It's December, which means that much of the classical music concert schedule is devoted to some holiday that apparently occurs near the end of the month. Consult our Holiday Concert Agenda and our Handel's Messiah Agenda, if that is the sort of thing that interests you. Let's try to keep the regular agenda free of that stuff. There is plenty to talk about without it. VOICES: >> The annual residency of the Kirov Opera, the... more ›

After a weekend full of concerts, there is not much to mention this week, for obvious, turkey-related reasons. Still, if you find yourself in town this week, there will be a few things to hear, although tickets may be hard to find. >> On Monday (November 19, 7:30 p.m.), French violinist Nicolas Dautricourt will be hosted by his country's embassy, La Maison Française. The attractive, all-modern program is bookended by the Poulenc and Debussy violin... more ›

There are ways to attend an opera in Washington at a ticket price that will not make you cry. The easiest way is to go to a performance from one of the smaller or collegiate companies, where the reasonable ticket price will translate into hearing lesser singers or a piano or small instrumental ensemble instead of a full orchestra. If you want the true experience of opera, however — that "exotic and irrational entertainment" described... more ›

Classical music has come back from summer vacation, and that means you actually have a choice of concerts this week. Most importantly, many of the city's leading groups are opening the season with glittering events. Look for reviews next week. >> Washington National Opera is opening its fall season with one of the most popular operas in the repertoire, Puccini's La Bohème (September 15 to 30). For all its audience-pleasing qualities, this opera is a... more ›

Opera is a serious musical genre, the summa of high dramatic art. For some serious thoughts about the season just concluded by Washington National Opera, you could read the Opera Season in Review from last week. In a less exalted but equally important way, opera is about ostentation, and in that vein, there is one more glittering event that always makes the end of the season final in Washington, and that is the annual Opera... more ›

>> As we mentioned earlier in Reader, Meet Author, Vanity Fair editor Cullen Murphy will be at Politics and Prose tonight to read from and sign copies of Are We Rome? As long as we can ruled by Simon Woods, I'm all for saying, yes, please, let's be Rome. 7 p.m. >> Tickets are still available for tonight's performance of Leoš Janáček's Jenůfa at Washington National Opera. Our critic called this production WNO's "best... more ›

There is little doubt that the main event this week is the opening of the final part of the Washington National Opera's season. The company's penultimate production, Leoš Janáček's Jenůfa in a staging by David Alden, won the Laurence Olivier Award this year for best new opera production. For reasons beyond understanding, not a single performance has sold out, although this is likely to be the high point of the WNO season. Some people may... more ›

It was all the way back in November that we brought news — via The Upstate Life — that Sufjan Stevens would be playing a free show at the Kennedy Center. Unfortunately, that teaser was all we had to offer; ticket details weren't available, and the concert wasn't until February 5. Well, it's finally time. If you're keen to see Sufjan — or the NSO, or the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater — get yourself over to the Kennedy Center this Saturday, January 27. This is a rare chance to see Stevens, who relies heavily on an eclectic collection of instruments in his studio recordings, accompanied by the entire Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. The Opera House seats 2,300, so there should be plenty of opportunity for those interested to grab a ticket. We'll be there asking Stevens to consider adding the District to his 50 states project, in which he hopes to produce an album about every state. (We're a little sceptical of his timeline after two consecutive records regarding the Land of Lincoln.) Tickets are first come, first served, and you can only pick up two per person. After noon on Saturday, remaining tickets for all four shows will be available at the Box Office. Here's where and when to go:

9–10 a.m.: SUFJAN STEVENS (Hall of Nations, line forms to left of entrance)
10–11 a.m.: NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (River Terrace, follow signs)
11 a.m.–12 noon: ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER (Hall of States, line forms to right of entrance)

So much is happening in classical music this week, much of it already sold out. Here are a few things for which tickets are still available and that should be of interest. JUST VISITING: >> The award for best free concert of the week goes to the Hilliard Ensemble, one of the best choral groups in the world, visiting the Freer Gallery of Art on Wednesday (January 24, 7:30 p.m.). Their program includes music by... more ›

The Shakespeare in Washington festival continues this week with the visit of the Kirov Ballet to the Kennedy Center Opera House. This year, the resident troupe of St. Petersburg's Mariinsky Theater has brought its traveling production of Leonid Lavrovsky's choreography of Romeo and Juliet. Sergei Prokofiev wanted to premiere the sublime music of this ballet (op. 64) at the Mariinsky in the 1930s, but the theater ultimately balked. The Bolshoi Theater in Moscow also accepted... more ›

The classical music schedule in Washington is starting to fill up, so that by February and March, we will be overwhelmed. Here are a few sure bets this week, as well as a smattering of concerts off the beaten path. THE BIG GUNS: >> Soprano Deborah Voigt has always had a big, gorgeous voice. She made news two years ago when she was fired from a production because the director wanted her character to wear... more ›

What are you willing to stand in line for hours on end for? Tickets to a Star Wars prequel? A copy of Harry Potter #7? A really awesome roller coaster? To some members of the D.C. community, the answer is free tickets to a sing-along performance of Handel's Messiah at the Kennedy Center, accompanied by the Kennedy Center Opera House orchestra, a large-scale choir, and renowned soloists. The event is one of the most popular... more ›

As he tends to do, The Upstate Life has broken news of another show coming to the area. Orchestral indie darling Sufjan Stevens will be featured in a show celebrating the tradition of free music at the Kennedy Center. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Millenium Stage, Stevens and the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra will join Naval jazz ensemble The Commodores, Alvin Ailey's American Dance Theater and the National Symphany Orchestra for the event on Febraury 5, with each act performing on a different stage best suited for their performance. We've all got some time to mull this over, as ticket information won't be posted until January. more ›

For reasons that I understand but dislike, new operas are the hardest tickets for most American companies to sell. For Washington National Opera, whose audience is largely allergic to anything outside the familiar repertory, it must be difficult to reconcile what a major American opera company should be doing — performing recent operas and commissioning new ones — with the overwhelming concern for the bottom line. All the more reason, then, to praise WNO for... more ›

The Washington National Opera, because of the "national" in its new name, is supposed to stage at least one American opera per season. It is apparently fulfilling that obligation this year with a recent opera by Nicholas Maw, a British composer who has for several years been living here in the Washington area and teaching at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore. This new production of Maw's tragic opera, Sophie's Choice, is the American premiere of... more ›

Complimented by the skill of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, the All-Russian program began with Balanchine's Allegro Brillante, with music by Tchaikovsky. The flawless Principal Dancers Miranda Weese and Damian Woetzel, supported by an elegant corps de ballet, was impressive. Weese's arms floated so delicately during the piece that one wondered if they in fact weighed nothing. more ›

This week, local classical music events are overshadowed by the visit of the Kirov Opera, who are performing at the Kennedy Center. It's not the only thing to hear this week, obviously, but their performances are the ones that are getting our attention. Worry not: we have lots of other concerts to tell you about, too. If you want more options, check out our Classical Week in Washington feature at Ionarts. more ›

You could hear a lot of good classical music this week, much of it at no cost other than the trip to the concert hall. The biggest events this week are not going to be cheap, but the performances of these visiting musicians do promise to be extraordinary. We will be bringing you reviews, of course. For more concerts, go to our Classical Week in Washington feature at Ionarts. more ›

We have been plugging the excellent production of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess all week, and it is worth your time and effort to see it, as we did this past Wednesday. However, all remaining performances have apparently been sold out. This means that your best and only remaining chance to experience this great American opera will be later today, when a live simulcast from the Kennedy Center Opera House will be shown on a huge... more ›

October has been a busy month for classical fans in Washington, and it just keeps getting better. We still have one more week before the Washington National Opera and the National Symphony Orchestra return from their breaks. Both groups are busy, of course: WNO is preparing their final fall production, the much anticipated new production of Porgy and Bess, and the NSO has been on a tour of California and Nevada. For more concert options besides those we mention here, see our complete schedule at Ionarts. more ›

Now that we are almost in October, the fall season of classical music is heating up, and we have put together a list of highlights through December for you over at Ionarts. But, this week, you should give some thought to hearing some of the good music out there (we have a more complete listing at Ionarts). We reiterate our recommendation from last week: the first opera in the 50th anniversary season of the Washington... more ›

All five of you who actually read the Classical Music Agenda probably wondered what happened last week when we did not check in with some concerts for you to attend. Had classical music died again? Were we otherwise incapacitated? Well, as we wrote at Ionarts last week, this DCist picked the right week to take a short vacation, because there was almost no classical music to be heard in Washington last week. As a result, DCist had a break from our weekly muddle. You are not so lucky this week. Although there is not much more to report (perhaps our shortest Classical Week in Washington at Ionarts ever), we're back! July may be fairly slow, but you can take a look at our monthly schedule to plan out your classical month, or follow our example and do some travelling to see some opera this summer. more ›

(Classical music agenda by DCist contributor Charles T. Downey of Ionarts) If you are like this DCist, you are probably thinking about how to spend that big tax refund check. We suggest that an evening (or afternoon) of classical music, paired with an excellent meal if possible, is a worthy way of taking back your money from Uncle Sam and spending it on something you and that special someone can appreciate. OPERA AND BALLET: >>... more ›

FRIDAY: >> The Depeche Mode Dance Party promises a wonderful new wave time at the Black Cat. 9:30 p.m., $7. >> St. Petersburg’s renowned Kirov Ballet presents the fairy-tale ballet "Cinderella" at the Kennedy Center Opera House. 7:30 p.m., $47-112. SATURDAY: >> Local favorites Juniper Lane, one of our music picks for January, make a return to the stage at Iota in Arlington. Lead singer Vivion Smith's voice is powerfully captivating, and they've been... more ›