Concert venues in Atlanta this fall will resound with the strains of classical music from beloved classics to hidden gems performed for the very first time in the city. The action centers on Symphony Hall and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s 2017-18 season, but many other venues are hosting performances that promise to rank among the most intriguing and talked about classical concerts of the year. Below are our picks for don’t-miss classical performances of the upcoming fall season:
20 Celebrate 20. Marking the 20th year of a musical group is a pretty special occasion, and when the 20 musicians of the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra gather this fall to celebrate the 20th birthday of their outstanding early classical music ensemble, it's bound to be an evening that's not to be missed. Artistic Director Julie Andrijeski will conduct the musicians on period instruments performing some of the era's most enduring and beloved classics including Handel's Water Music and Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. III. The orchestra will offer the celebratory program in two performances at two venues. Sept. 29, The Cathedral of St. Philip, 2744 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta. Sept. 30, St. David's Episcopal Church, 1015 Old Roswell Road, Roswell. $10-$30. www.atlantabaroque.org
Verdi's 'Otello.' Tenor Russell Thomas has developed international fame for his performances on the world's great stages in numerous roles across the Italian repertoire, but the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra concert performance of Verdi's masterpiece "Otello" will mark his debut in the title role. The famed singer, an Atlanta resident since 2008, made memorable appearances with the ASO as Pinkerton in the 2011 concert performance of "Madama Butterfly" and as the Prince in John Adams' "A Flowering Tree" in 2012, in addition to being the ASO's first Artist in Residence for the 2014-15 season. His initial foray into one of the most daunting and monumental of operatic roles under the baton of Music Director Robert Spano is certain to be one of the highlights of the season. October 7 and 10. Symphony Hall, 1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. $22-$97. www.atlantasymphony.org
Sir András Schiff. Any opportunity to hear a performance by the Hungarian-born British classical pianist and conductor András Schiff, knighted in 2014, is not to be missed. The famed musician performs a program of Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Brahms and Bach in the flawless acoustic environment of Clayton State University's Spivey Hall. Oct. 27. Spivey Hall, 2000 Clayton State Blvd., Morrow. $75. www.clayton.edu/spiveyhall
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