Violinist Hilary Hahn

INSTRUMENTS:
>> Joining the National Symphony Orchestra this week is one of my favorite soloists, Baltimore-born violinist Hilary Hahn (May 8 to 10). Her contribution, Paganini's first violin concerto, will be matched by soprano Hila Plitmann giving Washington a chance to hear Final Alice, the ground-breaking work that won David Del Tredici a Pulitzer Prize. Tickets: $20 to $80.

>> The Emerson Quartet concludes its Smithsonian Resident Associates series on Saturday (May 10, 6 p.m.) at the National Museum of Natural History. The program includes music by Martinů, Janáček, and Beethoven, sure to be performed in the group's signature electrifying style. Tickets: $63.

VOICES:
>> It is time for the final concert of the Vocal Arts Society's season. On Wednesday (May 7, 7:30 p.m.) soprano Felicity Lott and pianist Graham Johnson will give a recital at the Embassy of Austria. These long-time collaborators are leading performers of the song repertory, and the program is a knockout. Tickets: $40.

>> If you are the sort who says "Happy Mother's Day" by explaining at length, in German, how Jesus died for our sins, the Washington Bach Consort will be presenting Bach's St. Matthew Passion on Sunday (May 11, 3 p.m.) at Strathmore. No, seriously, the list of soloists is impressive (especially Christine Brandes and Sara Mingardo) and this is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written. Tickets: $20 to $55.

>> If you did not get your opera-loving mom a ticket to see Plácido Domingo in Handel's Tamerlano, your next choice from Washington National Opera is Richard Strauss's Elektra. It opens on Saturday night (May 10, 7 p.m.), but unless you know that your mom is a Strauss fan, this is emphatically not an easy opera that everyone will love. For serious opera lovers, however, the chance to hear this shocking mythological tale is most welcome.

>> If you are looking for something (much) more traditional, a trip to Baltimore is in order. Baltimore Opera will be staging Puccini's verismo classic Madama Butterfly beginning on Saturday (May 10, 14, 16, 17, and 18). Neither of the leads' names is familiar, and the productions of Paolo Micciché can be distracting, but the company must expect to sell a lot of tickets, since it last mounted this opera only in 2003.

MAKE IT FREE:
>> Promising graduate voice students at the University of Maryland present Opera Scenes on Thursday and Friday (May 8 and 9, 7:30 p.m.). The staging is bare bones and features only piano accompaniment, but it's free at the Clarice Smith Center.

>> On Friday (May 9, 8 p.m.) the St. Petersburg Quartet will give a free concert at the Library of Congress. The program features quartets by Mendelssohn and the rarely heard Schnittke, as well as a Dvořák string quintet with violist Michael Tree. Reserved tickets are all gone, but if you arrive early and wait on line you have an excellent chance of getting an unused seat.

>> At the museums on Mother's Day, there is the Raphael Trio playing at the Phillips Collection (May 11, 4 p.m.). Take your mom to see some art (admission to the museum is not free), and elbow your way into the concert.

>> Even easier, take your mom to the National Gallery of Art to see the Forest of Fontainebleau exhibit in the afternoon and then hear the free concert (May 11, 6:30 p.m.) by Ryan Brown and members of Opera Lafayette. The program brings together selections of early 19th-century French music, in honor of the exhibit. It would be wise to arrive early, as crowds could be large.

>> For more concert information, go to Ionarts.