Fishko Files from WNYC

Seventy-five years ago, with America in the thick of the Second World War, the world first heard a celebrated patriotic fanfare by Aaron Copland. WNYC’s Sara Fishko has more in this edition of Fishko Files.

Classical music and cartoons have a long and happy history together. With a look at the odd affinity between, say, Richard Wagner and Elmer Fudd, here is WNYC’s Sara Fishko - with another Fishko Files. (Produced in 2005)

American composer Philip Glass turns 80 next week. As WNYC's Sara Fishko tells us in this Fishko Files, Glass's time away from America in the '60s was central to his music, as he encountered a pair of powerful influences. Listen to "An Hour with Philip Glass" here. (Produced in 2006) The Bruckner Orchestra Linz celebrates Glass's birthday with the world premiere of his new Symphony No. 11 on Tuesday, January 31 at Carnegie Hall. For tickets and more information, visit carnegiehall.org. National Sawdust hosts Philip Glass & Foday Musa Suso with Jeffrey Zeigler on Sunday, March 12 as part of their "Glass @ 80" celebration. For tickets and more information, visit nationalsawdust.org.

"Trump-ism" is looming large. As Sara Fishko tells us in this archival edition of Fishko Files, another political “ism” captured undivided attention in a divided 1950s America. (Produced in 2008)

The late Mike Nichols (d. November 19, 2014) lives on through many accomplishments, not least his perfect pairing with Elaine May for sketch comedy that influenced generations to come. WNYC's Sara Fishko saw them reunited on stage - for this Fishko Files. (Produced in 2006)

This Friday, legendary director Harold Prince and New York City Opera brings a new opera house production of Candide to Lincoln Center. The original version of the musical opened on Broadway in the 1950s. As WNYC's Sara Fishko tells us in this edition of Fishko Files, the project came with certain challenges attached. (Produced in 2004) Candide opens January 6th at the Rose Theater for a limited engagement. For tickets and more information, visit www.jazz.org/.

The New Year is right around the corner, and so are the parties. As WNYC’s Sara Fishko tells us in this edition of Fishko Files, the truth comes out at parties – both past and present.

2016 marks 80 years since the first performance of Prokofiev’s children’s piece, Peter and the Wolf. As WNYC’s Sara Fishko tells us, the millions of children listening over the decades knew only part of the story. (Produced in 2011)

In 1976, Garrett Brown became an inventor and, as WNYC’s Sara Fishko tells us, changed the face of movies. He and his invention, the Steadicam, are being honored at a film series starting tomorrow. More in this edition of Fishko Files… The Film Society of Lincoln Center series "Going Steadi: 40 Years of Steadicam" starts tomorrow at the Walter Reade Theater. For tickets and more information, visit filmLINC.org.

WNYC’s series Dear President: What You Need to Know About Race has invited contributions from others at WNYC. In this edition of Fishko Files, Sara Fishko and guests consider the impact of what we say, and how we say it. Greg Howard and other guests join host Rebecca Carroll tonight for Dear President: What You Need to Know About Race live in the Greene Space.  For details, visit Dear President at WNYC.org.

Ten years ago, musician-turned-manager John Levy was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts. As a bassist he jammed, played and recorded with Ben Webster, George Shearing, Billie Holiday, Art Tatum and many other greats. But later, Levy took his love of jazz and applied it to the business side of music: he became the first African-American jazz artist manager. Levy's work as a musician gave him an “insider’s” understanding of the music business, as WNYC's Sara Fishko tells us in this edition of Fishko Files. (Produced in 2006)

In the face of the election news, we offer a piece about great music - the 32 piano sonatas by Beethoven. Mitsuko Uchida says one remarkable “draw” of Beethoven’s music was its spirit, and the "unbelievably optimistic spirituality" it possessed. "When you are stuck in hell, you look up," she says. "He makes you look up." More in this edition of Fishko Files. (Produced in 2006)

110 years after the birth of movie director Billy Wilder, his memorable film moments live on in popular culture. Ace in the Hole, Wilder's dark 1951 film about a journalist exploiting a tragedy to benefit his own career, was a major flop in its time - but its bitter, cynical themes may be more relevant than ever in today's entertainment landscape. (Produced in 2006) Since this edition of Fishko Files originally aired, Ace in the Hole has been made available for rental and purchase via the Criterion Collection, Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and VUDU.

Sometimes, music you hear in your youth has a special power. For pianist Angela Hewitt, it was Bach. WNYC’s Sara Fishko looks at that fruitful connection between pianist and composer, in this edition of Fishko Files. (Produced in 2002) Angela Hewitt begins Bach Odyssey, a four-season-long exploration of Bach's keyboard works, tonight at 92Y. For tickets and more information, visit www.92Y.org.

Whether it's drama (Masters of Sex, Mad Men) or comedy (Silicon Valley, The Office), the workplace regularly pops up as a setting on television. It's less common, however, to see our working lives on the silver screen. WNYC's Sara Fishko examines how this part of daily existence is portrayed on film, in this edition of Fishko Files. (Produced in 2006)