Avalon String Quartet: The Chicago foursome continues its Beethoven cycle with Quartets Nos. 2 and 5, Opus 18. 7 p.m. Friday at Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center, 415 N. Church St., Rockford; $10; 815-964-9713, mendelssohnpac.org; and 2 p.m. Sunday at Fullerton Hall, Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave.; free with museum admission; 312-443-3399, artic.edu
Chamber Opera Chicago: The company presents its annual holiday production of Gian Carlo Menotti’s “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” with Victoria Bond conducting and Francis Menotti directing. 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Pritzker Auditorium, Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State St.; $25, $20 for seniors; 312-951-7944, chamberoperachicago.org
Chanticleer: The a cappella ensemble presents its annual holiday performances of “A Chanticleer Christmas,” spanning Renaissance polyphony to traditional carols, jazz to gospel. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut St.; $37-$59; 312-294-3000, cso.org
Chicago a cappella: Along with Christmas carols and Hanukkah songs, the vocal ensemble’s holiday program includes premieres by artistic director Jonathan Miller and music director Patrick Sinozich. 8 p.m. Saturday at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston; and 4 p.m. Sunday at Pilgrim Congregational Church, 460 Lake St., Oak Park (repeated Dec. 9 in Chicago and Dec. 11 in Naperville); $22-$35; 773-281-7820, chicagoacappella.org
Chicago Folks Operetta: The company’s Children’s Operetta Workshop presents Victor Herbert’s “Babes in Toyland.” 7 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday at Nineteenth Century Club, 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park; $15, $12 for seniors; chicagofolksoperetta.org
Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Jaap van Zweden leads Mahler’s First Symphony, Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto (David McGill, soloist) and Steven Stucky’s “Rhapsodies for Orchestra”; 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; $29-$235. The acclaimed young American pianist Jeremy Denk debuts with the CSO under Michael Tilson Thomas, playing Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto on a program that also holds Mahler’s “Blumine” and Schoenberg’s orchestration of the Brahms Piano Quartet in G minor; 8 p.m. Thursday (repeated Dec. 9 and 10); $27-$207. Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-294-3000, cso.org
Ensemble Dal Niente: The contemporary ensemble collaborates with seven young Chicago composers and the Computer Music Studio in the creation and performance of works that incorporate electronics. 6:30 p.m. (open workshop) and 8 p.m. (concert) Saturday at Fulton Hall, University of Chicago, 5845 S. Ellis Ave.; free; dalniente.com
Evanston Symphony Orchestra: Director Lawrence Eckerling and the orchestra perform a Christmas concert with the North Shore Choral Society, Evanston Children’s Choir and Evanston Dance Ensemble. 3 p.m. Sunday at Evanston Township High School Auditorium, 1600 Dodge Ave., Evanston; $25; 847-864-8804, evanstonsymphony.org
Lakeside Singers: The vocal ensemble presents holiday favorites from around the world. 8 p.m. Friday at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston; 3 p.m. Sunday at Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake; and 8 p.m. Monday at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights (repeated Dec. 16 in Chicago and Dec. 17 in Naperville); 847-382-5085, lakesidesingers.com
Lira Ensemble: Singers, dancers and orchestra present a holiday production featuring Polish Christmas music. 3 p.m. Sunday at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; $25-$75, half-price for children younger than 16; 773-508-7040, liraensemble.org
Lyric Opera of Chicago — Mozart’s ‘The Magic Flute’: The durable and charming singspiel is back, with Andrew Davis conducting a mostly new cast. Opens 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and runs through Jan. 22 at Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; $34-$224; 312-332-2244, lyricopera.org
