The high point of this week in classical music is surely the Lieder recital by the superlative German baritone Christian Gerhaher and his regular pianist collaborator, Gerold Huber, sponsored by the Vocal Arts Society at the Embassy of Austria (October 11, 7:30 p.m.). Gerhaher’s most recent Lieder recording is a knockout, and his program for Thursday night is devoted entirely to songs by Robert Schumann.
THE SYMPHONY:
>> Riccardo Chailly brings his La Scala Philharmonic to the Music Center at Strathmore on Wednesday (October 10, 8 p.m.) for a concert sponsored by Washington Performing Arts Society. Admittedly, the program is not all that exciting, but it does feature Nino Rota’s ballet suite La Strada.
>> Far more exciting programming has been planned by the leading local orchestras, beginning with the concerts from the National Symphony Orchestra. One-name violinist Midori will play Bartók’s second violin concerto, which is matched with Irving Fine’s Toccata concertante and Schubert’s C major symphony. Performances in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall from October 11 to 13. Reduced-price tickets ($10) are being offered through the Attend! program.
>> The parade of living composers at the BSO continues in next week’s concerts, with Tan Dun conducting his own music and a Russian program of Shostakovich and Borodin (at Strathmore on October 11 and in Baltimore on October 12 to 14). Tan Dun will speak to the audience in the Composers in Conversation series on Wednesday at the Meyerhoff (October 10, 7:30 pm).
Photo of baritone Christian Gerhaher and pianist Gerold Huber by Alexander Basta/Sony BMG, courtesy of Colbert Artists Management
