Jan. 07--Newberry Consort: Chicago's flagship early music ensemble presents "Le Roman de Fauvel," a satirical medieval tale, with music, about a donkey that rises to prominence in the French court. Performers include the Rookery Choir and consort co-directors David Douglass and Ellen Hargis. 8 p.m. Friday, Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton St.; 8 p.m. Saturday, Logan Center for the Arts, University of Chicago, 915 E. 60th St.; and 3 p.m. Sunday, Alice Millar Chapel, Northwestern University, 1870 Sheridan Road, Evanston; $35-$45; 773-669-7335, www.newberryconsort.org
Chicago Chamber Musicians Ensemble: The group continues its season with holds Brahms' Piano Quartet in G minor (Opus 25) and works for brass instruments. 7:30 p.m. Monday, Ganz Hall, Roosevelt University, 410 S. Michigan Ave.; $40; 847-521-8506, www.chicagochambermusiciansensemble.org
Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Before the orchestra departs for a three-week Asian tour, British conductor Jonathan Nott leads Brahms' "Academic Festival Overture," Richard Strauss' "Ein Heldenleben" and Haydn's C major Cello Concerto, with German cellist Johannes Moser as soloist. 1:30 p.m. Friday, 8 p.m. Saturday; $34-$221; Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-294-3000, www.cso.org
CSO Chamber All-Access: Bela Bartok's "Contrasts" and chamber works by Victoria Bond highlight a free program by Chicago Pro Musica. 3 p.m. Sunday, South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 S. South Shore Drive; 312-294-3000, www.cso.org
Placido Domingo and Ana Maria Martinez: Two beloved opera superstars of different generations join with the Lyric Opera Orchestra under Andrew Davis to present a concert of favorite operatic arias, duets and orchestral excerpts. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; $250-$525; 312-827-5600, www.lyricopera.org
Elgin Symphony Orchestra: Music director Andrew Grams will double as conductor and violinist for a program that traces a through-line from Bach's Third "Brandenburg" Concerto to Christopher Theofanidis' "Muse," via Mozart's Symphony No. 25. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Schaumburg Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg; 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin; $30 and up; 847-888-4000, www.elginsymphony.org
Lyric Opera of Chicago -- "Bel Canto": The opera by composer Jimmy Lopez and librettist Nilo Cruz, based on the best-selling novel by Ann Patchett, receives its world premiere performances, with soprano Danielle de Niese as a world-famous opera diva whose music soothes terrorists during a tense hostage crisis in Peru. Andrew Davis conducts, Kevin Newbury directs. Through Jan. 17, Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; $34-$239; 312-827-5600, www.lyricopera.org
Marion Consort: The Chicago early-music vocal ensemble explores sacred and secular polyphony of the medieval period. 4 p.m. Sunday, Byron Colby Barn, 1561 Jones Point Road, Grayslake; 847-543-1202, www.libertyprairie.org/earlymusic
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: Violinist-turned-conductor Pinchas Zukerman will be heard in both musical capacities when the eminent, London-based ensemble presents a program that includes Beethoven's Violin Concerto and Elgar's "Enigma" Variations. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St.; $35-$125; 312-334-7777, www.harristheaterchicago.org
Winter Chamber Music Festival: Northwestern University's 20th annual event will comprise seven concerts, through Feb. 7, featuring guest artists and ensembles, along with Bienen School of Music faculty musicians. For the kickoff concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, the Lincoln String Quartet will perform quartets by Haydn, Shostakovich and Brahms. At 7:30 p.m. Sunday, NU's quartet in residence, the Dover Quartet, plays quartets of Dvorak, Berg and Beethoven. Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston; $30, $10 for students; 847-467-4000, events.music.northwestern.edu
jvonrhein@tribpub.com
