VOICE ONE:
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington,D-C. will honor five famous entertainers on December Second. Theywill be recognized for many years of excellence in the performingarts. I’m Shirley Griffith.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Sarah Long. We tell about the winners of this year’sKennedy Center Honors on the VOA Special English program, THIS ISAMERICA.
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VOICE ONE:
Next Sunday, America’s national cultural arts center willcelebrate the artistic work of five famous performers. The lights ofthe Kennedy Center will shine on opera singer Luciano Pavarotti,actress Julie Andrews and pianist Van Cliburn. Music writer andproducer Quincy Jones and actor Jack Nicholson also will be honored.
VOICE TWO:
Luciano Pavarotti is one of the performers being honored. He issixty-six years old. During forty years as an opera singer, he hasperformed in almost every major opera and concert hall in the world.He also has sung in sports centers and public parks in an effort tobring opera to more people. And he has appeared in many operasbroadcast on television.
Mister Pavarotti was born In Modena, Italy. He first sang inpublic as a child with the Modena Choir. In Nineteen-Sixty-One, hegot his first job as a paid singer. He performed the part of Rodolfoin Giacomo Puccini’s opera “La Boheme.” Soon he was singing thispart all over Italy.
In Nineteen-Sixty-Five Mister Pavarotti sang for the first timeat La Scala in Milan, Italy. He appeared at the Metropolitan Operain New York City for the first time three years later. Criticspraised the warmth and beauty of his high tenor voice.
Today, Luciano Pavarotti has sold more records than any otherclassical music performer. He also has recorded many popular songs.In recent years Mister Pavarotti has appeared in concerts with JoseCarreras and Placido Domingo. The three famous singers are known as”The Three Tenors.” Music lovers keep requesting more of theseconcerts. Here, Luciano Pavarotti sings music from the first operain which he appeared – “La Boheme.”
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VOICE ONE:
Julie Andrews has won many honors in American musical theater,films and television. She was born in Walton-on-Thames, Englandsixty-six years ago. Miss Andrews first performed in London inNineteen-Forty-Six, at age eleven. She also sang with her father onBritish Broadcasting Corporation radio programs. Before age twenty,she was on her way to the musical theater in New York City.
Julie Andrews first appeared on Broadway in “The Boy Friend.” Shewas an immediate success. Her next musical was “My Fair Lady,” forwhich she won the New York Drama Critics Award.
Mizz Andrews later appeared in successful films like “MaryPoppins” and “The Sound of Music.” She also appeared in musicaltelevision programs like “Cinderella.” Richard Rodgers and OscarHammerstein wrote this show for her. In recent years she starred inboth the movie and Broadway musical “Victor/Victoria.” Here JulieAndrews sings “My Favorite Things” from “The Sound of Music.”
((CUT TWO: MY FAVORITE THINGS))
VOICE TWO:
Critics say Van Cliburn is one of the greatest piano performersin history. He has served as a musical ambassador, bringing Americanculture to other nations. He also established the Van CliburnInternational Piano Competition to support young musicians. It isheld in Fort Worth Texas every four years. And Mister Cliburncontinues to perform. Currently he is playing concerts throughoutthe United States.
Van Cliburn was born in Shreveport, Louisiana inNineteen-Thirty-Four. By age twelve he had won every major localpiano competition. He first appeared at Carnegie Hall in New YorkCity in Nineteen-Fifty-Four.
Four years later Mister Cliburn won the Tchaikovsky InternationalPiano Competition in Moscow. That was during the height of tensionsbetween the Soviet Union and the United States. He became anAmerican hero. He was the first musician honored with a parade inNew York City.
Later Mister Cliburn recorded the music he played when he won thecompetition. His recordings of the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto NumberOne have sold millions of copies.
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VOICE ONE:
Quincy Jones was born in Nineteen-Thirty-Three in Chicago,Illinois. Today he is recognized for influencing music in many ways.His honors include twenty-six Grammy Awards for recorded music and ahistoric seventy-six nominations.
By age thirteen, the young Quincy Jones had tried all the musicalinstruments in his school band. Another young man who was to becomea famous musician was his best friend. Together, Ray Charles andQuincy Jones made all kinds of music.
Mister Jones has continued that tradition of playing, writing andproducing all kinds of music. His musical creations include hip hop,jazz, classical, soul and African and Brazilian music. He haswritten the music for thirty-three films and a number of televisionprograms.
Mister Jones has written music for artists like Tommy Dorsey,Gene Krupa, Count Basie and Cannonball Adderly.
In Nineteen-Eighty-Two, he and Michael Jackson made an albumcalled “Thriller.” It sold more than thirty-million copies. QuincyJones also produced a recording by a group of famous performerscalled “We Are the World.” It sold more copies than any other singlerecording ever made.
In addition to music, Quincy Jones is a lifelong activist forcivil rights. He wrote this song, “Free at Last? (The Civil War)”for the television drama “Roots”.
((CUT FOUR: FREE AT LAST? [THE CIVIL WAR]))
VOICE TWO:
Jack Nicholson has been a major film actor for more than thirtyyears. He is known especially for playing men who rebel againsttraditional values and established rules.
Mister Nicholson has won three Academy Awards and received elevenother nominations. Many artistic organizations have named him “BestActor.” They include the Cannes Film Festival and the NationalSociety of Film Critics.
Jack Nicholson was born in Neptune, New Jersey inNineteen-Thirty-Seven. As a young man, he moved to Los Angeles,California to study acting. He appeared in his first movie inNineteen-Fifty-Eight. For ten years after that, he appeared inlow-budget criminal and monster movies.
Jack Nicholson became a star in Nineteen-Sixty-Nine after actingin the film “Easy Rider.” Then he gained more success in “Five EasyPieces” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”
Over the years he has won praise for playing many kinds ofcharacters. In movies like “Reds” and “A Few Good Men” he playedserious parts. In movies like “Batman” he made people laugh. In “TheShining” he made people frightened. Jack Nicholson also has written,produced and directed films. But he says, “I love to act. I justlove the work.”
VOICE ONE:
Luciano Pavarotti, Julie Andrews, Van Cliburn, Quincy Jones andJack Nicholson are all special performers. The Kennedy Center willhonor them for sharing their special gifts with people around theworld.
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VOICE TWO:
This program was written by Jerilyn Watson. It was produced byCaty Weaver. Our studio engineer was Mick Shaw. I’m Sarah Long.
VOICE ONE:
And I’m Shirley Griffith. Join us again next week for anotherreport about life in the United States on the VOA Special Englishprogram, THIS IS AMERICA.
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