As one of the pioneers of noncommercial television in America for over 30 years, Jac Venza has been a major figure in harnessing the power of television to achieve international recognition for America's leading performing artists. Beginning with the GREAT PERFORMANCES series in 1972, Mr. Venza created a new framework for the performing arts on PBS, launching the subseries THEATER IN AMERICA and DANCE IN AMERICA to initiate television collaboration with performers and artistic companies throughout the country. GREAT PERFORMANCES' vast program collection has garnered virtually every major television honor, including 58 Emmy Awards. In 1997, Mr. Venza became Thirteen/WNET's Director of Culture & Arts Programs, and the department's co-productions for PBS include Robert Hughes's six-part AUSTRALIA: BEYOND THE FATAL SHORE (broadcast September 2000) and Sir Richard Eyre's six-part history of the English-language theater, CHANGING STAGES (broadcast August 2001). In October 2000, Mr. Venza launched the new theater showcase STAGE ON SCREEN with the live telecast of "The Man Who Came to Dinner" from the Roundabout Theatre in New York City. Mr. Venza has been honored with a Personal Peabody Award, the primetime Emmy's Governors Award for Lifetime Achievement, the International Emmy Founders Award, the New York Emmy chapter's Silver Circle Award, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's Ralph Lowell Award.
David Horn is responsible for the development, production, and programming of Thirteen's national music presentations on PBS. He has been with the GREAT PERFORMANCES series for 23 years, serving as series producer for music since 1986. In 1992, Mr. Horn created IN THE SPOTLIGHT, a series of prime-time popular music specials, and executive produced SESSIONS AT WEST 54TH. For both series he received the ASCAP Deems Taylor Award. Most recently, he produced LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC INAUGURATES THE WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL and directed JOSH GROBAN IN CONCERT, A CHANTICLEER CHRISTMAS, and THE GREAT PERFORMANCES 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL. In 2000-2001, Mr. Horn received an Emmy for LA TRAVIATA FROM PARIS, directed the performance sequences in COPLAND'S AMERICA, and was executive producer of the world premiere television adaptation of LITTLE WOMEN FROM THE HOUSTON GRAND OPERA. Among his many other projects are THE RODGERS & HART STORY: THOU SWELL, THOU WITTY; THE MUSIC OF KANDER AND EBB: RAZZLE DAZZLE; JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT; the Emmy-nominated ANDREA BOCELLI: SACRED ARIAS; and CARNEGIE HALL OPENING NIGHT 1999 WITH THE VIENNA PHILHARMONIC. In July 2000, Mr. Horn directed the live PBS telecast of the Emmy-nominated AMERICAN DREAM: ANDREA BOCELLI'S STATUE OF LIBERTY CONCERT.
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