in Panama writin' me ♪ -♪ My heart ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ Lovely ♪ ♪ Beautiful ♪ ♪♪ ♪ I do want it ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ Lover ♪ ♪ Nice and easy ♪ ♪ Lover ♪ ♪ Please me ♪ ♪ Oh, daddy, daddy, come please me ♪ -♪ Oh, daddy, daddy, come please me ♪ -♪ Don't wanna touch the groun' ♪ -♪ Oh, daddy, daddy, come please me ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ Take a seat, take a seat ♪ ♪ Take a seat, take a seat ♪ ♪ Take good care of you ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ But a lavender robe ♪ -♪ Splendid avenues ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ Dear George ♪ -♪ Dear George ♪ -♪ Dear George ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ I love you ♪ -♪ Look what love done to me ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ Mmm-mmm ♪ -♪ Mmm-mmm ♪ [ Both laugh ] ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ It was made for you ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ Tell me, can there be a more glorious day?
♪ ♪ Tell me, can there be a more glorious day?
♪ ♪ Tell me, can there be a more glorious day?
♪ ♪ Tell me, can there be a more glorious day?
♪ ♪ Glorious day ♪ [ Camera shutter clicks ] [ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ Mm-hmm-hmm ♪ ♪ Mm-hmm-hmm ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Shh ♪ ♪♪ -♪ Mm-hmm-hmm ♪ -♪ Mm-hmm-hmm ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ I come here so the story will be different ♪ -♪ So the story will be different ♪ -♪ I come here ♪ -♪ I come here ♪ -♪ So the story will be different ♪ -♪ So the story will be different ♪ -♪ I come here ♪ -♪ I come here ♪ -♪ So the story will be different ♪ -♪ So the story will be different ♪ -♪ I come here ♪ -♪ I come here ♪ -♪ So the story will be different ♪ -♪ So the story will be different ♪ -♪ I come here ♪ -♪ I come here ♪ -♪ So the story will be different ♪ -♪ So the story will be different ♪ -♪ I come here ♪ -♪ I come here ♪ -♪ So the story will be different ♪ -♪ So the story will be different ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ George ♪ -♪ George ♪ -♪ George ♪ -♪ George ♪ -♪ George ♪ -♪ George ♪ -♪ George ♪ -♪ George ♪ -♪ George ♪ -♪ George ♪ -♪ George ♪ -♪ George ♪ -♪ George ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ Next time ♪ ♪♪ -♪ No ♪ ♪ George ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -[ Humming ] ♪♪ ♪ So soft ♪ -♪ So soft ♪ -♪ So soft ♪ -♪ Ah, perfect ♪ -[ Humming ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ You love someone ♪ -♪ I fear I love someone ♪ ♪ Didn't know until now ♪ ♪ That I love someone ♪ ♪ Yes, I love someone ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Don't wanna touch the groun' ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ Hush ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ The Armstrongs ♪ -♪ The Armstrongs ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -♪ Thanked me ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Laughter ] [ Indistinct conversations ] ♪♪ -Oh!
-Here, boy.
[ Cheering ] -Let it ride!
Come on!
-No!
No, no.
♪♪ ♪♪ No!
No.
♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Knock on door ] -♪ Until it all gone ♪ [ Knock on door ] [ Knock on door ] -♪ Let him go ♪ [ Knock on door ] -♪ George ♪ [ Sobbing ] -[ Yells indistinctly ] -♪ Let him go ♪ ♪ Let him go ♪ ♪♪ -[ Humming ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Wait ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -[ Vocalizing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -[ Clears throat ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] -To find out more, visit... Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
[ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause continue ]
Behind the Scenes of "Intimate Apparel"
Video has Closed Captions
Lynn Nottage speaks with cast members Kearstin Piper Brown and Chabrelle Williams. (3m 7s)
Video has Closed Captions
Experience this powerful opera with a libretto by Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage. (30s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship
Major series funding for GREAT PERFORMANCES is provided by The Joseph & Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust, Sue...