On Monday, Dec. 15, at 8 p.m. ET, “Hope of the Season: Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir” will premiere on PBS (check local listings). Besides the 500-person-strong cast, which includes The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, the Orchestra at Temple Square, the Bells at Temple Square, and the Gabriel Trumpet Ensemble, the performance features Tony Award-winner Ruthie Ann Miles (The King and I, Sweeney Todd) and acclaimed Hollywood actor Dennis Haysbert (24, Major League). The concert was filmed in December 2024 in front of three live audiences in Salt Lake City’s 21,000-seat Conference Center at Temple Square — which is also the No. 1 tourist attraction in the state.
The performance, as always, is set against the majestic backdrop of the iconic pipe organ at Temple Square on a stage decorated to glorify the true meaning of Christmas. The title of the concert is “Hope of the Season.” Ruthie Ann, whose masterful vocals etch emotions deep into the heart when she sings, explained why this theme of hope was so important to her.
“Hope is something you cannot see, and you pray for and you wish for for the future. Our daughter Hope was named after a terrible family tragedy. And we think about Hope, and when we see Hope, we think about what our family would and could look like beyond this earth one day in the future. And that is what the ‘Hope of the Season’ is. Also, we think about what this world can and will be like one day. It’s emotional to think about, but my husband said we were planting a garden. We’re planting our garden, and we were putting some seeds into the ground, and he said, ‘This is what hope is: to plant a seed and not know what the future is gonna look like. But you hope for the future.’ That’s what planting is, and that’s what we’re doing now. That’s what we did with our daughter Hope, and that is what the concert ‘Hope of the Season’ is.”
Throughout the program, Miles’ gorgeous voice soars through several powerful songs and hymns, including “Believe” from The Polar Express, “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” “Spirit of the Season,” and more. You will be awash in Ruthie Ann’s beautiful soul over the 90-minutes of this special, and, if your heart is open, it will change you from the inside out.
Dr. Mack Wilberg, music director of The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, talked about what made each of the featured performers so special and vital to the repertoire. “Ruthie Ann Miles and Dennis Haysbert brought extraordinary warmth and authenticity to this year’s concert. Ruthie Ann’s crystalline voice and emotional depth perfectly capture the message of hope we seek to share, while Dennis’s powerful presence and storytelling elevated the entire production. Together they helped us create a concert that speaks to the universal human need for hope, particularly during the holiday season.”
Mack has been the director of The Tabernacle Choir since 2008. Prior to that, he was the associate music director. More than anyone else, Dr. Wilberg understands the stress that accompanies preparing for a performance that includes 500 artists. Luckily, more than anyone else , he also knows exactly what needs to be done to ensure a phenomenal show year after year.
“Probably one of the most important things I have learned is just how to manage time,” he began. “How to manage rehearsals so that we… and I can assure you that every second of a rehearsal is planned. And also preparation, making sure that I’ve now learned how soon we have to start preparation for this. The choir only rehearses once a week, and so we have to manage our time so that we’re learning not only music for the Christmas concert, but we also do a broadcast — Music & the Spoken Word — every week. And we have to work on that as well. We also sing everything by memory, and so it… one has to learn how to manage time and particularly rehearsal time so we get the most out of our rehearsal. I think this is probably the most important thing that I’ve learned so that we indeed are well prepared when the actual first night of the concert takes place.”
Dennis is the last piece in this magnificent, heartwarming production. His resonant voice is resplendent and warm, crackling with the comfort of a holiday fire. In “Hope of the Season,” Haysbert narrates both the original Christmas story of Luke and the remarkable true story of African philanthropist Dr. Charles Mulli. His velvet thunder will touch you deeply and bring tears of joy.
Reflecting on his time with Charles, Dennis said, “Just sitting down and having a conversation with Dr. Mulli, you know there is a God, and you know that He was speaking through him.”
“This was probably the most profound experience I’ve had in my career,” he added. “And that doesn’t come lightly. I don’t make that statement lightly. Being on that stage, you know, sitting down and talking to Dr. Charles Muli recounting his story — the way he grew up, his courage — it’s a testament to anyone watching, anybody that thinks they’ve had a tough time, you know, they don’t feel like they can go on. Watch this show. Watch this show. It will inspire you.”
And those are just a few highlights. Wondrous moments abound and encourage you to renew your hope. Dare to have faith and believe. It’s the season of miracles, and The Tabernacle Choir never fails to deliver.
“Hope of the Season: Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir” premieres on Monday, Dec. 15 at 8 p.m. ET on PBS. It will repeat on Wednesday, Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve) at 8 p.m. ET (check local listings). You can stream the performance from now until Jan. 1 on the PBS app or via PBS.org. BYUtv will air it on Thursday, Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. ET with repeats through Christmas Day. You can also stream the program for free on the BYUtv app or through the network’s website.
Links:
The Tabernacle Choir • GBH • PBS • BYUtv
All photos and videos courtesy of PBS.
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