TV program notes -- week of Dec. 16

NEW YORK (CNS) -- Here are some television program notes for the week of Dec. 16 with their TV Parental Guidelines ratings if available. They have not been reviewed and therefore are not necessarily recommended by the Office for Film & Broadcasting.

Monday, Dec. 17, 8-10 p.m. EST (NBC) "Clash of the Choirs." In a four-night-event series, the programs follow five celebrity artists back to their hometowns to assemble an amateur choir and prepare them to compete live in a studio for the title of America's best choir. At 8 p.m. EST each night Dec. 17-20, the show will feature musical genres ranging from current pop hits to holiday classics and the choir hopefuls will be judged each night by viewers watching at home. One choir will be eliminated each evening.

Monday, Dec. 17, 9-10 p.m. EST (National Geographic) "The Missing Years of Jesus." Between ages 12 and 30, Jesus' life is unaccounted for -- nearly two decades missing from the man at the core of the Christian religion. Today, scholars are beginning to form a clearer picture of the missing years by re-examining stories in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and connecting them with new archaeological discoveries. Go back to Nazareth circa A.D. 6 to learn more about the blue-collar village, its oppressed inhabitants and abusive Roman rulers to see how it helped shape Jesus' personality and beliefs.

Monday, Dec. 17, 9-11:30 p.m. EST (PBS) "Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny" by the Los Angeles Opera. Audra McDonald stars in a new production of one of the great 20th-century operas. From composer Kurt Weill and playwright Bertolt Brecht, this is a savage and lyrical satire told in a blend of opera and raucous music hall songs conducted by music director James Conlon. Patti LuPone costars along with tenor Anthony Dean Griffey. In the newly founded city of Mahagonny, anything goes and the only crime is to run out of money. The brilliant score features the classic song "Moon of Alabama" and airs as part of the "Great Performances" series (TV-14 -- parents strongly cautioned).

Tuesday, Dec. 18, 9-10 p.m. EST (National Geographic) "Decoding Bible Relics." In recent years, extraordinary finds have been made in the Holy Land about the legendary Temple of Solomon and the burial of Jesus. The program sets out to distinguish the authentic artifact from the sophisticated fake. Included is a visit to what some scientists say is the burial site of Jesus and his family, a claim that received worldwide publicity in early 2007 and prompted widespread skepticism from the scientific community.

Wednesday, Dec. 19, 8-9 p.m. EST (National Geographic) "Last Christians of Bethlehem." The Church of the Nativity in the heart of Bethlehem marks one of Christianity's most sacred sites: the birthplace of Christ. For centuries, it was one of the most fought-over holy places, seized and defended by a succession of armies -- including Muslim and Crusader forces. Now, Christian residents are caught in the cross hairs of growing Islamic fundamentalism and the entrenched Israeli fortress that surrounds it.

Wednesday, Dec. 19, 9-10 p.m. EST (PBS) "Christmas With the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Featuring Sissel." European singer Sissel joins the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square for an annual holiday concert. A national institution in Norway, Sissel has sung all over the world. The program features traditional Christmas songs and Norwegian folk tunes, recorded from four concerts performed in December 2006 in Salt Lake City before combined audiences of approximately 85,000 (TV-G -- general audience).

Wednesday, Dec. 19, 10-11 p.m. EST (PBS) "Christmas at St. Olaf: Where Peace and Love and Hope Abide." This Christmas special features the renowned choirs and orchestra of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. The program this year blends excerpts from Handel's "Messiah," Mendelssohn's "St. Paul" and Honegger's "King David" with new, specially commissioned works for chorus and orchestra (TV-G -- general audience).

Friday, Dec. 21, 8-9 p.m. EST (CBS) Ninth annual "A Home for the Holidays With Sheryl Crow." Inspirational stories about adoption will be enhanced by performances by Crow, James Blunt, Carole King, Reba McEntire and others. Rene Russo will be among the celebrities telling stories about adoption to raise awareness of this important social issue.

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Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops