Fishko Files

On this very day in November of 1943, Leonard Bernstein made a historic debut that played out like a hokey melodrama. WNYC’s Sara Fishko has more in this edition of Fishko Files…

World War II is still alive in popular culture. Its stories are told in each generation in films, documentaries, and books. In this archival episode, Sara Fishko considers our endless fascination with the most documented event in history.

Earlier this week, selections from the letters of Leonard Bernstein were released in book form for the first time. As WNYC’s Sara Fishko tells us in this edition of Fishko files, the letters are pure Lenny.

Composer Ned Rorem is being celebrated this fall as his 90th birthday approaches. WNYC’s Sara Fishko marks the occasion in this edition of Fishko Files…

Jazz great Thelonious Monk was born on this day in 1917.  WNYC’s Sara Fishko talked to pianist Jason Moran about the powerful presence of Monk, long after his death in 1982–for this edition of Fishko Files.

For this edition of Fishko Files, WNYC’s Sara Fishko sat down with a husband-and-wife team of star-translators to talk (as quickly as possible) about a very, very long book –War and Peace.

The film “I’m Not There” (2007) boldly cast six actors in the part of one person (Bob Dylan).  When it was released, Sara Fishko had these thoughts about the interesting and very variable ways life-stories can be told. 

A complete retrospective of films directed by Howard Hawks is in progress at the Museum of the Moving Image, and as WNYC’s Sara Fishko tells us, from “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” to “Scarface,” Hawks gave it to you straight. Here is the next Fishko Files…

A new CD release and a special evening of films salute Italian tenor Mario Lanza. As WNYC's Sara Fishko tells us, Lanza’s short career hit notes both very high – and very low. Here is the next Fishko Files…

This year has seen the death of American pianist Van Cliburn, whose memory is inextricably bound to one phenomenal Cold War moment. WNYC’s Sara Fishko has the story of how Cliburn took Moscow, in this edition of Fishko Files.