Thursday, February 18, 2016
WQED launches “mini docs” series tonight
Pittsburgh’s public-TV station digs into its trove of historic local programming to air a series of themed shows spotlighting short documentaries from over the years.
WQED mini docs, which showcases films from seven to 15 minutes in length, kicks off tonight with Musical Mentors. The half-hour show includes two Pittsburgh-based docs.
“Madame Dawson’s Opera Company” tells the story of Mary Cardwell Dawson. According to press materials, Dawson “formed the National Negro Opera Company in 1941, opening doors and launching careers for African-Americans who had little access to classical music training. The feature also highlights efforts to restore the grand Victorian-style house in [Homewood] where the opera company was founded.”
The other short, “Prattis & The Piano,” recounts the story of former Pittsburgh Symphony principal keyboardist Patricia Prattis Jennings, “who in 1966 became the first African-American woman to be awarded a full contract by a major symphony orchestra.”
Musical Mentors airs at 8 p.m. tonight. It will be rebroadcast at 7:30 p.m. Mon., Feb. 22.
Future episodes of WQED mini docs include Pittsburgh Women of World War II (March 10) and Our Water, Land & Air (April 7).
WQED mini docs, which showcases films from seven to 15 minutes in length, kicks off tonight with Musical Mentors. The half-hour show includes two Pittsburgh-based docs.
“Madame Dawson’s Opera Company” tells the story of Mary Cardwell Dawson. According to press materials, Dawson “formed the National Negro Opera Company in 1941, opening doors and launching careers for African-Americans who had little access to classical music training. The feature also highlights efforts to restore the grand Victorian-style house in [Homewood] where the opera company was founded.”
The other short, “Prattis & The Piano,” recounts the story of former Pittsburgh Symphony principal keyboardist Patricia Prattis Jennings, “who in 1966 became the first African-American woman to be awarded a full contract by a major symphony orchestra.”
Musical Mentors airs at 8 p.m. tonight. It will be rebroadcast at 7:30 p.m. Mon., Feb. 22.
Future episodes of WQED mini docs include Pittsburgh Women of World War II (March 10) and Our Water, Land & Air (April 7).
Tags: National Negro Opera Company , Patricia Prattis Jennings , Pittsburgh Symphony , WQED , WQED mini docs , Image
