Baroque Band: Director Garry Clarke will direct the period instruments group along with solo and choral singers in its performance of Handel’s “Messiah.” Presented in association with the Birmingham Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International. 7 p.m. Thursday at Yates Gallery, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.; $35, $30 for seniors; 312-235-2368, baroqueband.org
Boston Pops: “America’s orchestra” joins pop vocal ensemble Rockapella to perform a family-oriented holiday concert. The program, conducted by Pops maestro Keith Lockhart, will include such yuletide favorites as “The Nutcracker Suite,” arrangements of traditional carols and an audience singalong. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress Parkway; $32-$127; 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com
Chicago Ensemble: Pianist-artistic director Gerald Rizzer and friends perform chamber works by Bach, Copland, Brahms and others. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut St. (repeated Dec. 4 in Hyde Park); $25; 773-889-4206, thechicagoensemble.org
Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Jaap van Zweden leads Mahler’s First Symphony on a subscription program that includes Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto (David McGill, soloist) and Steven Stucky’s “Rhapsodies for Orchestra.” 8 p.m. Thursday (repeated Dec. 2-3) at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; $29-$235; 312-294-3000, cso.org
Lyric Opera of Chicago — Mussorgsky’s ‘Boris Godunov’: A gripping production of this great Russian opera stars the imposing Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto as the guilt-ridden czar, with Andrew Davis conducting. Not to be missed. Through Tuesday at Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; $34-$224; 312-332-2244, lyricopera.org
Lyric Opera of Chicago — Strauss’ ‘Ariadne auf Naxos’: Director John Cox’s eminently serviceable production returns as a star vehicle for one of Lyric’s most celebrated alumni, soprano Amber Wagner, who sings the dual role of the Prima Donna/Ariadne. Andrew Davis, the company’s resident Straussian, conducts. Through Dec. 11 at Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; $34-$224; 312-332-2244, lyricopera.org
Orion Ensemble: The group performs trios by Beethoven and Schubert. 7 p.m. Sunday at Fox Valley Presbyterian Church, 227 East Side Drive, Geneva; and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Ganz Hall, Roosevelt University, 430 S. Michigan Ave.; $26, $23 for seniors, children 12 and under free; 630-628-9591, orionensemble.org
Rockford Choral Union: The chorus’ 66-year tradition of presenting Handel’s “Messiah” on Thanksgiving weekend continues. Nat Bauer leads the orchestra, chorus, and vocal soloists Amy Conn, Tracy Watson, Kurt Hansen and Todd Payne. 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at Trinity Lutheran Church, 200 N. First St., Rockford; free; 815-654-2748, rockfordchoralunion.org
Vienna Boys Choir: The beloved children’s chorus returns to downtown Chicago for its annual Thanksgiving-weekend potpourri of choral classics and Christmas favorites. 3 p.m. Saturday at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; $22-$83; 312-294-3000, cso.org
Twitter @johnvonrhein
