Classical Music Agenda (November 2014)

One of my pet peeves about planning the month's review schedule is the occasional pile-up of Concerts Not to Be Missed. Concerts or operas with a string of performances allow some flexibility in the calendar, but occasionally, as in November, there are days where I need to bi- or trilocate. Choices, choices!

Bach, Well-Tempered Clavier, P.-L. Aimard (DG, 2014)

CONFLICTS:
November 7 is one of those evenings, when the free recital by pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard at the Library of Congress (November 7, 8 pm) will probably win out. At the same time, it galls me to have to miss the latest appearance of another Ionarts favorite, the Quatuor Ébène, on the Fortas series at the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater (November 7, 7:30 pm) and the only area performance by the Martha Graham Dance Company, at the GMU Center for the Arts (November 7, 8 pm).
[See review]

Most people would see a conflict on the following day, too, with the recital by pianist Beatrice Rana at the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater, presented by Washington Performing Arts (November 8, 2 pm) in the afternoon, and the concert by the Academy of Ancient Music, performing all four of Bach's orchestral suites in the Music Center at Strathmore (November 8, 8 pm), in the evening. Because I am an addict, I will probably just go to both.
[See review: Beatrice Rana | Academy of Ancient Music]

OTHER ORCHESTRAS:
Two great orchestras visit Washington in November, beginning with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, presented by Washington Performing Arts in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall (November 5). Nikolaj Znaider will be featured in Mendelssohn's evergreen violin concerto, but the real draw is Riccardo Chailly conducting Bruckner's seventh symphony. Another great conductor, Jiří Bělohlávek, leads another great orchestra, the Czech Philharmonic, in Janáček's Taras Bulba and Dvořák's ninth symphony, plus pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet in Liszt's second piano concerto. This concert takes place at the GMU Center for the Arts (November 14).
[See review: Leipzig Gewandhaus | Czech Philharmonic]

Dvořák, Complete Symphonies and Concertos, Czech Philharmonic, J. Bělohlávek (Decca, 2014)

The concert by a local band we most want to hear is a program by the National Symphony Orchestra (November 20 to 22), featuring guest conductor Rossen Milanov. The program combines the suite of Stravinsky's music from The Firebird with Ferruccio Busoni's mammoth piano concerto, with Garrick Ohlsson as soloist and the male chorus sung by the Washington Men's Camerata.
[See review]

ALSO:
The delightful Salzburg Marionette Theater returns to Washington for a performance with pianist Orion Weiss, presented by Washington Performing Arts at the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater (November 11). The program is anchored on Debussy's La boîte à joujoux.
[See review]

Washington National Opera offers another year of its American Opera Initiative, with the performance of three new 20-minute operas in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater (November 21). This year the new works will be The Investment by John Liberatore and Niloufar Talebi, Daughters of the Bloody Duke by Jake Runestad and David Johnston, and An American Man by Rene Orth and Jason Kim.

The rest of the calendar follows after the jump.

COMPLETE CALENDAR:
Last month | Next monthClassical Month in Washington is a monthly feature. If there are concerts you would like to see included on our schedule, send your suggestions by e-mail (ionarts at gmail dot com). Happy listening!

November 1, 2014 (Sat)
11 am and 1:30 pm
NSO Kinderclassics: Musical Opposites
Kennedy Center Family Theater

November 1, 2014 (Sat)
7 pm
Puccini, La Bohème
Washington National Opera
Kennedy Center Opera House

November 1, 2014 (Sat)
7:30 pm
Windsbach Boys Choir
Classical Movements
Church of the Epiphany

November 1, 2014 (Sat)
7:30 pm
Massenet, Cendrillon
Opera Bel Cantanti
JCCGW (Rockville, Md.)

November 1, 2014 (Sat)
8 pm
National Symphony Orchestra
With Midori, violin
Music by Schumann, Mendelssohn, Mozart
Kennedy Center Concert Hall

November 1, 2014 (Sat)
8 pm
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
With Hannu Lintu (conductor) and Conrad Tao (piano)
Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (Baltimore, Md.)

November 1, 2014 (Sat)
8 pm
National Philharmonic
Mozart, Requiem
Music Center at Strathmore

November 2, 2014 (Sun)
2 pm
Puccini, La Bohème
Washington National Opera
Kennedy Center Opera House

November 2, 2014 (Sun)
3 pm
Washington Bach Consort
Bach, Das Orgelbüchlein
National Presbyterian Church

November 2, 2014 (Sun)
3 pm
National Philharmonic
Mozart, Requiem
Music Center at Strathmore

November 2, 2014 (Sun)
4 pm
Choral Arts Society of Washington
J.S. Bach, Mass in B Minor
Kennedy Center Concert Hall

November 2, 2014 (Sun)
4 pm
Sumi Hwang, soprano
Phillips Collection

November 2, 2014 (Sun)
7 pm
Minguet Quartett with Andreas Klein, piano
Friends of Music
Dumbarton Oaks

November 2, 2014 (Sun)
7 pm
GMU University Singers and Chorale
GMU Harris Theater

November 2, 2014 (Sun)
7:30 pm
Weilerstein Trio
Music by Schumann, Shostakovich
JCCGW (Rockville, Md.)

November 3, 2014 (Mon)
7:30 pm
China National Center for the Performing Arts Orchestra
With Yuja Wang, piano
Kennedy Center Concert Hall

November 3, 2014 (Mon)
8 pm
TEMPO Concert [FREE]
Clarice Smith Center

November 3, 2014 (Mon)
8 pm
Minguet Quartett with Andreas Klein, piano
Friends of Music
Dumbarton Oaks

November 4, 2014 (Tue)
12:10 pm
Noontime Cantata: Ihr Tore zu Zion, BWV 193 [FREE]
Washington Bach Consort
Church of the Epiphany

November 4, 2014 (Tue)
7:30 pm
Puccini, La Bohème
Washington National Opera
Kennedy Center Opera House

November 5, 2014 (Wed)
7:30 pm
Avanti Orchestra
Friday Morning Music Club
Kennedy Center Terrace Theater

November 5, 2014 (Wed)
7:30 pm
Puccini, La Bohème
Washington National Opera
Kennedy Center Opera House

November 5, 2014 (Wed)
8 pm
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra
With Riccardo Chailly, Nikolaj Znaider (violin)
Washington Performing Arts
Kennedy Center Concert Hall

November 6, 2014 (Thu)
7 pm
National Symphony Orchestra
With Claudio Bohórquez, cello
Kennedy Center Concert Hall

November 6, 2014 (Thu)
7:30 pm
Pretty Yende, soprano
Vocal Arts D.C.
Kennedy Center Terrace Theater

November 6, 2014 (Thu)
8 pm
Vijay Ijer
With Miranda Cuckson and friends
Music Center at Strathmore

November 7, 2014 (Fri)
7:30 pm
Quatuor Ébène
Fortas Chamber Music Concerts
Kennedy Center Terrace Theater

November 7, 2014 (Fri)
7:30 pm
CUA Chamber Choir
Catholic University, St. Vincent de Paul Chapel

November 7, 2014 (Fri)
7:30 pm
Puccini, La Bohème
Washington National Opera
Kennedy Center Opera House

November 7, 2014 (Fri)
7:30 pm
Puccini, Madama Butterfly
Lyric Opera of Baltimore

November 7, 2014 (Fri)
8 pm
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano [FREE]
Library of Congress

November 7, 2014 (Fri)
8 pm
National Symphony Orchestra
With Claudio Bohórquez, cello
Kennedy Center Concert Hall

November 7, 2014 (Fri)
8 pm
UMd Wind Orchestra
Clarice Smith Center

November 7, 2014 (Fri)
8 pm
Martha Graham Dance Company
GMU Center for the Arts

November 8, 2014 (Sat)
2 pm
Beatrice Rana, piano
Washington Performing Arts
Kennedy Center Terrace Theater

November 8, 2014 (Sat)
3 pm
Calidor String Quartet [FREE]
Carver Center for Arts and Technology (Towson, Md.)

November 8, 2014 (Sat)
7 pm
Puccini, La Bohème
Washington National Opera
Kennedy Center Opera House

November 8, 2014 (Sat)
8 pm
Academy of Ancient Music
Bach, Orchestral Suites
Music Center at Strathmore

November 8, 2014 (Sat)
8 pm
Ying Quartet
Kreeger Museum

November 8, 2014 (Sat)
8 pm
National Symphony Orchestra
With Claudio Bohórquez, cello
Kennedy Center Concert Hall

November 8, 2014 (Sat)
8 pm
Abraham in Motion (A.I.M.)
Modern dance, music by Nico Muhly
Clarice Smith Center

November 8, 2014 (Sat)
8 pm
Fairfax Symphony Orchestra
GMU Center for the Arts

November 8, 2014 (Sat)
8 pm
Maya Beiser, cello
Washington Performing Arts
Sixth and I Historic Synagogue

November 9, 2014 (Sun)
2 pm
Puccini, La Bohème
Washington National Opera
Kennedy Center Opera House

November 9, 2014 (Sun)
2 pm
Yehoshua Redfern, cantor
Clarice Smith Center

November 9, 2014 (Sun)
3 pm
Puccini, Madama Butterfly
Lyric Opera of Baltimore

November 9, 2014 (Sun)
3 pm
Smithsonian Chamber Players [FREE]
Smithsonian American Art Museum

November 9, 2014 (Sun)
4 pm
CUA Symphony Orchestra
Catholic University, Hartke Theater

November 9, 2014 (Sun)
4 pm
Torleif Thedéen, cello
Phillips Collection

November 9, 2014 (Sun)
5 pm
Ensemble da Camera of Washington
The Lyceum (Alexandria, Va.)

November 9, 2014 (Sun)
6:30 pm
Francisco Bernier, guitar [FREE]
National Gallery of Art

November 9, 2014 (Sun)
7 pm
Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel
Bach, Beethoven, Bartok
GMU Center for the Arts

November 10, 2014 (Mon)
7 pm
Puccini, La Bohème
Washington National Opera
Kennedy Center Opera House

November 11, 2014 (Tue)
12:10 pm
Rebecca Collaros (flute) and Matt Van Hoose (piano) [FREE]
Church of the Epiphany

November 11, 2014 (Tue)
7:30 pm
Orion Weiss, piano
With the Salzburg Marionettes
Washington Performing Arts
Kennedy Center Terrace Theater

November 12, 2014 (Wed)
7:30 pm
Puccini, La Bohème
Washington National Opera
Kennedy Center Opera House

November 13, 2014 (Thu)
7 pm
National Symphony Orchestra
Music by Stravinsky, Mozart
Kennedy Center Concert Hall

November 13, 2014 (Thu)
7:30 pm
UMd Faculty Dance Concert
Clarice Smith Center

November 13, 2014 (Thu)
7:30 pm
Puccini, La Bohème
Washington National Opera
Kennedy Center Opera House

November 13, 2014 (Thu)
7:30 pm
Christina and Michelle Naughton, pianos
Kennedy Center Terrace Theater

November 13, 2014 (Thu)
8 pm
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
With Boris Giltburg, piano
Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (Baltimore, Md.)

November 13, 2014 (Thu)
8 pm
Mason Wind Symphony
GMU Center for the Arts

November 14, 2014 (Fri)
7:30 pm
Puccini, La Bohème
Young Artists Performance
Washington National Opera
Kennedy Center Opera House

November 14, 2014 (Fri)
7:30 pm
UMd Faculty Dance Concert
Clarice Smith Center

November 14, 2014 (Fri)
7:30 pm
CUA Composition Program Recital
Catholic University, School of Music

November 14, 2014 (Fri)
7:30 pm
Nanae Iwata (violin) and Mariko Furukawa (piano)
Embassy Series
Japanese Ambassador's Residence

November 14, 2014 (Fri)
8 pm
Czech Philharmonic
With Jean-Yves Thibaudet (piano), Jiří Bělohlávek (conductor)
Music by Janáček, Liszt, Dvořák
GMU Center for the Arts

November 14, 2014 (Fri)
8 pm
Brahms, German Requiem
UMd Symphony Orchestra, UMd Concert Choir
Clarice Smith Center

November 14, 2014 (Fri)
8 pm
National Symphony Orchestra
Beyond the Score: Stravinsky, Rite of Spring
Kennedy Center Concert Hall

November 14, 2014 (Fri)
8:15 pm
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Off the Cuff: Shostakovich 5
Music Center at Strathmore

November 15, 2014 (Sat)
1:30 and 7 pm
Puccini, La Bohème
Washington National Opera
Kennedy Center Opera House

November 15, 2014 (Sat)
4 pm
Amadeus Strings with Josef Špaček (violin)
Saint Francis Church (Great Falls, Va.)

November 15, 2014 (Sat)
7 pm
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Off the Cuff: Shostakovich 5
Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (Baltimore, Md.)

November 15, 2014 (Sat)
8 pm
National Symphony Orchestra
Music by Stravinsky, Mozart
Kennedy Center Concert Hall

November 15, 2014 (Sat)
8 pm
David Finckel (cello) and Wu Han (piano)
Candlelight Concert Society

November 15, 2014 (Sat)
8 pm
PostClassical Ensemble
Dumbarton Concerts

November 16, 2014 (Sun)
2 pm
Kennedy Center Chamber Players
With Esther Oh, soprano
Songs by Schubert, Spohr
Kennedy Center Terrace Theater

November 16, 2014 (Sun)
3 pm
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
With Boris Giltburg, piano
Music Center at Strathmore

November 16, 2014 (Sun)
3 pm
Fall Choral Showcase [FREE]
Clarice Smith Center

November 16, 2014 (Sun)
3 and 7:30 pm
UMd Faculty Dance Concert
Clarice Smith Center

November 16, 2014 (Sun)
3:30 pm
NGA New Music Ensemble [FREE]
National Gallery of Art

November 16, 2014 (Sun)
4 pm
Leon McCawley, piano
Phillips Collection

November 16, 2014 (Sun)
5 pm
Washington Chorus
Beethoven, Missa Solemnis
Kennedy Center Concert Hall

November 16, 2014 (Sun)
5:30 pm
Danielle de Niese (soprano) and Cameron Stowe (piano)
Shriver Hall (Baltimore, Md.)

November 17, 2014 (Mon)
7 pm
Chamber Music Showcase [FREE]
Clarice Smith Center

November 18, 2014 (Tue)
12:10 pm
Mickey Thomas Terry, organ [FREE]
Church of the Epiphany

November 19, 2014 (Wed)
5:30 pm
Chamber Music Showcase [FREE]
Clarice Smith Center

November 20, 2014 (Thu)
1:30 pm
Bach Cantata Series [FREE]
Clarice Smith Center

November 20, 2014 (Thu)
7 pm
National Symphony Orchestra
With Rossen Milanov (conductor), Garrick Ohlsson (piano)
Music by Stravinsky, Busoni
Kennedy Center Concert Hall

November 20, 2014 (Thu)
7:30 pm
Floyd, Susannah
Catholic University, School of Music

November 20, 2014 (Thu)
7:30 pm
Ariel Quartet
Embassy Series

November 21, 2014 (Fri)
7:30 pm
Mozart, Così fan tutte
Maryland Opera Studio
Clarice Smith Center

November 21, 2014 (Fri)
7:30 pm
Floyd, Susannah
Catholic University, School of Music

November 21, 2014 (Fri)
7:30 pm
American Opera Initiative: Three 20-Minute Operas
Washington National Opera
Kennedy Center Terrace Theater

November 21, 2014 (Fri)
8 pm
National Symphony Orchestra
With Rossen Milanov (conductor), Garrick Ohlsson (piano)
Music by Stravinsky, Busoni
Kennedy Center Concert Hall

November 21, 2014 (Fri)
8 pm
Ensemble Caprice [FREE]
Library of Congress

November 21, 2014 (Fri)
8 pm
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
With Jennifer Johnson Cano, mezzo-soprano
Music by Bernstein, Beethoven
Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (Baltimore, Md.)

November 21, 2014 (Fri)
8 pm
UMd Wind Orchestra: Fanfare, Fugue, Fiestas [FREE]
Clarice Smith Center

November 22, 2014 (Sat)
7:30 pm
Floyd, Susannah
Catholic University, School of Music

November 22, 2014 (Sat)
7:30 pm
Smithsonian Chamber Music Society
Smithsonian Castle Commons

November 22, 2014 (Sat)
8 pm
National Symphony Orchestra
With Rossen Milanov (conductor), Garrick Ohlsson (piano)
Music by Stravinsky, Busoni
Kennedy Center Concert Hall

November 22, 2014 (Sat)
8 pm
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
With Jennifer Johnson Cano, mezzo-soprano
Music by Bernstein, Beethoven
Music Center at Strathmore

November 22, 2014 (Sat)
8 pm
Calder Quartet
Music by Adès, Britten, Beethoven
Clarice Smith Center

November 23, 2014 (Sun)
2 pm
Floyd, Susannah
Catholic University, School of Music

November 23, 2014 (Sun)
3 pm
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
With Jennifer Johnson Cano, mezzo-soprano
Music by Bernstein, Beethoven
Meyerhoff Symphony Hall (Baltimore, Md.)

November 23, 2014 (Sun)
3 pm
Mozart, Così fan tutte
Maryland Opera Studio
Clarice Smith Center

November 23, 2014 (Sun)
3 pm
Eclipse Chamber Orchestra
George Washington Masonic Memorial (Alexandria, Va.)

November 23, 2014 (Sun)
6:30 pm
Ciompi String Quartet [FREE]
National Gallery of Art

November 23, 2014 (Sun)
7 pm
Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin
With the Mutter Virtuosi
Washington Performing Arts
Kennedy Center Concert Hall

November 23, 2014 (Sun)
7:30 pm
Trio Con Brio Copenhagen with Ettore Causa, viola
JCCGW (Rockville, Md.)

November 23, 2014 (Sun)
7:30 pm
Smithsonian Chamber Music Society
Smithsonian Castle Commons

November 24, 2014 (Mon)
7:30 pm
Mozart, Così fan tutte
Maryland Opera Studio
Clarice Smith Center

November 25, 2014 (Tue)
12:10 pm
Mitchell Bush, piano [FREE]
Church of the Epiphany

November 25, 2014 (Tue)
1 pm
Washington Piano Society
Holiday Park Community Center (Wheaton, Md.)

November 25, 2014 (Tue)
7:30 pm
Mozart, Così fan tutte
Maryland Opera Studio
Clarice Smith Center

November 28, 2014 (Fri)
7:30 pm
Suzanne Farrell Ballet
Kennedy Center Opera House

November 29, 2014 (Sat)
1:30 and 7:30 pm
Suzanne Farrell Ballet
Kennedy Center Opera House

November 29, 2014 (Sat)
7:30 pm
Chanticleer (Christmas concert)
St. John's, Georgetown Parish

November 29, 2014 (Sat)
8 pm
Seraphic Fire
Carols by Candlelight
GMU Center for the Arts

November 30, 2014 (Sun)
1:30 pm
Suzanne Farrell Ballet
Kennedy Center Opera House

November 30, 2014 (Sun)
3 pm
Theresa Cigan and Paul Cigan, clarinet
Myriam Avalos Teie, piano [FREE]
The Lyceum (Alexandria, Va.)

November 30, 2014 (Sun)
3:30 pm
Carolyn Enger, piano [FREE]
National Gallery of Art

November 30, 2014 (Sun)
4 pm
Jun Hwi Cho, piano
Phillips Collection