St. Louis classical calendar for the week of March 25, 2019

Concerts this week include both orchestral and chamber music events with members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra as well as a program of arts songs and spirituals by African-American composers at Eliot Unitarian Chapel.

---

Eliot Unitarian Chapel presents a Friends of Music concert on Sunday, February 31, at 3 pm. The program will feature Robert McNichols, Jr., baritone, accompanied by Chris White, pianist, performing art songs and spirituals by African-American composers, including Margaret Bonds, Harry T. Burleigh and Florence Beatrice Price. The concert takes place at Eliot Unitarian Chapel is at 100 South Argonne in Kirkwood. For more information: fomcstl.org.

The Metropolitan Orchestra

The Metropolitan Orchestra performs on Sunday, March 31, at 7 p.m. The program includes Brahms's Concerto for Violin and Cello with violinist Julia Sakharova and cellist Kurt Baldwin, and Sibelius's Symphony No. 2. The concert takes place at First Presbyterian Church, 100 E. Adams in Kirkwood. For more information: metro-orch.org.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Opera Tastings on Saturday, March 30, at 7 pm. "Soprano Teresa Castillo, mezzo-soprano Rehanna Thelwell, tenor Edward Graves, and baritone Robert Mellon will perform operatic classics from The Marriage of Figaro, Carmen, and Porgy and Bess, among others. Pianist Timothy Cheung will accompany the singers. Each venue will present its own specifically crafted tasting menu created to accompany an intimate concert of arias and duets from across opera's rich history. Each musical selection is paired with wine, beer, spirits, small bites, or desserts, based on the inspiration of each venue's chef." The event, which features "artisan Mexican cuisine with a modern twist," takes place at Catrinas, 1207 Century Dr. in Edwardsville, IL. For more information: experienceopera.org.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Opera Tastings on Sunday, March 31, at 1 pm. "Soprano Teresa Castillo, mezzo-soprano Rehanna Thelwell, tenor Edward Graves, and baritone Robert Mellon will perform operatic classics from The Marriage of Figaro, Carmen, and Porgy and Bess, among others. Pianist Timothy Cheung will accompany the singers. Each venue will present its own specifically crafted tasting menu created to accompany an intimate concert of arias and duets from across opera's rich history. Each musical selection is paired with wine, beer, spirits, small bites, or desserts, based on the inspiration of each venue's chef." The event, which features "eclectic aria-inspired cuisine wine pairings from Ces & Judy's," takes place at The Venue at Maison du lac, 2603 Wild Plum Valley in Pacific, MO. For more information: experienceopera.org.

The Tallis Scholars

St. Louis Cathedral Concerts presents the a cappella ensemble The Tallis Scholars on Thursday, March 28, at 8 pm. "Known as leading performers of Renaissance sacred music, The Tallis Scholars have earned world-wide recognition as “a capella superstars”. The world-renowned group continues to develop their exclusive sounds, praised by reviewers for its supple clarity and tone, and brings fresh interpretation to music by contemporary as well as past composers." The performance takes place at The Cathedral Basilica on Lindell in the Central West End. For more information: cathedralconcerts.org.

Members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra perform Taxidermy, a program of contemporary percussion music, on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 26 and 27, at 7:30 pm. "Taxidermy showcases the SLSO's percussion section, with composer Caroline Shaw making flower pots sing, Juri Seo creating quirky tunes from tubes, Danny Clay demonstrating musical games for percussion instruments and Mayke Nas performing piano surgery. Injuries treated, the piano takes center stage for Missy Mazzoli's dream evocation of another time, another place, complete with video by Zlatko Cosic." The performances take place at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation on Washington in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Jakub Hrusa conducting the Bamberg Symphony
Photo by Andreas Herzau

Jakub Hrusa conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, along with violinist Karen Gomyo, Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, March 29-31. The program consists of a suite from Bartok's' ballet The Miraculous Mandarin, Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 9. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Sheldon Concert Hall presents St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster David Halen, along with members of the SLSO, in D-Day and the Formation of the United Nations on Wednesday, March 27, at 8 p.m. The concert features works by Aaron Copland's Violin Sonata and the original chamber orchestra version of his ballet Appalachian Spring. The Sheldon is at 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: thesheldon.org.

The Washington University Department of Music presents Charles Metz and Michael Pecak in Four-Handed Conversations, a program of fortepiano duos and duets by Haydn and Mozart, on Monday, March 25, at 7:30 p.m. The free event takes place in the Goldberg Formal Lounge in the Danforth Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, music.wustl.ed.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a senior song recital by Michelle Schrier on Sunday, March 31, at 1 pm. The concert features songs by Jason Robert Brown, Henry Purcell, and Stephen Sondheim, among others, and takes place at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.ed.