Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Music director Riccardo Muti and the CSO re-create the program the orchestra played 100 years ago honoring the Liszt centennial — including Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 (Michele Campanella, soloist) and “A Faust Symphony,” with tenor Eric Cutler and the men of the Chicago Symphony Chorus; 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The final subscription program of Muti’s fall residency brings another re-creation, that of the final concert program Gustav Mahler ever conducted (in 1911) — including Italian-themed works by Mendelssohn, Martucci, Busoni and others. Pianist Gerhard Oppitz is the soloist; 8 p.m. Thursday (repeated Oct. 7 and 8). Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; $29-$208; 312-294-3000, cso.org
Chroma Chamber Orchestra: Artistic director David Crane leads the debut concert of this new, Chicago-based ensemble, in residence at the Music Institute of Chicago. The group’s aim is to present rarely heard late-Romantic and early modern repertory in a context integrating the performing, visual and literary arts. Soprano Elizabeth Futral performs Barber’s “Knoxville, Summer of 1915,” and concertmaster Baird Dodge offers Vaughan Williams’ “The Lark Ascending.” 4 p.m. Sunday at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston; $42, $37 for seniors; 847-905-1500, ext. 108, musicinst.org
International Contemporary Ensemble: The group begins the second season of its three-season MCA residency with “Chance Encounters,” an intriguing program based on the question, “What do chamber works by Anton Webern, John Cage, Morton Feldman, Iannis Xenakis and Pauline Oliveros have in common?” 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave.; $28; 312-397-4010, mcachicago.com
Lyric Opera of Chicago — Offenbach’s “The Tales of Hoffmann”: Unaccountably absent from the Lyric repertory for nearly 30 years, “Hoffmann” returns with tenor Matthew Polenzani in his Chicago role debut as the luckless poet. His three amours are Anna Christy as Olympia, Erin Wall as Antonia and Alyson Cambridge as Giulietta. James Morris portrays the four villains, with Emmanuel Villaume pacing a production staged by Stephane Roche. Opens with gala performance 6:30 p.m. Saturday and continues through Oct. 29 at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; $34-$224; 312-332-2244, lyricopera.org
Orion Ensemble: The respected Chicago group opens its 19th season with Spanish and Russian chamber works by Cassado, Granados, Khachaturian and Stravinsky. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Ganz Hall, Roosevelt University, 430 S. Michigan Ave. (repeated Oct. 9 in Geneva); $26, $23 for seniors; 630-628-9591, orionensemble.org
Savoyaires: Evanston’s 47-year-old Gilbert and Sullivan troupe presents a rare treat — three one-acters that have never been performed together: Gilbert’s “Eyes and No Eyes” (Midwest premiere), Sullivan’s “The Zoo” and the duo’s “Trial by Jury.” Timothy Semanik conducts, A. J. Wester directs. Opens 7:30 p.m. Friday and continues through Oct. 16 at Chute Middle School Auditorium, 1400 Oakton St., Evanston; $12-$22, $7-$17 for ages 12 and under; 847-563-0155, savoyaires.org
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