The broadcast had a 1.9 rating, which, according to a show spokesperson, represented 2,040,000 viewers. The showing is about average for "Live From Lincoln Center."

Drawn from the novella by Elizabeth Spencer, the lushly romantic musical was written by composer-lyricist Adam Guettel (Floyd Collins) and librettist Craig Lucas (Reckless, Prelude to a Kiss).

When her innocent daughter, Clara, falls in love with a Florentine boy named Fabrizio, a North Carolina mother, Margaret, struggles with the ideas of protecting her daughter — and allowing her to experience the world.

Guettel's score won a Tony Award as did star Victoria Clark, who plays Margaret. The orchestrations were also Tony-honored.

The aired performance starred Clark, as well as Sarah Uriarte Berry, Michael Berresse, Katie Clarke, Patti Cohenour, Beau Gravitte, Aaron Lazar and Chris Sarandon. The new musical opened on Broadway April 2005 at Lincoln Center Theater's Vivian Beaumont, and several extensions followed.