Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square: Featuring Audra McDonald and Peter Graves with Peter Graves, Audra McDonald Four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald and veteran movie and television star Peter Graves join with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square in an extraordinary musical Christmas celebration. This spectacular performance of the Choir's 2004 Christmas concert will be a holiday favorite for years to come. Continue reading...

Guest Artists

Peter Graves

While growing up in Minnesota, Peter Graves excelled at sports and music (as a saxophonist), and by age 16 he was a radio announcer at WMIN in Minneapolis. After two years in the U.S. Air Force, he studied drama at the University of Minnesota and then headed to Hollywood, where he first appeared on television and later made his film debut in Rogue River (1951). Numerous film appearances followed, especially in Westerns. Graves is primarily recognized for his television work, however, particularly as Jim Phelps in "Mission: Impossible" (1966). While appearing with the Choir, Mr. Graves celebrated his 54th wedding anniversary with his wife, Joan. He and his wife have four daughters.

Audra McDonald

New York Times columnist Frank Rich has compared Audra McDonald to a young Barbra Streisand; writing in USA Today, critic David Patrick Stearns has likened her to a young Judy Garland. Whichever comparison people choose, there can be little doubt that Audra is a once-in-a-generation performer. By the time she was 28, she had made Broadway history, winning Tony Awards for Carousel, Master Class, and Ragtime. She earned her fourth Tony nomination in six years for Marie Christine, a musical re- telling of the Medea myth, created for her by Michael John LaChiusa. Since then, Audra has distinguished herself as a concert performer, recording artist, and dramatic actress, adding an Emmy nomination to her expanding list of critical and popular acclaim. Born into a musical family, Audra grew up in Fresno, California. She received her classical vocal training at The Juilliard School, graduating in 1993.

our-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald and veteran movie and television star Peter Graves join with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square in an extraordinary musical Christmas celebration. This spectacular performance of the Choir's 2004 Christmas concert also features a special guest appearance by the prima ballerina from Ballet West, Utah's highly acclaimed dance company, performing two selections from The Nutcracker. Capturing the musical spirit of the season, the program blends traditional and contemporary favorites such as "Angels from the Realms of Glory," "Deck the Halls," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Silver Bells," and "We Need a Little Christmas." Poignant African-American spirituals such as "I Wonder as I Wander" and "Sweet Little Jesus Boy" showcase the remarkable talents of Broadway singer and actress Audra McDonald. A memorable narration of "In Search of the King" based on story by Henry Van Dyke and a reading of the Christmas story from the New Testament by Peter Graves add to the rich variety of the program. This magnificent presentation will be a holiday favorite for years to come.