Two hours of highlights from the marathon event, Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival 3 will air as part of Great Performances on Monday, June 6 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings).

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Clapton notes, “The Crossroads Festival is the realization of a dream for me, to gather a group of amazingly talented musicians to perform on one stage,” and adding, “The Crossroads performers are all musicians I admire and respect.” Actor-comedian Bill Murray — host of the second Crossroads Festival in 2007 — returns as MC, and supplies the festival’s nonmusical highlights with his inimitable style.

Great Performances is a production of THIRTEEN for WNET, one of America’s most prolific and respected public media partners.

It’s no surprise a festival named for a Robert Johnson song would include a heavy dose of the blues, and the 2010 edition does not disappoint, with remarkable performances by Sonny Landreth, Gary Clark, Jr., Keb’ Mo’ and Buddy Guy.

The rock contingent is also well represented by ZZ Top, Jeff Beck, the John Mayer Trio, Doyle Bramhall II, the Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band, Warren Haynes and Steve Winwood, who teamed with Clapton for several performances including an epic cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Chile.”

Various styles find a home here too, with Vince Gill’s amazing take on Clapton’s “Lay Down Sally” accompanied by the legendary James Burton and others; and Jeff Beck who performs “Hammerhead” which won the 2011 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

Other artists making appearances include: Sheryl Crow, Ronnie Wood, Robert Randolph, Jonny Lang, Joe Bonamassa, Pino Daniele, and Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas.

Song Listing:

“Promise Land” – Sonny Landreth w/Eric Clapton
“Going Down” – Pino Daniele, Joe Bonamassa, Robert Randolph & The Family Band
“Waiting for The Bus” – ZZ Top
“Jesus Just Left Chicago” – ZZ Top
“Bright Lights” – Gary Clark, Jr.
“Our Love Is Fading” – Sheryl Crow w/Eric Clapton, Doyle Bramhall II & Gary Clark Jr,
“Lay Down Sally” – Vince Gill w/Sheryl Crow, Keb’ Mo’, Albert Lee, James Burton & Earl Klugh
“Who Did You Think I Was” – John Mayer Trio
“Midnight in Harlem” – Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band
“Space Captain” – Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band w/Warren Haynes, David Hidalgo, Cesar Rosas & Chris Stainton
“Five Long Years” – Buddy Guy with Jonny Lang & Ronnie Wood
“Hammerhead” – Jeff Beck
“I Shot the Sheriff” – Eric Clapton
“Had to Cry Today” – Steve Winwood & Eric Clapton
“Voodoo Chile” – Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood
“Dear Mr. Fantasy” – Steve Winwood & Eric Clapton

The first Crossroads Guitar Festival, in June 2004 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, an unprecedented collection of guitar icons from blues, rock, and contemporary music, aired on Great Performances in December of that year. The two-disc DVD that has since achieved the 10x platinum mark in the United States alone. The Crossroads Guitar Festival 2007, the second such concert by Clapton and also staged at Toyota Park, aired on Great Performances in November 2007, and its DVD was certified 6x platinum. The complete 2010 concert was released by Rhino Entertainment on Blu-ray and DVD.

A Parallel 28 Equipe Inc. Production, Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival 3 was directed for television by Martin Atkins. Eric Clapton, Peter Jackson, James Pluta and Scooter Weintraub are producers; John Beug and Michael Eaton are executive producers. For Great Performances, Bill O’Donnell is series producer; and David Horn is executive producer.

Major funding for the Great Performances telecast is provided by the Irene Diamond Fund, the National Endowment for the Arts, Vivian Milstein, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and public television viewers.

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Prior to the premiere of the production in 2007, which also featured Graham, Domingo, and Groves, the Met hadn’t performed Gluck’s final opera since 1917. The title role of Iphigénie en Tauride is a touchstone role for Graham, who has performed it with great success at the Salzburg Festival, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera and Teatro Real de Madrid. Domingo added the role of Iphigénie’s long-lost brother Oreste to his extensive repertoire for the 2007 premiere of Wadsworth’s production and earned excellent reviews for his performance in what has traditionally been considered a baritone role. Groves reprises his Pylade, which he has sung at leading opera houses in Madrid, Paris, London, Chicago, and San Francisco. Maestro Summers, who has conducted a diverse range of works at the Met ranging from Salome to Rodelinda, also conducts the Met’s revival of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor this season. The cast also features Gordon Hawkins as the Scythian king Thoas and Julie Boulianne as the goddess Diane.

Iphigénie en Tauride (“Iphigenia in Tauris”), based on the Greek myth about a priestess facing the aftermath of her family’s violent history, is often considered the culmination of Gluck’s life ambition to achieve a perfect union of music and drama. Reviewing the current revival, the New York Times critic called it “An impassioned revival… (which) confirms that there is no reason for this radiant opera not to be a repertory staple,” praising the singers and “the Met orchestra’s warmly powerful, propulsive performance.”

Wadsworth’s production features sets by Thomas Lynch, costumes by Martin Pakledinaz, and lighting by Neil Peter Jampo.

Great Performances at the Met: Iphigénie en Tauride was directed for the live HD transmission by Barbara Willis Sweete and hosted by soprano Natalie Dessay. Jay David Saks is the music producer. The performance is sung in French with English subtitles.Great Performances is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, public television viewers and PBS. Corporate support for Great Performances at the Met is provided by Toll Brothers, America’s luxury home builder®. Additional funding for Great Performances at the Met: Iphigénie en Tauride is provided by the Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, and Joseph A. Wilson.

For the Met, Mia Bongiovanni and Elena Park are Supervising Producers, and Louisa Briccetti and Victoria Warivonchik are Producers. Peter Gelb is Executive Producer. For Great Performances, Bill O’Donnell is Series Producer; David Horn is Executive Producer.

Great Performances is a production of THIRTEEN for WNET, one of America’s most prolific and respected public media partners.

Already familiar to national audiences from her debut appearances on America’s Got Talent, Jackie is the youngest star in Great Performances’ recent Hitman Returns: David Foster & Friends concert for March pledge, performing virtuoso interpretations of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Pie Jesu” and Puccini’s “O Mio Babbino Caro.”  Foster will co-host the special, and serve as music director.

Jackie Evancho’s concert will celebrate the release of her first full-length SYCO/Columbia CD Dream with Me, which covers classical crossover material, and will be taped at the spectacular grounds of the magnificent The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Florida.

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Jackie’s musical selection on the program is scheduled to include “When You Wish Upon A Star,” “Nella Fantasia,” “A Mother’s Prayer,” “Nessun Dorma,” “Angel,” “O Mio Babbino Caro,” “Somewhere,” “All I Ask Of You,” “Ombra Mai Fu,” “Lovers,” “Imaginer,” “The Lord’s Prayer,” “To Believe,” and “Dream With Me.”

Although her appearance on America’s Got Talent introduced the world to Jackie Evancho and her astonishing vocal talent, her musical story begins before her life-changing appearance on the talent contest.  At her first talent competition, she came in second place to a 20-year old opera singer.  As Jackie’s talents blossomed, she sought out more opportunities to perform for audiences.

Eventually, she caught the attention of Grammy-winning producer David Foster when she won a regional competition that allowed her to sing as Foster accompanied her on piano.

Jackie’s first on-air America’s Got Talent performance of “O Mio Babbino Caro” was transcendent, delighting and amazing the surprised audience.

The judges were instantly smitten. “I can’t believe that from this tiny body, this huge mature voice you have,” said Sharon Osbourne.  Piers Morgan exclaimed, “This is one of the most extraordinary performances that I’ve ever seen on America’s Got Talent.”  Howie Mandel simply stated, “You’re an angel. You’re a superstar.”

She further wowed everyone with her subsequent performances of “Time to Say Goodbye,” made famous by her idols, Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman; “Pie Jesu,” also introduced by Brightman when Great Performances premiered Lloyd Webber’s Requiem in 1985, and, in the finale, the classic “Ave Maria.”  Evancho’s sterling appearances sent sales of her self-made independent release, “Prelude to a Dream,” soaring up Billboard’s Top Classical Crossover Albums Chart, where it peaked at No. 2.

Now, in support of the release of Dream with Me, Great Performances presents Jackie Evancho in a solo concert that will fully reveal the complete range and depth of this spectacular young talent. SYCO/Columbia Records will release the album, produced by 16-time Grammy Award winner David Foster, on Tuesday, June 14.

Jackie Evancho: Dream with Me in Concert is a co-production of THIRTEEN for WNET and SYCO/Columbia.  For Great Performances, Mitch Owgang is producer; Bill O’Donnell is series producer; and David Horn is executive producer.

Major funding for the Great Performances telecast is provided by the Starr Foundation, the Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, Joseph A. Wilson, and public television viewers.