A Grand Night: The Performing Arts Salute Public Television

A Grand Night: The Performing Arts Salute Public Television is a two and a half-hour special broadcast on PBS on March 20, 1988. The special, which ran during the pledge period, showcased the way PBS has presented ballet, the opera, modern dance, drama, the operetta, and other aspects of the arts.
Placido Flamingo, as performed by Richard Hunt (assisted by David Rudman), was one of many guests including Samuel Ramey, Shirley Jones, the Kronos Quartet, Michael Feinstein, Leona Mitchell, Hei-Kyung Hong, Lorin Hollander, Jerry Hadley, Dale Clevenger, and Matt Haimovitz.
Señor Flamingo was to have performed an aria from La Bohème with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, but, in a bit with conductor Gerard Schwarz, concedes that he can't go on due to a case of "Chicago throat." He's joined by host Richard Thomas who announces that tenor Jerry Hadley will go on in his place.
Later, Placido takes the stage to lament his canceled performance. His spirits are lifted when the orchestra begins to play, and he decides to sing a lullaby his mama used to sing to him. He proceeds to serenade the audience with a rendition of "O mio babbino caro" from Puccini's opera Gianni Schicchi set to lyrics about a baby flamingo.
Following the performance, Jerry Hadley (who had taken over for him earlier in the show) approaches Placido to thank him, as a new father, for Sesame Street which Placido states is the "only daily program where children are exposed to truly magnificent artists... like me!"
Placido also appeared during the program's bumpers to urge viewers to pledge their support for public television and the arts, and during the credits/curtain call swaying with the chorus.
File:A Grand Night 03 Gerard Schwarz.jpg|Gerard Schwarz
File:A Grand Night 04 Richard Thomas.jpg|Richard Thomas
File:A Grand Night 05 O mio babbino caro.jpg|"O mio babbino caro"
File:A Grand Night 06 Jerry Hadley.jpg|Jerry Hadley
File:A Grand Night 07 curtain call.jpg|curtain call
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Category:TV Appearances