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 National Opera, Giuseppe Verdi’s I Vespri Siciliani. We were at the premiere on Saturday night, and as of today, no performances are sold out, so there should be lots of reduced-price tickets offered to members of the Generation O program, for which all students and young professionals, 18 to 35 years old, are eligible. (As one DCist reader put it, they are practically “giving tickets away.”) Sign up and see some opera. Performances of I Vespri Siciliani this week are on Tuesday (September 20, 7:30 p.m.), Thursday (September 22, 7:30 p.m.), and Sunday (September 25, 2 p.m.), at the Kennedy Center Opera House. By the way, to anyone who heeded our advice and went to the Vespri dress rehearsal last Wednesday, good job! The WNO reportedly raised $24,000 in donations for victims of Hurricane Katrina.
STAR PERFORMANCES:
>> Some classical superstars are in Washington this week, beginning with violinist Itzhak Perlman, who will be performing with the National Symphony Orchestra, as music director Leonard Slatkin returns to the podium. They will give three performances of the program, featuring music by Weber and Vaughan Williams, Tchaikovsky’s fourth symphony, and Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto, op. 14, on Wednesday (September 21, 8 p.m.), Thursday (September 22, 7 p.m.), and Friday (September 23, 1:30 p.m.) at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets: $20 to $83.
>> On Thursday (September 22, 7:30 p.m.), the Vocal Arts Society here in Washington will host its first concert of the season. World-famous tenor Ian Bostridge will give a recital with pianist Julius Drake, in the Kennedy Center‘s Terrace Theater. This event is apparently sold out, but you can contact VAS directly to see about standby tickets.
>> If star-gazing is what you want, try to attend the National Symphony Orchestra Opening Ball Concert on Saturday (September 24, 7 p.m.). Pianist Emanuel Ax, violinist Itzhak Perlman, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma will join the NSO in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall for a blockbuster evening. Unfortunately, it has been sold out for a while, so it will be hard for most people to get in.
