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This is going to be an excellent week for serious listeners of classical music, with several major events headlining the agenda and some other good concerts on the sidelines. In the spotlight are a piano recital, a visiting orchestra, Russian music, and possibly the greatest opera ever composed.
HEADLINES:
>> Pianist Murray Perahia had to cancel his 2006 recital for Washington Performing Arts Society, because of renewed pain from a finger injury in the 1990s that nearly ended his career. Keep your fingers crossed, but if all goes well, he will finally perform that recital next Sunday (October 28, 4 p.m.) in the Music Center at Strathmore, to open the Piano Master series inaugurated this season by WPAS. The program is classic Perahia: a Bach partita, a Beethoven sonata (op. 28, "Pastorale"), and pieces by Brahms and Chopin. At the time of writing, only a few tickets remain, at $75 and $85.
>> Again thanks to WPAS, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic comes to the Kennedy Center Concert Hall on Tuesday (October 23, 8 p.m.) for a concert with their director Yuri Temirkanov, former music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. The program combines Mozart and Prokofiev with the Beethoven violin concerto played by one of the world's best violinists, Julia Fischer. When she played the work under Temirkanov in Baltimore, it made me gush like a little girl in my review. This concert is already sold out, but it is certainly worth a call to the box office.
>> If you cannot actually hear that Russian orchestra, you can pretend, with the Evening of Russian Music offered by Choral Arts Society on Sunday evening (October 28, 7:30 p.m.) in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Guest conductor Antony Walker, who does such excellent work with Washington Concert Opera, and soprano Alessandra Marc promise extraordinary things in scenes from Boris Godunov, Eugene Onegin, and more. The concert is dedicated to the memory of Mstislav Rostropovich. Tickets: $15 to $65.
Photo of pianist Murray Perahia by Watanabe, courtesy of Sony Classical
>> Another Russian-themed concert is offered by the University of Maryland Symphony Orchestra on Friday night (October 26, 8 p.m.) at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. After playing the Sibelius 7th symphony, enough reason to attend in itself, the ensemble led by James Ross will play Shostakovich's 13th symphony, known as "Babi Yar." That performance will be introduced by Russian poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko, who will read his poem about the massacre in Kiev used in the symphony. This is programming that puts the local professional orchestras to shame, and often the enthusiasm of collegiate musicians more than compensates for their lack of professional experience. Yevtushenko will be on hand after the concert to sign books. Tickets: $25 (students, $7).
>> Last but not least, Washington National Opera opens its new production of Mozart's classic opera Don Giovanni on Thursday (October 25, 7 p.m.) in the Kennedy Center Opera House. The cast is going to be very good, with two impressive singers taking the title role, Erwin Schrott and, in the second cast, Ildar Abdrazakov (who will also sing Leporello in the first cast). When Abdrazakov sings Don Giovanni, his brother Askar Abdrazakov will sing Leporello, which adds a note of interest to the complicated relationship of the two roles and makes Leporello's impersonation of his master that much more believable. The main stage production continues through November 16.
>> Get a free preview of Don Giovanni with the WNO Opera Insights presentation on Wednesday (October 24, 6 p.m.) at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage.
>> Looking for a way to introduce a young person to the orchestra? This Sunday (October 28, 1 and 3 p.m.) is the National Symphony Orchestra's Family Concert of Spooky Sounds and Scary Tales in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. All are encouraged to attend in their costumes for a really fun event. Tickets: $15 and $18.
THE FREE KIND:
>> The Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra plays on the free concert series at the Library of Congress on Monday (October 22, 8 p.m.), with soloists Jana Brožková (oboe) and Barbora Kolářová (violin). There are no more tickets to reserve through Ticketmaster, but you can always get there early and wait on line for an unused seat.
>> On the Tuesday free lunchtime series at the Church of the Epiphany (1317 G St. NW), organist Eric Plutz will give a recital (October 23, 12:10 p.m.).
>> On Wednesday (October 24, 7 p.m.), the Embassy of Peru will present a recital by pianist José Chuquisengo at the International Finance Corporation (2121 Pennsylvania Ave. NW).
>> On Thursday afternoon (October 25, 3 p.m.), the celebrated St. George's Chapel Choir, from Great Britain's Windsor Castle, will present a brief free concert in celebration of the centenary of Paul Mellon's Birth, at the National Gallery of Art (West Building, East Garden Court).
>> On the free concert series at the Phillips Collection (October 28, 4 p.m.), pianists Eric Himy, Alan Mandel, Steven Silverman, and Haskell Small will play a group recital in memory of Charles Crowder. Remember that you still must pay to enter the museum.
>> Later that evening (October 28, 6:30 p.m.), clarinetist Jon Manasse and pianist Jon Nakamatsu will play a recital on the free series at the National Gallery of Art. This concert, featuring English-themed music by Braham, Debussy, Haydn, and Vaughan Williams, will take place in the West Building Lecture Hall.
>> For more concert information, go to Ionarts.
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