Hampson Collection Celebrates 10 Years Of Recording

Maybe Spokane native Thomas Hampson is a little young for a retrospective (he’s only 40), but Teldec is celebrating 10 years of recording the popular baritone with the four-volume “Thomas Hampson Collection.”

Hampson made a dozen or so records for the label (he’s now at EMI Classics), including the recent Copland “American Songs” with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and a recording, with Geoffrey Parsons, of the piano versions of 15 of Mahler’s “Wunderhorn” songs, both of which are excerpted in the collection.

In addition to compilation CDs of German lieder, Mahler songs, opera arias, and songs by American composers, Teldec has also put out a fifth sampler disc, “Portrait Of Thomas Hampson: Arias And Songs From Bach To Zemlinsky,” which includes a program book interview in which the singer eloquently discusses his art and influences.

‘Simpsons’ on Internet

For fans of “The Simpsons,” getting to Springfield and obtaining more information about “Who Shot Mr. Burns?” just got a lot easier. By taking the information superhighway to the worldwide web and exiting at http://www.springfield.com/, they’ll find themselves at the Internet site for “The Simpsons.”

While still under construction, the site has been available for visitors since May 21. Although information about its existence has only been spread via word of mouth (or rather word of e-mail), there have already been over 200,000 visits.

One of the features currently available is the “Bullet-in Burns” bulletin board, presented by 1-800-COLLECT, where visitors are posting their theories about who shot Springfield’s dastardly energy mogul in “The Simpsons”’ season finale cliffhanger.

When the site is completed this summer, visitors will have access to a lot of Simpsons information.

Creator and executive producer Matt Groening says, “It’s nice to know that even in cyberspace, you can’t escape the Simpsons.”

“Who Shot Mr. Burns Part II” is scheduled to air in September.

‘Tekwar’ gets ax

The USA Network has canceled “TekWar” after 18 episodes and sliding ratings. But Tekkies need not despair: what with reruns and all, the series won’t complete its run of original episodes until Saturday, Aug. 12, at 7 p.m. (with a repeat thereof on Sunday the 13th at 9).

The sci-fi series features William Shatner, who is also co-executive producer with Peter Sussman. It debuted Jan. 7 with a 3.4 rating, making it the most-watched premiere episode in the history of basic cable. It’s averaged a 1.5 the past two months, and sources at USA say there’s too much sci-fi competition around right now.

USA nabs ‘Baywatch’ reruns

Reruns of the syndicated beachbased bikinifest, “Baywatch,” will eventually end up on cable’s USA Network.

Discussions between USA and syndicator All American Television are ongoing, according to a USA spokesman, who said nothing has been finalized.

But the network has apparently agreed to pay an estimated $250,000 an episode, which could make the total package worth more than $38 million, according to the trade paper Variety.

The actual price hinges on how long the popular program stays in production. “Baywatch” has already been given the go-ahead for a sixth season. If there’s a seventh season beyond that it would mean there would be a total of 154 episodes available, which would represent a rerun investment of $38.5 million.

According to a source familiar with the deal, the network would have access to the first five years of episodes, starting in the fall of 1997. It’s expected that USA will air the show weeknights in the 7-8 p.m. time period.

USA’s acquisition will be a small bonus for “Baywatch” fans, at least in the beginning. That’s because the program would continue to be seen as well in its weekly first-run telecasts, and also in a new weekday syndicated package of repeats starting this fall.