Mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey, who performs at Wolf Trap on April 8.

It is another busy week for classical music lovers in Washington, and here are our picks for the best performances in town.

MAKE IT FREE:
>> Members of the Washington Bach Consort present their monthly noontime cantata on Tuesday (April 5, 12:10 p.m.), with Bach’s Jesus nahm zu sich die Zwolfe, BWV 22, at the Church of the Epiphany.

>> Soloists from the choir of St. John’s, Lafayette Square, present a noontime concert called Prayers from the Ark on Wednesday (April 6, 12:10 p.m.).

>> Of the three ballet companies presenting performances this week, only those of the New York City Ballet (at the Kennedy Center from April 5-10 and definitely not free) will have live music (and therefore receive our recommendation). If you cannot afford one of the performances, you can hear the New York City Ballet Chamber Orchestra perform a free concert at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage on Thursday (April 7, 6 p.m.).

>> On Friday (April 8, 8 p.m.) the London Conchord Ensemble plays music by Mozart, Poulenc, Bridge and Beethoven in a free concert at the Library of Congress. The following day (April 9, 2 p.m.) is the U.S. Army Band’s (“Pershing’s Own”) turn to play a concert devoted to the music of Aaron Copland.

>> The same evening (April 8, 8 p.m.), the University of Maryland Men’s and Women’s Choruses give a free concert at the Clarice Smith Center in College Park.

>> On Saturday (April 9, 3 p.m.), if you can make the trip to Baltimore, the Escher String Quartet will play a free concert at the Baltimore Museum of Art.

>> The Left Bank Concert Society performs a free concert of music by Poulenc, Schnittke and Prokofiev on Sunday afternoon (April 10, 3 p.m.) in the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

>> Also on Sunday (April 10, 3 p.m.) pianist Alexej Gorlatch, the winner of the Dublin International Piano Competition, plays a free recital sponsored by the Washington Conservatory of Music at Westmoreland Congregational UCC Church.

>> Young musicians from the Levine School of Music Honors Program show their talents on Sunday (April 10, 6 p.m.) in a free concert at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage.

>> Finally, in perhaps the best free concert of the week (April 10, 6:30 p.m.), the National Gallery of Art presents an excellent early music ensemble, the Venice Baroque Orchestra, performing music by Vivaldi and others. Crowds may be heavy, so an early arrival is advised.

OPERA:
>> Opera Lafayette presents a concert performance of Handel’s Acis and Galatea on Tuesday (April 5, 7:30 p.m.) in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater.

>> The area’s new guerrilla opera company, UrbanArias, is presenting a contemporary opera festival all this week at the Artisphere in Rosslyn (see their Web site for dates and times). Of the two operas by American composer Ricky Ian Gordon, we recommend Orpheus and Eurydice, from 2006, as the one to see. The other selections are Gordon’s Green Sneakers and Tom Cipullo’s Glory Denied.

>> Maryland Opera Studio presents what will likely be strong collegiate productions of Rossini’s Barber of Seville (April 8 to 16) and Mozart’s Abduction from the Seraglio (April 9-17) at the Clarice Smith Center in College Park.

OTHER VOCAL:
>> Radiant soprano Dawn Upshaw joins the National Symphony Orchestra this week (April 7-9) for a highly recommended program of music by Golijov, Webern and Mahler in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall.

>> The Lenten choral series continues at Washington National Cathedral with Tavener’s Lament for Jerusalem on Friday (April 8, 7:30 p.m.).

>> Soprano Jolle Greenleaf joins the Folger Consort for a program of French cantatas and suites (April 8 to 10).

>> The lovely mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey returns to the Barns at Wolf Trap for a recital on Friday night (April 8, 8 p.m.).

>> For many more concerts, see the complete calendar at Ionarts.