February feels like the “New November”: concerts of real interest during the weekdays and too many great concerts during the weekends. Each week the BSO is doing an interesting program, each with different conductors. Happy Valentines Day!
By Susan Miron.
Ravel Operas. At the Boston Conservatory Theatre, 31 Hemenway Road, Boston, MA, February 2–5, 8 p.m., February 5, 2 p.m. The Boston Conservatory presents two charming Ravel operas, L’heure espagnol and L’enfant et les sortilèges. Sung in French with English surtitles.
Ina Zdorovetchi. At the First Church in Boston, 66 Marlboro Street, Boston, MA, February 2, 12:15 p.m. The brilliant harpist Ina Zdorovetchi in a solo recital. It should be a terrific program.
Chameleon Arts Ensemble. At the Goethe Institut, 170 Beacon St., Boston, MA, February 4, 8 p.m., February 5, 3 p.m. The always excellent Chameleon Arts Ensemble presents “by the north-wind sent,” a gathering of works by Sibelius, Grieg, Nielsen, and others.
George Li. At the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Calderwood Hall, Boston, MA, February 4, 1:30 p.m. The young powerhouse of a pianist, George Li, performs.
Wednesday Concert Series. At the Church of St. John Evangelist, 35 Bowdoin Street, Boston, MA, every Wednesday, 5:30 p.m, free.
February 8: Julian Drummond (piano) will perform works by J. S. Bach, Chopin, Grieg, Hadyn, and Mozart.
February 15: Tempus Continuum Ensemble will perform music for voice and oboe, featuring works by Barber, Harbison, Lucas, Strauss, and Stravinsky.
February 22: Jeffrey Mills (organ) will present “Out of the Depths: Music for Lent,” featuring works by J. S. Bach, Howells, et al.
February 29: Daria Janssen (cello) and Paul Jacobs (piano) will perform works by Beethoven, Schumann, and David C. Janssen.
NEC Philharmonia. At NEC’s Jordan Hall, Boston, MA, February 8, 8 p.m. The NEC Philharmonia and its conductor Hugh Wolff take on the Mozart Symphony no. 35, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4, and Shoshtakovich’s Symphony No. 1. A lot of music and all for free.
BSO, Zweden, and Ax. At Symphony Hall, Boston, MA, February 8 and 9, 8 p.m., February 10, 1:30 p.m. Dutch conductor Jaap van Zweden, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and pianist Emanuel Ax, a BSO perpetual favorite, perform Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and the gorgeous Symphony No. 2 by Rachmaninoff.
Ian Lindsey at the Rivers School, Weston, MA, on Saturday, Feb. 11 @ 7 p.m. The superb pianist performs Liszt Hungarian Rhapsodies # 10-19. Free and highly recommended.
The Game of Love. Presented by the Boston Camerata. At the First Lutheran Church, Boston, MA, February 12, 8 p.m. Anne Azéma and the instrumentalists and singers of The Boston Camerata celebrate Valentine’s Day with The Game of Love, songs and poems of medieval France.
Finckel, Han, and Setzer. Presented by the Celebrity Series. At NEC’s Jordan Hall, Boston, MA, February 19, 3 p.m. The Celebrity Series presents David Finckel, cello, Wu Han piano, and Philip Setzer in a program of Mendelssohn Piano Trios and Sonata #2 in D major. Mr. Finckel and Mr. Setzer have been together in the Emerson String Quartet for the better part of 30 years. Wu Han and Mr. Finckel are a duo of great power, both as members of a performing group and as artistic directors of the Lincoln Center Chamber Players and Music @ Menlo.
Dichterliebe by Schumann. Presented by Emmanuel Music. At Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury St, Boston, MA, February 19, 4 p.m. Emmanuel Music presents the legendary pianist Russell Sherman with tenor Frank Kelly performing Schumann’s Dichterliebe Op. 48. Seating is limited, but try to be there if you love Schumann’s vocal music. It should be one of the year’s best concerts.
Music for Food. At NEC’s Brown Hall, Boston, MA, February 20, 8 p.m. Music for Food is a terrific chamber music series made up of NEC faculty members led by the remarkable violist Kim Kashkashian. Please bring a donation of canned goods and/or cash or a check.All proceeds go to the Greater Boston Food Bank.
A Far Cry. At NEC’s Brown Hall, Boston, MA, February 24, 8 p.m. A Far Cry performs works by Shostakovich and Adams Shaker Loops.
Missa Solemnis by Beethoven. At Symphony Hall, Boston, MA, February 23, 8 p.m., February 24, 7 p.m., and February 25, 8 p.m. The Boston Symphony Orchestra, with conductor Kurt Masur, performs Beethoven’s majestic Missa Solemnis with Christine Brewer, soprano, and Michelle DeYoung, mezzo-soprano, and others, as well as the fabulous Tanglewood Festival Chorus.
The Borromeo String Quartet. At NEC’s Jordan Hall, Boston, MA, February 26, 8 p.m. The Borromeo String Quartet performs for free. That’s all you need to know.
Leave a Reply