The National Symphony Orchestra gave its first official performance of the fall season last night in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall, opening by tradition with a performance of the national anthem. Music director Leonard Slatkin struck exactly the right tone by opening not with a perennial audience favorite, but with a piece never performed by the NSO until now, William Walton’s Partita for Orchestra (1957). It rocketed to a start in a blast of sound,…

Well, this was a busy week for DCist, telling you all about the two operas performed by the Kirov Opera at the Kennedy Center. We could probably use a break this week but we will not get that until July. Well, who are we kidding, we don’t really want a break. The more concerts we have to tell you about, the happier we are. For more choices, see our Classical Week in Washington at Ionarts….

(Classical music agenda contributed by Charles T. Downey of Ionarts) Want to hear something classical to impress your family and friends? At DCist, we have some quick picks for you, and can you say free concerts? That’s right, Washington has more excellent classical music to be heard for free than probably anywhere else, and we’re here to tell you about it. For more information, see our Concert Schedule at Ionarts. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS: >> Free…

Don’t forget to check out DCist’s Arts Agenda and Weekly Music Picks for additional entertainment events, including gallery crawls and gypsy punk band Gogol Bardello Saturday at the Black Cat. FRIDAY: >> Everyone is buzzing about The Music/Kasabian show at the 9:30 Club tonight, but if you miss it, you can head to DC9 afterwards for the official Kasabian afterparty — just show your handstamp from the 9:30 Club and you can get in free…