Classical Music Agenda
While no major event on the schedule this week trumps all others, there are several concerts that will merit your attention. Three of them are scheduled for Thursday night. If contemporary music was the headliner last week, this week it is early music.
>> Opera Lafayette's bread and butter is in presenting obscure Baroque operas, usually French, sung by exceptional voices and with the help of their fine instrumental ensemble. The group opens its season with a concert performance of Rebel and Francoeur's Zélindor, roi des Sylphes on Thursday (October 4, 8 p.m.). Tenor Jean-Paul Fouchécourt (shown at right) and soprano Heidi Grant Murphy, both singers with international reputations, will sing in the first performance of this opera-ballet since the 18th century. This is the inaugural appearance by Opera Lafayette at the Music Center at Strathmore.
>> The season opener for the Folger Consort is a program of French and Italian cantatas called Groves of Antiquity. The instrumental group is joined by soprano Rosa Lamoreaux and other singers, in the intimate, beautiful venue of the Folger Shakespeare Theater on E. Capitol St. Performances are scheduled for Friday (October 5, 8 p.m.), Saturday (October 6, 5 and 8 p.m.), and Sunday (October 7, 2 p.m.).
>> The Rebel Ensemble comes to the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center on Sunday (October 7, 7:30 p.m.) to present an all-Vivaldi program featuring L'Estro Armonico.
>> The National Symphony Orchestra opens its season on Thursday, too, pairing the world premiere of Jefferson Friedman's Sacred Heart: Explosion with Beethoven's ninth symphony. There are three chances to hear the program, in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall, on Thursday (October 4, 7 p.m.), Friday (October 5, 1:30 p.m.), and Saturday (October 6, 8 p.m.).
>> Up in Charm City, John Adams will conduct the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra this week, unfortunately with no performance here at Strathmore. The program combines Beethoven's seventh symphony with two works by Adams, on Thursday and Friday (October 4 and 5, 8 p.m.) and a casual concert on Saturday (October 6, 11 a.m.).
>> Tomorrow night (October 1, 7:30 p.m.), the Traffic Quintet will play a concert at La Maison Française (4101 Reservoir Rd. NW). This French chamber ensemble, which focuses on classical and contemporary music, will play a program drawn from its new CD of music by French composer Alexandre Desplat, Nouvelles Vagues. Here is an excerpt on YouTube. This concert is free, but you must make a reservation.
>> On Tuesday (October 2, 7:30 p.m.) at La Maison Française, French pianist Jean-Frédéric Neuburger will play a recital as part of the Embassy Series. The program includes Bach, Liszt, Chopin, and Ravel.
>> If you want to give opera a try, Plácido Domingo is conducting a Welcome to Opera Concert at the Kennedy Center Opera House on Friday (October 5, 7:30 p.m.). The singers are all from the Washington National Opera. Remaining tickets cost $25.
THE FREE KIND:
>> The Washington Bach Consort begins its Noontime Cantata Series this Tuesday (October 2, 12:10 p.m.), with Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit (BWV 106). Stop in for a lunchtime aesthetic recharge at the Church of the Epiphany (1317 G St. NW).
>> Pianist Paul Leavitt will give a free recital on Friday (October 5, 8 p.m.) at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation (212 E. Capitol St. NE).
>> On Saturday, WETA (90.9 FM) will broadcast Donizetti's La fille du régiment, from last season at Washington National Opera. Get ready by reading my review.
>> On Saturday (October 6, 3 p.m.) the Parker String Quartet will give a free concert at the Baltimore Museum of Art. You need to make a reservation.
>> On Sunday (October 7, 4 p.m.), the free concert series at the Phillips Collection returns, with a recital by violinist Jennifer Caine and pianist Oksana Ezhokina.
>> The same evening (October 7, 6:30 p.m.) the National Gallery Orchestra will play on the free concert series at the National Gallery of Art.
>> For more concert information, go to Ionarts.