John von Rhein’s Picks
Advent Chamber Orchestra:
Cellist Stephen Balderston and violist Elias Goldstein are the soloists for a season-opening program of Brahms and Vivaldi. 7:30 p.m. Sat.; $10-$22. Grace United Methodist Church, 300 E. Garner Rd., Naperville; 630-355-1748. 6 p.m. Sun. Hinsdale United Methodist Church, 945 S. Garfield Ave., Hinsdale; 630-325-1280.
Bella Voce:
The excellent, ever-imaginative vocal ensemble under Andrew Lewis begins its 26th season with “Music to Die, or Kill, For,” contrasting the Italian madrigals and motets of Carlo Gesualdo and Heinrich Schutz. 7:30 p.m. Sat.; $28-$35. Grace Episcopal Church, 924 Lake St., Oak Park (repeated Oct. 25 in Chicago; Oct. 26 in Lake Forest); 312-479-1096, bellavoce.org.
La Catrina String Quartet:
The ensemble, which specializes in Mexican and Latin American works, is joined by guitarist Brian Torosian for a Jewel Box Series concert. 8 p.m. Fri.; $25. Recital Hall Auditorium, Northeastern Illinois University, 3701 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.; 773-442-4978.
Chamber Opera Chicago:
The company marks the 50th anniversary of the premiere of Samuel Barber’s Pulitzer Prize-winning American masterpiece, “Vanessa,” in its belated Chicago premiere. Victoria Bond conducts the fully-staged production. 7:30 p.m. Fri., 3 p.m. Sun.; $20-$40. Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave.; 773-935-6860.
Chicago Early Music Consort:
The ensemble presents “A Medieval Tapestry,” music from 14th Century France and Italy. 4 p.m. Sun.; $10 suggested donation. Glenview Community Church, 100 Elm St., Glenview; 847-296-4829, chicagoearlymusicconsort.org.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra:
Neeme Jarvi returns to Orchestra Hall for a program of Russian music — Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3, with Yefim Bronfman as soloist; and Sergei Taneyev’s rarely heard Symphony No. 4. 1:30 p.m. Fri., 8 p.m. Sat., 7:30 p.m. Tue. Conductor and curator Miguel Harth-Bedoya is tour guide for a journey along “The Inca Trail,” a multimedia “Echoes of Nations” concert that includes ancient and contemporary music from South America. Soloists are CSO assistant principal cellist Kenneth Olsen and Jessica Warren-Acosta, playing Andean flutes. 8 p.m. Thu. (repeated Oct. 24-25); $17-$127. Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-294-3000, cso.org.
CSO Chamber Music Series at the Art Institute:
The season opens with the Piranesi Quartet and guests playing works by Schubert, Vivaldi and Rossini, followed by a gallery walk examining 18th-Century Italian drawings. 2 p.m. Sun.; $25. Fullerton Auditorium, Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-294-3000, cso.org.
CUBE Contemporary Music Ensemble:
Chicago’s always-frisky new music group presents the second in a series of programs devoted to contemporary music and poetry from Latin America. 3 p.m. Sat.; $15, free for students, seniors and educators. Gottlieb Hall, Merit School of Music, 38 S. Peoria St.; 312-405-2303, cubeensemble.com.
Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra:
Music director Stephen Alltop showcases works by Italian composers in the season opener, with soprano Carol Vaness and baritone Kevin Keys singing arias and duets by Leoncavallo, Verdi and Puccini. 7 p.m. Sat.; $34 adults, $7 students, $70 families. Hammerschmidt Chapel, Elmhurst College, 190 Prospect Ave., Elmhurst; 630-941-0202, elmhurstsymphony.org.
Gloriae Dei Cantores:
The splendid, much-recorded chorus under Elizabeth Patterson’s direction offers a diverse program ranging from Gregorian chant, Anglican psalmody and English polyphony to Russian Orthodox liturgical music, contemporary American anthems and Jean Langlais’ “Solemn Mass.” 8 p.m. Sun. Grace Lutheran Church, 7300 W. Division St., River Forest; 708-209-3060.
Maria Krushevskaya:
The prize-winning Russian harpist opens the 2008-09 Lyon & Healy Concert Series with a program that includes music from Bach and Chopin to Glinka and Balakirev. 8 p.m. Sat.; $30. Lyon & Healy Hall, 168 N. Ogden Ave.; 800-595-4849.
Lyric Opera of Chicago — Bizet’s ‘The Pearl Fishers’:
Soprano Nicole Cabell, one of the Lyric’s star protegees, portrays the alluring priestess Leila opposite tenor Eric Cutler and baritone Nathan Gunn in this freshened revival of Lyric’s 1998 production. John Mauceri conducts; through Nov. 4. 2 p.m. Sun., 7:30 p.m. Wed.; $32-$197. Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; 312-332-2244.
Lyric Opera of Chicago — Massenet’s ‘Manon’:
As close to perfection as opera gets. The entrancing French soprano Natalie Dessay returns to the Lyric as the heroine of Massenet’s most popular opera. David McVicar’s production is a delight, and so is the charismatic German tenor Jonas Kaufmann as Manon’s lover, the Chevalier Des Grieux; through Oct. 31. 7:30 p.m. Sat., Tue.; $32-$197. Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; 312-332-2244.
Thomas Murray:
The nationally-known organist and organ professor at Yale University performs works by Bach, Franck, Mendelssohn and a transcription of Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” on the recently restored Skinner organ. 4 p.m. Sun.; $10. Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, 1156 E. 59th St.; grvanderwest@wowway.com.
Music of the Baroque:
Several centuries of night music are represented in conductor Jane Glover’s program with the MOB Orchestra, including music by Mozart, Haydn, Handel, Purcell and Mendelssohn. Tenor John McVeigh is the soloist for Benjamin Britten’s haunting “Nocturne.” 7:30 p.m. Fri.; $30-$75. Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive; 312-551-1414. 7:30 p.m. Sun. First United Methodist Church, 1630 Hinman Ave., Evanston; 312-551-1414.
Newberry Consort:
George Friderick Handel’s arias and instrumental pieces make up the Newbs’ season opener, “Handel in Miniature,” performed by Ellen Hargis, Drew Minter, David Schrader and David Douglass, with the brilliant Dutch recorder virtuosa Marion Verbruggen. 8 p.m. Fri.; $24-$40. Ruggles Hall, Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton St.; 312-255-3700. 8 p.m. Sat. Khorsabad Court, Oriental Institute Museum, 1155 E. 58th St.; 312-255-3700. 3 p.m. Sun. Lutkin Hall, Northwestern University, 700 University Pl., Evanston; 312-255-3700.
Orphei Drangar:
Sweden’s celebrated 80-voice male choir performs a varied program drawing on a rich native tradition that spans 150 years of choral music. Sponsored by Symphony Center Presents. 7:30 p.m. Tue.; $20-$35. Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut St.; 312-294-3000.
Park Ridge Civic Orchestra:
The ensemble begins its 15th anniversary season with music director Edgar Muenzer leading works by Chopin and Mahler, with pianist Jeffrey Panko and soprano Monica Goodwin as soloists. 7:30 p.m. Wed.; $25. Pickwick Theatre, 5 S. Prospect Ave., Park Ridge; 847-692-7726, 847-823-8861.
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jvonrhein@tribune.com
