Critic’s Choice
Riccardo Muti returns this week to lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in the music director’s first local concerts since early December. (Muti cancelled his February CSO appearances after hip surgery following a fall at his home in Italy.)
In his three April residency weeks, Muti will mark this month’s 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death with several works inspired by the Bard of Avon’s plays.
First up this week is Roméo et Juliette, Hector Berlioz’s epic symphonie dramatique for orchestra, chorus and soloists. The CSO has assembled an impressive lineup for these concerts, including mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova, tenor Paul Groves, and bass Dmitry Belosselskiy.
Performances are 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. cso.org; 312-294-3000
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The Artemis Quartet makes its belated Chicago debut Friday night in the University of Chicago Presents series. Following the death of the German ensemble’s violist Friedemann Weigle last year, this concert will feature its new member, Chicago native Anthea Kreston.
The program will feature Wolf’s Italian Serenade, Janácek’s String Quartet No. 1 (“Kreutzer Sonata”) and Beethoven’s “Razumovsky” String Quartet in F major, Op. 59, no. 1. Concert time is 7:30 p.m. Friday at Mandel Hall. chicagopresents.uchicago.edu; 773-702-8068.
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