Last month, Washington's classical music scene was inundated by string quartets, and this week it is a plague of pianists, all of whom are of major stature and most of whom all serious listeners will want to hear. Also, we go back to the opera.

AT THE BENCH:
>> The most famous, in terms of sheer star power, is probably Chinese pianist Lang Lang, he of the leather pants and spiky hair. Washington Performing Arts Society will present his recital in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall on Tuesday night (March 11, 8 p.m.). The repertoire list includes Schubert, Bartók, Debussy, and Chopin, which Lang Lang will surely play with technical panache (and, the wags would add, nothing else). A few tickets ($75 to $40) remain.

>> More worthy of listening, in our opinion, is the other hotshot Chinese pianist, the more reserved Yundi Li, whom WPAS will present the very next night (March 12, 8 p.m.) in the Music Center at Strathmore. The selection of music is also much more interesting, with Berg, Ginastera, Chopin, Liszt, Ravel, and Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. A few tickets ($80 to $35) remain, too.

>> Best of all, in terms of the quality of pianistic ideas and the repertory, is the recital by French pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard (pictured) at Baltimore's Shriver Hall on Sunday (March 16, 5:30 p.m.). Yes, it's in Baltimore and, yes, it is just a day before Alfred Brendel gives his farewell recital (more about that next week), but to hear Aimard bring together severe counterpoint by Bach, twelve-tone pieces by Schoeberg, and a late Beethoven sonata will be worth it. Tickets: $33 (students, $17).

ON THE STAGE:
>> If you thought the months-long hiatus of the Washington National Opera would never end, you are about to find relief. The company returns to the Kennedy Center Opera House this Saturday (March 15, 7 p.m.) with a production (by Stephen Lawless, borrowed from New York City Opera) of Wagner's crowd-pleasing opera The Flying Dutchman. This will be the debut of baritone Alan Held in the title role, the cursed captain of a phantom ship who finds the love of an innocent girl, and Jennifer Wilson as Senta should be quite a draw. Read our review next Monday to find out more. Performances continue through April 10, with the weekend shows already sold out.

GETTING THE LENT OUT:
>> The Cantate Chamber Singers present a worthy Lenten program of music by contemporary composer James MacMillan and Baroque composer Heinrich Schütz, on Saturday (March 15, 8 p.m.) at St. John's Norwood Parish in Chevy Chase.

>> On Sunday (March 16, 3 p.m.), the Choral Arts Society of Washington will perform Dvořák's Stabat Mater in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall.

>> Also on Sunday (March 16, 4 p.m.), the Choirs of Washington National Cathedral will perform J. S. Bach's St. John Passion in Washington National Cathedral.

WORTH MENTION:
>> The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia brings an all-French program to La Maison Française on Tuesday night (March 11, 8 p.m.), under conductor Jérémie Rhorer. Tickets: $30.

>> Cellist Alban Gerhardt joins the National Symphony Orchestra this week (March 13 to 15), playing Prokofiev's Sinfonia Concertante as part of an all-Russian program conducted by Hans Graf. Tickets: $20 to $80.

FREE OR ALMOST:
>> The Schubert Festival is back this year at Georgetown's Gaston Hall, with three top-notch concerts by the Auryn Quartet and friends (March 14 to 16). Tickets, thanks to underwriters, are an incredible $5 each, or $10 for all three concerts.

>> Mezzo-soprano Kathleen Shimeta gives a free lunchtime recital of music by Gena Branscome on Wednesday (March 12, 12:10 p.m.) at the National Gallery of Art

>> That evening (March 12, 8 p.m.), the Camerata Interamericana kicks off the Mexican music festival by performing a free concert at the Library of Congress.

>> The following evening (March 13, 8 p.m.), the Cuarteto Latinoamericano gives a free concert at the Library of Congress, including a rare complete performance of the Revueltas string quartets.

>> On Friday (March 14, 8 p.m.), Washington's own Post-Classical Ensemble gives a free concert at the Library of Congress, to conclude the Mexican music festival.

>> On Sunday (March 16, 4 p.m.), guitarist Michael Nicolella will play a free concert at the (not free) Phillips Collection.

>> Perhaps the best free concert of the week is the last: also on Sunday (March 16, 6:30 p.m.), the Parisii Quartet, pianist Emmanuel Strosser, and French baritone Jérôme Corréas will give a complete performance of Fauré's song cycle La Bonne chanson at the National Gallery of Art.

>> For more concert information, go to Ionarts.