Fans of classical music had a light schedule last week, but there is plenty to be heard this week to make up for lost time. Most evenings it is going to come down to a choice.
WEDNESDAY:
>> The Embassy of Austria (3524 International Ct. NW) is hosting a series of concerts called An das Lied: Festival of Song 2007, devoted to the greats of German-language song composition. The music starts this Wednesday, with a recital by baritone Wolfgang Holzmair, soprano Susanna Phillips, and mezzo-soprano Hermine Haselböck, singing Hugo Wolf’s Das Spanische Liederbuch, accompanied by pianist Russell Ryan. This event is cosponsored by Vocal Arts Society, with tickets at $35. April 11, 7:30 p.m.
>> The only thing that could beat that is a free concert, in this case the Jerusalem String Quartet playing at the Library of Congress the same evening. On the program are quartets by Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, as well as a new piece by Tzvi Avni. April 11, 8 p.m.
THURSDAY:
>> The University of Maryland Opera Studio challenges its students, all singers who aspire to operatic careers, by not always playing it safe and staging the same, tired operas. This weekend, they will mount a rare production of American composer Conrad Susa’s odd opera Transformations, at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center. The libretto is based on Anne Sexton’s book of the same name, and the action is set in a 70s nightclub. Tickets: $25 (students, $7). April 12 to 15, various times.
FRIDAY:
>> The Folger Consort will close a very successful season with what may be the biggest event yet, a concert performance of Henry Purcell’s semi-opera The Fairy Queen. The story is based on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which will be read in part by Lynn Redgrave, Sir Derek Jacobi, and Richard Clifford. April 13 to 15, various times (Folger Shakespeare Library), all sold out. Tickets remain for the single performance at Strathmore on Sunday (April 15, 7:30 p.m.).
