Men at Work

Three new specials feature men on a musical mission

If the word opera brings to mind pompous costumes and piercing octaves, the Ten Tenors may be the act you've been waiting for. This extremely talented dectet of young Australian singers are self-labeled "musical chameleons," able to perform the moving operatic standard "Nessun Dorma" or their original composition "Water/Va Pensiero," and moments later erupt into a raucous version of the cowboy classic "Rawhide." In this performance, The Tenors entertain the audience with their comedic medleys of famous Italian opera hits, filling the hall with the power and energy of their combined voices. As one group member says, it's "opera without the boring bits." Saturday, December 4 at 8 p.m.

Online Extra: On a break from their German tour, The Ten Tenors talk about the thrill of taking their show to America and their always-evolving musical style.

Yanni: A Decade of Excellence

Since the release of his Grammy-nominated album Dare to Dream in 1992, Greek-born composer Yanni has become an international superstar -- selling out venues across the globe with his moving orchestrations and extravagant concerts. This retrospective combines the best footage from three previous Yanni PBS specials: Live at Royal Albert Hall, Tribute and Live at the Acropolis. Yanni is backed by an entire symphony orchestra at Royal Albert Hall, where he performs "A Love for Life," the jazzy "Dance with a Stranger" and "Desire." For Tribute, Yanni brought his eclectic music to India's Taj Mahal and the Forbidden City in China, introducing his audience to nine new compositions in the midst of these global treasures. In the final special, the musician returns home to his native Greece to perform a stunning spectacle of sight and sound in the 2,000-year-old Herod Atticus Theatre. Tuesday, December 7 at 9 p.m.

Josh Groban: Live at the Greek

The title of 23-year-old balladeer Josh Groban's most recent album, Closer, wasn't chosen to describe the packed venues at his concerts or his distance from the top of the charts. (Although, given his soaring popularity, both are entirely valid). Rather, the name represents the strong feelings Groban has for the songs on the record, which he says are "a giant step closer to who I really am and what my music is all about." The singer invites audiences everywhere to take a giant step closer in this powerful Great Performances special, taped during two nights of live shows at Los Angeles' Greek Theatre. Highlights of the concert are "Per Te" and "Remember When it Rained," two songs written by Groban for Closer , and his moving rendition of "You Raise Me Up" with a full gospel choir. Saturday, December 11 at 5 p.m.

Online Extra: If it's even possible, become more endeared to the young man with the powerful pipes by reading his biography.