Anubis Quartet: The city’s only professional saxophone quartet launches a new Chicago concert series with “The RYOT Project,” a collaboration with Canadian experimental saxophonist Kris Covlin including world premieres by local composers Lee Hyla, Marcos Balter and others. 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Music Institute of Chicago, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston; free; 847-448-8309, anubisquartet.com
Chicago Opera Theater: The company and Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs celebrate National Opera Week with a “Pop-Up Opera” performance of two one-act operas, Gustav Holst’s “Savitri” and Gian Carlo Menotti’s “The Telephone.” 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Preston Bradley Hall, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.; free; 312-704-8414
Chicago Sinfonietta: Guest conductor Hector Guzman leads the orchestra in “Day of the Dead,” a celebration of the Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos honoring the dearly departed, including music by Mussorgsky, Ravel, Piazzolla and others. Pianist Joaquin Achucarro performs Falla’s “Nights in the Gardens of Spain.” 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive; $26-$50; 312-236-3681, ext. 2; chicagosinfonietta.org
Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Canadian soprano Measha Brueggergosman makes her CSO debut, performing selections from Mahler’s “Des Knaben Wunderhorn.” Guest conductor Jaap van Zweden leads the orchestra in Shostakovich’s searing Symphony No. 8; 8 p.m. Friday, $28-$207. Michael Tilson Thomas returns to direct an all-Aaron Copland program that includes the complete “Appalachian Spring” along with “Quiet City,” Symphony for Organ and Orchestra, and Orchestral Variations; the soloists are organist Paul Jacobs and CSO members Scott Hostetler, English horn, and Christopher Martin, trumpet; 8 p.m. Thursday (repeated Nov. 5-6), $28-$239. Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-294-3000, cso.org
Civic Orchestra of Chicago: Jaap van Zweden conducts the CSO’s remarkable training orchestra in Shostakovich’s Chamber Symphony (transcribed by Rudolf Barshai from the composer’s Eighth String Quartet) and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5. 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; free, but tickets required; 312-294-3000, cso.org
Elgin Symphony Orchestra: Randal Swiggum conducts, in a Halloween concert (pre-concert activities at 2 p.m.). 3:30 p.m. Saturday at The Hemmens, 150 Dexter Court, Elgin; 847-888-4000
Lyric Opera of Chicago — Bizet’s ‘Carmen’: Every operagoer’s favorite Gypsy temptress returns in a revival conducted by Alain Altinoglu and directed by Harry Silverstein. American mezzo-soprano Katharine Goeldner assumes the title role, with tenor Yonghoon Lee making his Lyric debut as the hapless Don Jose. 7:30 p.m. Friday at Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; $33-$207; 312-332-2244, lyricopera.org
Lyric Opera of Chicago — Verdi’s ‘Macbeth’: Barbara Gaines, artistic director of Chicago Shakespeare Theater, makes her operatic debut with a thoughtful and gripping new staging of the Verdi masterpiece. Baritone Thomas Hampson and soprano Nadja Michael make a potent duo as the ambitious thane and his bloodthirsty lady. Renato Palumbo conducts. 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; $33-$207; 312-332-2244, lyricopera.org
New Classic Singers: Lee Kesselman directs works by Bernstein, Copland. 8 p.m. Thursday at St. Petronille Church, 420 Glenwood Ave., Glen Ellyn; $10-$22; 630-469-0404, newclassicsingers.org
Pacifica Quartet: The second program in the group’s season-long cycle of the complete Shostakovich string quartets holds Nos. 4 and 5, plus the Piano Quintet, with pianist Orion Weiss. 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday at Ganz Hall, Roosevelt University, 430 S. Michigan Ave.; $35; 847-242-0775, pacificaquartet.com
Pilgrim Chamber Players: Samuel Magad, former CSO concertmaster, joins pianist Carol Honigberg for Faure’s Sonata in A major for violin and piano. Works by Chopin and Dvorak complete the program. 3 p.m. Sunday at Highland Park Community House, 1991 Sheridan Road, Highland Park; $20, $16 for seniors; 847-433-0972
South Shore Opera Company: The benefit gala dinner and concert features highlights from the Gershwins’ “Porgy and Bess.” 5:30 p.m. (dinner, concert at 7 p.m.) Friday at South Shore Cultural Center, Paul Robeson Theatre, 7059 S. South Shore Drive. $75 (includes dinner), $25 (concert only); 773-684-8514, southshoreopera.org
