Does anyone watch Ovation TV? Great documentary last night.

[Neecy]

Ovation is a performing and visual arts channel - think of it as A&E before it got trashy - that's currently carried only by Direct TV but is currently expanding to cable providers.

After the debates last night, I switched over to it because they were airing a documentary on African Americans in Opera. If you have Direct TV and you missed it, look for a rebroadcast of it Sunday at noon Eastern time, channel 274.

The history is fascinating and the talent is staggering...Marian Anderson, Jessye Norman, Leontyne Price, Paul Robeson, Simon Estes, Carol Brice, Grace Bumbry...the documentary features interviews and historical footage. Of course they covered the DAR refusing to rent Constitution Hall to Marian Anderson, which caused Eleanor Roosevelt to cancel her membership and Anderson's recital at the Lincoln Memorial. Also pretty basic was how Paul Robeson was pretty much destroyed for being a peace advocate and a communist. The controversy over Porgy and Bess was covered extensively, with footage from the film and the anguish of most of the singers over performing a piece that many considered racist, even though Gershwin wrote it primarily to give African American classical singers steady work and a platform for showcasing their talent. The footage looked incredibly racist and stereotyped to me, but it's still being performed to this day.

Even if you don't like Opera, this was a terrific historical piece and many of these men and women were not only incredibly talented but pioneers. My favorite footage was from Jessye Norman, a singer I absolutely love and an amazing person to boot - she's a Democrat and an activist against nuclear proliferation. If you have a couple of hours and get Direct TV, try to watch or TiVo this - it was truly worth the time.

[ginnyinWI]

1. Dish TV also carries it

I have the "Top 200" package and I do get it--not sure what other packages include it because it is too new to be in the printed card they gave me.

[Ellen Forradalom]

2. I misread that as Ovulation TV

Obviously a women's channel.