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The Best Episodes of Great Performances Season 53

Every episode of Great Performances Season 53 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Great Performances Season 53!

Binge this in 9h 54m•Peaking at 10.0/10

The best in the performing arts from across America and around the world including a diverse programming portfolio of classical music, opera, popular song, musical theater, dance, drama, and performance documentaries.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Great Performances Season 53 Episode 1 - The Magic of Grace Bumbry
    8.3/10(8 votes)

    #1 - The Magic of Grace Bumbry

    S53:E1

    Discover Grace Bumbry’s inspiring rise to global opera fame. Spotlighting her historic performances, the film explores the racial barriers she overcame to triumph in her 1966 performance as "Carmen."

    Director:Dag Freyer
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Great Performances Season 53 Episode 2 - Great Performances at the Met: Il Barbiere di Siviglia
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #2 - Great Performances at the Met: Il Barbiere di Siviglia

    S53:E2

    Rossini’s effervescent comedy retakes the stage in Bartlett Sher’s madcap production. Aigul Akhmetshina headlines a winning ensemble as the feisty heroine, Rosina, alongside Jack Swanson, in his Met debut, as her secret beloved, Count Almaviva. Andrey Zhilikhovsky stars as Figaro, the infamous barber of Seville, with Peter Kálmán as Dr. Bartolo and Alexander Vinogradov as Don Basilio.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Great Performances Season 53 Episode 3 - Tiler Peck: Suspending Time
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #3 - Tiler Peck: Suspending Time

    S53:E3

    Follow acclaimed ballerina Tiler Peck as she overcomes injury to reclaim her place on stage and debut her own choreography with New York City Ballet, revealing the resilience and artistry behind a modern-day prima ballerina.

    Director:Alex Ramsey
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Great Performances Season 53 Episode 4 - Twelfth Night
    7.8/10(61 votes)

    #4 - Twelfth Night

    S53:E4

    The Shakespearean comedy of mistaken identity tells the romantic misadventures of twins Sebastian and Viola after they survive a shipwreck, including revenge plots and tricks of love. Recorded this summer at the newly renovated Delacorte Theater in Central Park, the production is directed by Tony Award nominee Saheem Ali.

    Directors:Matthew Diamond, Saheem Ali
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Great Performances Season 53 Episode 5 - Nutcracker from English National Ballet
    8.0/10(7 votes)

    #5 - Nutcracker from English National Ballet

    S53:E5

    Experience the holiday classic in a new light, featuring over 100 dancers and musicians performing at the London Coliseum.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Great Performances Season 53 Episode 6 - From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration 2026
    8.5/10(6 votes)

    #6 - From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration 2026

    S53:E6

    The famed Vienna Philharmonic rings in the New Year with its annual concert from Vienna's Musikverein conducted for the first time by Yannick Nézet-Séguin with performances by the Vienna State Ballet and location segments hosted by Hugh Bonneville.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Season 53 Ratings Summary

"The Magic of Grace Bumbry" is the best rated episode of "Great Performances" season 53. It scored 8.3/10 based on 8 votes. Directed by Dag Freyer and written by Unknown, it aired on 10/3/2025. This episode is rated 1.7 points higher than the second-best, "Great Performances at the Met: Il Barbiere di Siviglia".