Despite having a smaller population than Wichita, Kansas, Iceland punches far above its weight in world-class musicians. To uncover the secret behind this phenomenon, Scott Yoo journeys across the country’s dramatic, rain-soaked volcanic landscape. Along the way, he sits down with composers Anna Thorvaldsdottir and Daniel Bjarnason, indie artist JFDR, skilled instrument makers, music historians, and even one of Iceland’s most celebrated chefs.
Show
Great Performances
Episode
S53E16
Air Date
May 01, 2026
Season 53 Episodes
S53E01
The Magic of Grace Bumbry
S53E03
Tiler Peck: Suspending Time
S53E04
Twelfth Night
S53E05
Nutcracker from English National Ballet
S53E12
Great Performances at the Met: La Sonnambula
S53E13
Now Hear This – “Everyone Loves Joplin”
S53E15
Now Hear This – “The Call of Istanbul”
S53E16
Now Hear This – “The Iceland Sound”
S53E17
Suffs
S53E18
Irving Berlin’s Top Hat
S53E19
Irving Berlin’s Top Hat
S53E20
Great Performances at the Met: Arabella
S53E21
An Evening with Nicole Scherzinger