Critic’s Choice

Wed Feb 19, 2020 at 2:15 pm

By Lawrence A. Johnson

J. Lawrie Bloom. Photo: Todd Rosenberg

How often does one get to hear a concerto for bass clarinet in its world premiere? Or for that matter a bass clarinet concerto at all?

That rare event will take place beginning Thursday night when J. Lawrie Bloom debuts Nicolas Bacri’s concerto, Ophelia’s Tears, with his Chicago Symphony Orchestra colleagues, conducted by Riccardo Muti. The balance of the program will continue this season’s Beethoven cycle, with Muti leading performances of the Second and Fifth Symphonies. Concerts are 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. cso.org; 312-294-3000.

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Who hasn’t wanted to see two opera divas duel to the death? I know I have.

There will be no fatalities, hopefully, when Jane Glover leads Music of the Baroque in a whimsical program titled “Rival Divas.” Inspired by the intense public competition between celebrated 18th-century female singers, the program will feature sopranos Susanna Phillips and Jane Archibald as vying divas in rare Handel arias and duets (from Alessandro, Admeto, and Tolomeo), less rare Mozart arias, and a nearly complete performance of Mozart’s comic singspiel Der Schauspieldirektor (The Impresario). Performances are 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie and 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Harris Theater. baroque.org; 312-551-1414

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