The winter season will reverberate with orchestral programs that invite standing ovations and thoughtful contemplation.
Visiting orchestras not to be missed are the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, the Moscow State Radio Symphony Orchestra and St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Opera and Orchestra in a concert version of Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin.”
Opera buffs will also gravitate to the great American opera, Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess,” its title roles played alternately by four major soloists. International stars Dimitri Hvorostovsky and Sondra Radvanovsky share an evening of arias and songs, while Virginia Opera comes north for “Don Giovanni,” Mozart’s comedy about the world’s greatest lover. Those craving revelry will roar aloud at the semistaged comic operas “Bastianello” and “Lucrezia” composed by John Musto and William Bolcom, respectively, aided and abetted by the witty lyricist Mark Campbell.
A moment for reminiscence is due when the Metropolitan Jazz orchestra salutes Sinatra. In contrast, Wynton Marsalis leads the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in a 21st century work juxtaposing art and jazz. Shedding tradition, Japanese pianist Hiromi propels jazz improvisation to a hitherto unknown dimension.
KENNEDY CENTER
Best Bets
National Symphony Orchestra –Mahler: Principal Conductor Ivan Fischer conducts Mahler’s dramatic “Das Lied von der Erde” (The Song of the Earth) featuring Danish tenor Stig Andersen and mezzo-soprano Christianne Stotijn from the Netherlands, a graduate of the BBC’s prestigious New Generation Artists scheme. The rarely performed work based on classic Chinese poems is a symphony for tenor, alto and string orchestra augmented by woodwind, brass and percussion instruments. Details: 7 p.m. Jan 21, 8 p.m. Jan. 22-23; $20 to $85.
National Symphony Orchestra –Focus on Russia: Principal Conductor Ivan Fischer conducts Russian cellist Mischa Maisky in his unique version of Lensky’s Aria from Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin.” The Focus on Russia segment also includes Tchaikovsky’s “Variations on a Rococo Theme.” The program opens with Three Dance Episodes from Bernstein’s “On the Town” and closes with Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8. Details: 7 p.m. Jan. 28, 8 p.m. Jan 29-30; AfterWords free discussion with Maestro Fischer, Maisky and NSO Director of Artistic Planning Nigel Boon follows Jan. 28 performance; $20 to $85.
Washington National Opera: Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess,” conducted by award-winning John Mauceri, stars American bass-baritone Eric Owens and American baritone Lester Lynch as Porgy. Nigerian soprano Morenike Fadayomi and American soprano Indira Mahajan share the role of Bess. They are backed by the WNO Orchestra and Chorus. Details: Check Web site for dates and times; $25 to $300; dc-opera.org.
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam: Music Director Mariss Jansons conducts the orchestra called “the world’s greatest” by Gramophone in Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2. Brilliant young Dutch violinist Janine Jansen performs the Sibelius Violin Concerto. Details: 8 p.m. Feb. 15; $70 to $115; wpas.org.
San Francisco Symphony: Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas conducts works by Liszt and Ravel joined by German violinist Christian Tetzlaff performing Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. Details: 8 p.m. March 24; $25 to $105; wpas.org.
Also highly recommended:
WPAS Men, Women, and Children of the Gospel Choir: Artistic Director Stanley J. Thurston and guest director Brandon J. Felder are joined by vocalist winner of the BET contest Y’Anna Crawley, adults and children from throughout the area in a program featuring songs of praise. Details: 4 p.m. Jan. 31; $15 to $48.
NSO Pops: Emmy winner Bill Conti, frequent music director of Academy Award ceremonies, conducts “And the Winner Is …” music from winning film scores. Details: 7 p.m. Feb. 11, 8 p.m. Feb. 12-13; $20 to $85.
Mariinsky Opera and Orchestra: Artistic Director Valery Gergiev conducts St. Petersburg’s famous Mariinsky Opera and Orchestra in a concert version of Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin,” part of Focus on Russia. Sung in Russian with English supertitles. Details: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27, 1:30 p.m. Feb. 28; $29 to $150.
Masters of Persian Music: WPAS presents classical Persian musicians Kayhan Kalhor on kamancheh, a spike fiddle, and Hossein Alizadeh on the lutelike tar, joined by vocalist Hamid Reza Nourbakhsh and five young Iranian musicians. Details: 8 p.m. Feb. 28; $27 to $77; wpas.org.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, trumpet: A new work, “Portrait in Seven Shades” by saxophonist/composer Ted Nash, illustrates visual styles of iconic painters in the language of jazz against projected backdrops of their master art works. Details: 8 p.m. March 2; $35 to $85; wpas.org.
Baritone Dimitri Hvorostovsky and soprano Sondra Radvanovsky: An evening of song by two stellar opera stars with the National Philharmonic conducted by Ion Marin. Details: 8 p.m. March 29; $55 to $110; wpas.org.
Most tickets available at 202-467-4600, 800-444-1324 or www.kennedy-center.org.
WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRAL
Cathedral Choral Society: Music Director J. Reilly Lewis conducts the choir and guest artists in two Bach masterworks, the “St. Matthew Passion” to open the lenten season and the “St. John Passion” on Palm Sunday.
Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion”: Features soloists Rufus Mueller, Christopheren Nomura, Gillian Keith, Claire Wilkinson and Craig Phillips with the Washington National Cathedral Boys Choir. The superb orchestra is made up of period instrumentalists. Details: 4 p.m. Feb. 21.
Bach’s “St. John Passion”: Features the National Cathedral Choir under the direction of Michael McCarthy. Details: 4 p.m. March 28.
All tickets $24 to $84, and are available at 202-537-5527 or cathedralchoralsociety.org.
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Best Bet
Moscow State Radio Symphony Orchestra: Alexei Kornienko conducts the globe-touring orchestra celebrating its 32nd year. As per European tradition, the orchestra does not have a permanent principal conductor, but invites distinguished maestros from Russia and around the world. Pianist Alexander Sinchuk performs Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.” Other works on the program are Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Tsar Sultan Suite” and his “Scheherazade, Symphonic Suite for Orchestra.” Details: 8 p.m. Feb. 13; $28 to $56.
Also highly recommended:
Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra: Artistic Director Jim Carroll conducts top Washington area jazz musicians in a tribute to Frank Sinatra with guest vocalist Steve Lippia performing songs by Count Basie, Buddy Rich and other composer pals of the legendary crooner. Details: 8 p.m. Feb. 20; $21 to $42.
Virginia Opera: “Don Giovanni,” Mozart’s comedy about the world’s greatest lover is sung in Italian with English supertitles. Details: 8 p.m. Feb. 26, 2 p.m. Feb. 28; $44 to $98.
Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy: The Masters of the Fiddle cement their matrimonial bliss with lively step-dancing, heart-stopping ballads and incomparable fiddling magic. Details: 8 p.m. Feb. 27; $22 to $44.
Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel: Piano virtuoso Siegel, music’s most fascinating storyteller, performs and relays the tales of “Chopin the Storyteller,” the third program in his series of four honoring the year of the composer’s 200th birthday. Details: 7 p.m. March 7; $19 to $38.
Eileen Ivers: The nine-time All-Ireland Fiddle Champion celebrates America’s Celtic music heritage in “Beyond the Bog Road,” a program of music passed down generations and performed by Irish and American musicians, singers, step-dancers and cloggers. Details: 4 p.m. March 14; $22 to $44.
All tickets available at 703)-993-2787 or www.gmu.edu/cfa.
THE BARNS AT WOLF TRAP
Best Bets
Bastianello & Lucrezia: The Discovery Series hosts a semistaged performance of two comic operas by composers John Musto (“Bastianello”) and William Bolcom (“Lucrezia”), both with librettos by gifted wordmaster Mark Campbell. The presentation, part of America Sings in the Nation’s Capital: A Festival of American Vocal Music, is scored for two pianos and five singers, all alumni of the Wolf Trap Opera Company. Details: 8 p.m. March 26; $35.
Aspen Ensemble: The Discovery Series features the exquisite quintet formed at the Aspen Music Festival of flute, piano and strings. The five solo artists are adventurous in scope and impeccable in performance. Their program includes Beethoven’s serenade for flute, violin and viola, Martinu’s trio for flute, cello and piano, and Brahms’ quartet for piano, violin, viola and cello. Details: 8 p.m. Jan. 29; $35.
Christian Tetzlaff Trio: The Discovery Series welcomes the internationally acclaimed violinist Tetzlaff, cellist Tanja Tetzlaff and pianist Lars Vogt to the Barns for a program of works by Schubert, Kodaly and Dvorak. Details: 8 p.m. Feb. 26; $35.
Hiromi: The diminutive Japanese jazz wizard improvises beyond belief and sets the room on fire with numbers from her new solo piano album. Details: 8 p.m. Feb. 5; $25.
Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet: The Discovery Series presents the ensemble named “best of its kind” by the Manchester Evening News in a program of works by Karl Pliss, Gunther Schuller, Paul Hindemith, Gyorgy Ligeti and more. Details: 8 p.m. Feb. 12; $35.
Also highly recommended:
John Eaton: The popular series by the jazz pianist/storyteller continues with two more programs this season: “The Fabulous ’50s, Beyond Elvis and Eisenhower,” (7:30 p.m. Jan. 30) and “Jazz, Blues & Broadway” with bassist Tommy Cecil jamming favorite tunes from Joplin to Porter (7:30 p.m. Mar. 27). Details: $25.
Jeri Sager: Virginia-born Broadway songbird livens the Cabaret Series with her distinctive styling. Details: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6; $25.
Cherish the Ladies: The all-female Celtic ensemble continues entrancing audiences after 24 years of sharing authentic Irish music with the world. Details: 8 p.m. Feb. 24; $24.
Celtic Crossroads: Seven musicians holding Irish and international championships and awards blend Celtic sounds with European gypsy, American bluegrass, classical and jazz for an evening of nonstop energy. Details: 7:30 p.m. March 7; $25.
Habib Koite and Bamada: World guitarist Koite and his band, Bamada, come direct from Mali with native sounds and styles. Details: 8 p.m. March 10; $25.
Anat Cohen Quartet: The jazz composer/clarinetist named Clarinetist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association celebrates the music of Benny Goodman. Details: 8 p.m. March 11; $24.
Battlefield Band: Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, the quartet arrives from Scotland with its pipes, whistles, bazouki, guitars and all the quaint and modern instruments necessary for a bang-up celebration. Details: 8 p.m. March 17; $22.
Tom Paxton: The essential troubadour and 2009 Grammy honoree for Lifetime Achievement sings from his heart and soul for an evening of folk inspiration. Details: 8 p.m. March 18; $22.
Antares: The Discovery Series presents the four virtuoso instrumentalists lauded by Gramophone Magazine for the “gift of making whatever they’re playing seem the most important piece in the world.” The ensemble consisting of clarinet, violin, cello and piano performs a boundless repertoire. Details: 8 p.m. March 19; $35.
All tickets available at 877-965-3872 or wolftrap.org.
