Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas with Vanessa Williams, filmed in front of a small, socially distanced audience at the Meridian International Center in Washington, D.C., premieres December 15 at 8 PM ET on PBS, PBS.org, and the PBS Video App.
Featuring the American Pops Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Luke Frazier, this new take on the late Fitzgerald's classic holiday album, Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas, includes performances by Tony nominees Vanessa Williams and Norm Lewis, Tony winner Dee Dee Bridgewater, Carmen Ruby Floyd, Morgan James, and Nova Y. Payton. Williams also hosts.
The 1960 album is performed in its entirety, including 鈥淪anta Claus Is Coming to Town,鈥� 鈥淗ave Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,鈥� 鈥淭he Christmas Song,鈥� 鈥淪leigh Ride,鈥� and 鈥淲inter Wonderland.鈥�
鈥淭o me, it feels more important than ever that we embrace the things that take us back to a simpler time鈥攁 time of celebrating the holidays with a sense of nostalgia,鈥� said American Pops Orchestra Founder and Music Director Frazier in a recent statement. 鈥淭his extraordinary holiday album has been the soundtrack for so many of us for more than four decades. To share Ella鈥檚 iconic music interpreted by a new generation of extraordinary singers is a gift to us all.鈥�
