Classical music’s end-of-season blowout in Colorado

Spring can be the slow time in classical music that part of the year when the major orchestras and opera companies are winding down and just before the big outdoor summer season starts up But this year presenters have saved selected of their best offerings for last The programs are promising and so are the performers with specific thought-provoking guest artists headed to town Here are six concerts to look out for The Colorado Symphony with Gabriela Montero April - Gabriela Montero is the soloist for the Colorado Symphony s performances of Tchaikovsky s Piano Concerto No set for April - Photo provided by the Colorado Symphony The Colorado Symphony s late April offering has two things going for it a thoughtful effort and an exciting guest soloist The music is classic Russian and includes both Tchaikovsky s beloved Piano Concerto No which will feature Gabriela Montero center stage and Shostakovich s adventurous Symphony No a less-performed composition he wrote as a tribute to the country s revolution The pieces go well together Montero is an in-demand pianist these days but she s also known for her work as a recording artist mentor composer and human rights advocate raising awareness about issues in her native Venezuela This is the kind of initiative full of both romance and drama that orchestra conductor Peter Oundjian handles with finesse and a deep understanding of the music He will be all in Where Boettcher Concert Hall in the Denver Center downtown Info - - or coloradosymphony org The Marriage of Figaro The Met in HD April It is easy to take the Metropolitan Opera s broadcasts to movie theaters for granted the company has been beaming productions from New York City since but sometimes a initiative comes along that reminds opera fans just how special it is to see singers performing live on stage when anything can happen and to remember they are part of a global audience spanning continents that is having the same experience at the same moment in whatever time zone they live This production of The Marriage of Figaro is promising because it is of full career-making Met debuts including for bass-baritone Michael Sumuel and soprano Olga Kulchynska who take lead roles and for conductor Joana Mallwitz who makes her first appearance on the podium Federica Lombardi will sing the crucial part of Countess Almaviva and opera star Julia Bullock will serve as broadcast host doing the intros and the live singer interviews that take place between acts Remember this event starts early locally at a m Where movie theaters across the Front Range check the website for locations Info fathomentertainment com Fire and Fiesta with La Diva Dia Boulder Opera May Boulder Opera Company will present Fire and Fiesta a one-night-only concert featuring Spanish mezzo-soprano Dianela Acosta on May Photo provided by Boulder Opera Company Boulder Opera has put together a light one-night-only campaign for spring with the inviting title of Fire and Fiesta with La Diva Dia The diva on display will be Spanish mezzo-soprano Dianela Acosta a local favorite and the concert will feature Latin composers such as Ernesto Lecuona and Rafael Guastavino while also raising money for a future opera venue in Boulder The show has an and friends tag to it so expect a handful of guest artists to join the party Pianist Fernanda Nieto is the featured accompanist The venue is a bit atypical for classical music the Roots Music Project the nonprofit theater that brings a diverse lineup of performers to the city Where Roots Music Projects Pearl St Boulder Info boulderoperacompany com Mir Quartet with Steven Banks May Steven Banks is featured on a operation presented by Friends of Chamber Music on May He will perform with The Mir Quartet Photo provided by Friends of Chamber Music Denver s Friend of Chamber Music has been bringing classical to Colorado for a half-century now but its May concert is right on the cutting edge of the genre featuring a collaboration between the Mir Quartet and saxophonist Steven Banks No ensemble is better known in classical circles than this quartet which has been performing and innovating for years The ensemble is based in Austin but travels the globe leading the field with creative programs that keeps audiences on their toes Banks is that rare thing a classical saxophonist whose playing and composing put his instrument center stage in a genre that more often looks for pianos and violins to bring audiences to the theater At he is the future of classical See the concert in person or purchase live-stream tickets on the website Where Newman Center E Iliff Ave Info newmantix com Il Trovatore in Concert April and May Alexandra LoBianco joins fellow cast members in both a staged version of Il Trovatore and a separate activity of well-known opera favorites Provided by Colorado Opera Opera Colorado is closing out this season with two innovative programs The first is a staged version of Il Trovatore which trims sets adds narration and scales Verdi s masterpiece down to a brisk audience-friendly minutes The second is a concert billed as Opera s Greatest Hits which features a lineup of hummable arias from Carmen La Traviata Macbeth and other well-known works Here s the fascinating part Opera Colorado is using the same cast for both offerings so there is specific market system for the company when it comes to putting on the show Ticket prices start at The singers include soprano Alexandra LoBianco mezzo-soprano Deborah Nansteel baritone Ricardo Jos Rivera and bass Young Bok Kim Marcia Ragonetti a regular on Colorado concert stages will do the narration Both events are good choices for opera newcomers The serenading will be swell and the mood should be light Where Ellie Caulkins Opera House in the Denver Center downtown Info operacolorado org Subscribe to our weekly newsletter In The Know to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox