Dec. 04--Featured pick: Rembrandt Chamber Players: This season's "Holiday Baroque" program holds a Boccherini flute quintet, Bach's "Wedding" Cantata and Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons." Guest artists are soprano Josefien Stoppelenburg and violinists David Perry, Kathleen Brauer and Sheila Hanford. 3 p.m. Sunday, Alice Millar Chapel, 1870 Sheridan Road, Evanston; $35; 312-360-3145, rembrandtchamberplayers.org
Apollo Chorus of Chicago: Stephen Alltop directs a beloved yuletide tradition for most of the choir's 135-year existence -- Handel's "Messiah," with orchestra and vocal soloists. 3 p.m. Saturday, Orchestra Hall, 220 S. Michigan Ave. (repeated Dec. 20 at Harris Theater for Music and Dance); $18-$80; 312-427-5620, 312-294-3000
Ars Viva Symphony Orchestra: Alan Heatherington leads an all-Beethoven concert including the Fourth Symphony and Piano Concerto No. 4, with Alon Goldstein as soloist. 3 p.m. Sunday, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie; $30-$75; 855-277-8482, arsviva.org
Chicago a cappella: The classical vocal ensemble expands its popular "Holidays a cappella" concert series to six Chicago-area venues. Guest music director Paul Nicholson will lead a potpourri of Christmas carols, spirituals, Hanukkah songs and more. 8 p.m. Friday, St. Michael Catholic Church, 310 S. Wheaton Ave, Wheaton; 8 p.m. Saturday, St. Clement Church, 642 W. Deming Place; and 4 p.m. Sunday, Pilgrim Congregational Church, 460 Lake St., Oak Park (repeated Dec. 12-13 in Chicago, Dec. 20 in Evanston); 773-281-7820, chicagoacappella.org
Chicago Chamber Orchestra: Cabaret singers Beckie Menzie and Tom Michael join the group for a holiday pops concert. 3 p.m. Sunday, Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut St.; $30-$35; chicagochamberorch.org
Chicago Children's Choir and Sphinx Virtuosi: The youthful ensembles collaborate for the first time in a holiday concert. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St.; $10-$50; 312-334-7777, harristheaterchicago.org
Chicago Choral Artists: Michael D. Costello directs "A Candlelight Christmas," seasonal music for choir, strings and oboe. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Augustana Lutheran Church, 5500 S. Woodlawn Ave.; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Catholic Bishop of Chicago, St. Sylvester Parish, 2915 W. Palmer St.; and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Grace Lutheran Church, 7300 Division St., River Forest; $20, $15 for seniors; 773-658-9799, chicagochoralartists.org
Chicago Symphony Orchestra: German conductor Ingo Metzmacher returns to lead an all-Russian program that includes Stravinsky's "Petrushka" and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 11; 8 p.m. Saturday and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday; $29-$216. Beethoven's Seventh Symphony shares the program with Haydn's Symphony No. 93 and Richard Strauss' "Don Juan" under the baton of guest conductor Manfred Honeck; 8 p.m. Thursday (repeated Dec. 12-16); $33-$249. Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-294-3000, cso.org
DuPage Chorale: Lee R. Kesselman directs the chorus and orchestra in inspirational works by Vivaldi, Ola Gjeilo and others. 7:30 p.m. Sunday at McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn; $16, $14 for seniors; 630-942-4000, atthemac.org
Evanston Symphony: Joining the orchestra's annual holiday concert will be the North Shore Choral Society, Elements Contemporary Ballet, Evanston Children's Choir and Evanston Dance Ensemble. 3 p.m. Sunday, Evanston Township High School, 1600 Dodge Ave., Evanston; $25-$40; 847-864-8804, evanstonsymphony.org
Fifth House Ensemble: The group's third annual holiday concert will benefit its educational programs in the Chicago public schools. 7 p.m. Saturday, Constellation Chicago, 3111 N. Western Ave.; $12-$15; 773-797-2030, fifth-house.com
Latino Music Festival: This year's edition concludes with "GlamourTango," a music and dance celebration of women in tango. 7 p.m. Saturday, Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave.; $25-$35; 773-935-6875, athenaeumtheatre.org
Lakeside Singers: The a cappella group toasts the season with carols from England, Italy and Slovenia, along with music of Haydn and Morten Lauridsen. 8 p.m. Friday, Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston; and 8 p.m. Monday, Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell, Arlington Heights (repeated Dec. 19 in Chicago and Dec. 20 in Naperville); $35, $25 for seniors; lakesidesingers.com
Lyric Opera -- "Anna Bolena": Lyric's new production of Donizetti's bel canto masterpiece features Sondra Radvanovsky as the doomed queen Anne Boleyn, Jamie Barton as Jane Seymour and John Relyea as Henry VIII. Patrick Summers conducts, Kevin Newbury directs. Opens Saturday and runs through Jan. 16 at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; $34-$244; $20-$40 children; 312-827-5600, lyricopera.org.
Lyric Opera of Chicago -- "Porgy and Bess": Catfish Row comes alive in Francesca Zambello's compelling production of the Gershwins' iconic American opera. Ward Stare conducts, with Eric Owens and Adina Aaron in the title roles. Through Dec. 20, Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; $34-$244; 312-827-5600, lyricopera.org
Ravinia BGH Classics: The series' holiday salute continues with "The Mike Toomey Christmas Special." 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Bennett Gordon Hall, Ravinia, Green Bay and Lake-Cook roads, Highland Park; $10; 847-266-5100, ravinia.org
St. Charles Singers: Jeffrey Hunt directs the 31st edition of "Candlelight Carols," a yuletide program spanning the Renaissance to contemporary Christmas fare. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut St.; 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday, Baker Memorial United Methodist Church, 307 Cedar Ave., St. Charles; $30, $25 for seniors; 630-513-5272, stcharlessingers.com
VOX 3 Collective: The Chicago vocal ensemble celebrates the season with a program of Baroque cantatas. 4 p.m. Sunday, Byron Colby Barn at Prairie Crossing, 1561 Jones Point Road, Grayslake; $18; libertyprairie.org/earlymusic
William Ferris Chorale: The chorus' Christmas program, "Now Make We Mirth," includes favorite carols and rare gems, including the U.S. premiere of John Joubert's "Five Songs of Incarnation." Paul French conducts. 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Madonna Della Strada Chapel, Loyola University, 1032 W. Sheridan Road (repeated Dec. 13 in Chicago and Dec. 14 in La Grange); $25-$30; 773-508-2940, williamferrischorale.org
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