Okay, here’s what’s happened. I watched the whole thing buffered in my DVR. During the 8pm-9:30pm broadcast, which began live, the concert was indeed cut short. Then PBS played the latter half of the 2011 concert to fill the time.
During the 9:30-11pm broadcast, which was supposed to be repeat of the concert that had just aired live, PBS did this: They began with a recording of the 2012 concert, and then after the reading of the widow’s letter, they switched to a recording of the FULL DRESS REHEARSAL of the night before!
Here’s a giveaway: during the live broadcast (8pm), Natalie was wearing a cream-colored dress, and her hair was pulled up, and she had very dark eye makeup. In the rehearsal, and in the subsequent broadcast on PBS (9:30pm), she wore a red dress, her hair was straightened and hanging loosely, and her eye makeup was much lighter.
I confirmed this by checking a media PR site.
Ah, now it makes sense. It was a great concert whether it was live or the dress rehearsal. Thanks for the explanation, gracious1!
that makes total sense...when i was at the concert in 1998 we could hear the dress rehearsal, though it was in the late afternoon, as we were walking around the mall...great job figuring it out...
Here’s a giveaway: during the live broadcast (8pm), Natalie was wearing a cream-colored dress, and her hair was pulled up, and she had very dark eye makeup. In the rehearsal, and in the subsequent broadcast on PBS (9:30pm), she wore a red dress, her hair was straightened and hanging loosely, and her eye makeup was much lighter.
You're good. Most of us - maybe all of us, would have missed that...