Featured pick
Music of the Baroque
Music director Jane Glover conducts vocal soloists and the MOB orchestra and chorus in a much-requested seasonal favorite, J.S. Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio.” 3 p.m. Sunday, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie; and 7:30 p.m. Monday, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive; $27-$75; 312-551-1414, baroque.org
Also recommended
Chanticleer: The male choral ensemble’s annual holiday gift to Chicago, “A Chanticleer Christmas,” runs the gamut from Baroque classics to contemporary Yuletide works. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut; $39-$61; 312-294-3000, cso.org
Chicago Philharmonic Chamber Players: The group evokes the cultural milieu of early 20th century Vienna in a program of Zemlinsky and Schoenberg. 7 p.m. Thursday, Unity Temple, 875 Lake St., Oak Park; $15-$18; flwright.org
Chicago Symphony Orchestra: German conductor Ingo Metzmacher returns to lead an all-Russian program that includes Stravinsky’s “Petrushka” and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11. 8 p.m. Thursday (repeated Dec. 5-9). Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; $29-$216; 312-294-3000, cso.org
CSO at the Movies: Richard Kaufman conducts “Pixar in Concert,” live accompaniments to favorite films including the “Toy Story” trilogy and “Up.” 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; $45-$228; 312-294-3000, cso.org
Ensemble Dal Niente: Harpist Ben Melsky is featured in premieres by Eliza Brown and Tomas Gueglio, along with pieces by Salvatore Sciarrino and Elliott Carter. 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Constellation, 3111 N. Western Ave.; $15, $10 students and seniors; dalniente.com
Lyric Opera – “Porgy and Bess”: Catfish Row comes alive in Lyric’s revival of Francesca Zambello’s winning production of the Gershwins’ American classic. Ward Stare conducts an ensemble headed by Eric Owens and Adina Aaron in the title roles, with Jermaine Smith, Eric Greene and Angel Blue. Through Dec. 20 at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; $34-$244, $20-$40 children; 312-827-5600, lyricopera.org
Lyric Opera – “Il Trovatore”: Heading the cast of this revival of Verdi’s blood-and-gutsy melodrama are Amber Wagner and Yonghoon Lee, Stephanie Blythe and Quinn Kelsey. Asher Fisch conducts. Through Saturday at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; $34-$244, $20-$40 children; 312-827-5600, lyricopera.org
New Millennium Orchestra: Francesco Milioto conducts Bela Bartok’s dark opera “Bluebeard’s Castle,” with soloists Andrea Silvestrelli and Kara Shay Thomson. 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St.; $10-$40; nmorchestra.org
Orion Ensemble: Stephen Boe is guest violinist and violist for a program that includes the world premiere of Chicago composer Sebastian Huydts’ Piano Trio, along with works by Prokofiev, Rachmaninov and others. 7 p.m. Sunday, First Baptist Church of Geneva, 2300 South St., Geneva; and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Columbia College Music Center Concert Hall, 1014 S. Michigan Ave.; $26 general, $23 seniors, $10 children; 630-628-9591, orionensemble.org
Ravinia BGH Classics: Axiom Brass plays a holiday-themed concert. 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Bennett Gordon Hall, Ravinia, Lake-Cook and Green Bay roads, Highland Park; $10; 847-266-5100, ravinia.org
Teatro Regio Torino – Rossini “William Tell”: Soloists, orchestra and chorus of Italy’s Turin Opera perform a concert version of Rossini’s “Guglielmo Tell” (sung in Italian) under former music director Gianandrea Noseda. Singing leading roles in this rarely heard grand opera will be Angela Meade, John Osborn and Luca Salsi. 7 p.m. Wednesday, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive; $55-$95; 312-334-7777, harristheaterchicago.org
Vienna Boys Choir: For its annual Thanksgiving weekend performance in downtown Chicago, the legendary chorus performs holiday favorites, popular folk songs and more. 3 p.m. Saturday, Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; $25-$85; 312-294-3000, cso.org
Twitter @jvonrhein
