Virginia Arts Festival 2010

An all-Chopin recital by the eminent pianist Maurizio Pollini, a new production of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass and chamber-music programs by the Orion and Cavani string quartets, cellist Alisa Weilerstein and pianist André-Michel Schub highlight the classical offerings of this year’s Virginia Arts Festival.

The festival, staged in southeastern Virginia venues from Williamsburg to Virginia Beach from April 15-June 6, also will feature dance attractions, including the Royal Birmingham Ballet in Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake,” the Richmond Ballet and the Garth Fagan and Pilobolus modern-dance troupes; theater productions; jazz and world-music programs; and the Virginia International Tattoo of military bands.

For a complete schedule of Virginia Arts Festival events, visit http://www.vafest.org/ For ticket information, visit the website or call (800) 982-2787 (Ticketmaster).

The festival’s classical-music events:

April 16 (8 p.m., TCC Roper Performing Arts Center, Norfolk) – Anoushka Shankar, sitar. Indian classical pieces TBA. ($30-$40)

April 16 (8 p.m., Christ & St. Luke’s Epicopal Church, Norfolk) – Isabelle Demers, organ. Program TBA. ($25)

April 19 (8 p.m., Chandler Hall, Diehn Arts Center, Old Dominion University, Norfolk) – Trio Mediaeval. Program TBA. ($15)

April 23-24 (8 p.m., Chrysler Hall, Norfolk) – Virginia Symphony, JoAnn Falletta conducting. Bernstein: Mass (new production, incoporating music by Paul Simon and Stephen Schwartz) (Virginia Symphony Chorus, Robert Shoup directing; Virginia Children’s Chorus, Carol Thomas Downing directing; Todd Rosenlieb Dance; John McVeigh, celebrant; Pamela Berlin, director). ($25-$55)

April 27 (10:30 a.m., Ohef Shalom Temple, Norfolk) – Quartet New Generation. Fulvio Caldini: “Beata viscera;” Caldini: “Clockwork” Toccata; Frescobaldi: “Ricercar quarto, sopra mi-re-fa-mi;” Paul Moravec: “Mortal Flesh;” Handel: Fugue IV from “Six Figures” for harpsichord; Wojtek Blecharz: “Airlines;” Bach: Concerto and Fugue in C major, BWV 595/545. ($20)

April 27 (7:30 p.m., Chrysler Museum Theater, Norfolk) – David Russell, guitar. Program TBA. ($25)

April 28 (12:15 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, Virginia Beach) – Peggy Kelley Reinburg, organ; Kathy Harty Gray Dance Theater. ($10 donation requested)

April 28 (7:30 p.m., Trinity Episcopal Church, Portsmouth) – Venice Baroque Orchestra, Andrea Marcon conducting, with Giuliano Carmignola, violin. Albinoni: Concerto in G major, Op. 7, No. 4; Vivaldi: Concerto in G minor, RV 152; Geminiani: Concerto grosso in D minor (“La Follia”); Vivaldi: Concerto in E minor, RV 273; Vivaldi: Concerto in D major for violin, strings and continuo, RV 222; Tartini: Concerto in D minor for violin, strings and continuo; Vivaldi: Concerto in C major for violin, strings and continuo, RV 191. ($35)

April 30 (12:15 p.m., St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Norfolk) – Martin Sunderland, organ; David Vonderheide, trumpet. ($10 donation requested)

May 3 (12:15 p.m., Monumental United Methodist Church, Portsmouthg) – Rachel Gragson, organ; Barbara Chapman, harp. ($10 donation requested)

May 4 (10:30 a.m., Trinity Episcopal Church, Portsmouth) – Cavani String Quartet. Dvořák: Quartet in F major, Op. 96 (“American”). ($20)

May 4 (7:30 p.m., Harrison Opera House, Norfolk) – Maurizio Pollini, piano. Chopin: two nocturnes, op. 55; three mazurkas, op. 56; Berceuse in D flat major, op. 57; Barcarolle in F sharp major, op. 60; Polonaise-fantaisie in A-flat Major, op. 61; two nocturnes, op. 62; Sonata No. 3 in B minor, op. 58. ($20-$45)

May 5 (12:15 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, Norfolk) – James Derr, organ; Kirsty Barnett Green, violin. ($10 donation requested)

May 6 (7:30 p.m., Chrysler Museum Theater, Norfolk) – Cavani String Quartet. Mozart: Adagio and Fugue in C minor; Mendelssohn: Quartet in A major, Op. 13; Beethoven: Quartet in E minor, Op. 59, No. 2 (“Razumovsky”). ($30)

May 7 (12:15 p.m., Main Street Methodist Church, Suffolk) – Thomas Matthews, organ; Kevin Piccini, oboe. ($10 donation requested)

May 8 (3 p.m., Grassfield High School, Chesapeake) – Virginia Wind Symphony, Dennis Zeisler directing. (Free)

May 10 (12:15 p.m., St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Norfolk) – James Kosnik, organ; Joanne Meyer White, flute. ($10 donation requested)

May 10 (7:30 p.m., Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Norfolk) – JoAnn Falletta & women of the Virginia Symphony. Schubert: Guitar Quartet; Muczynski: Wind Quintet, Op. 45; Glanville-Hicks: “Concertino Antico;” Ravel: String Quartet. ($30)

May 12 (12:15 p.m., St. John’s Episcopal Church, Hampton) – John Siderius, organ; Susan Hines, cello. ($10 donation requested)

May 14 (12:15 p.m., Trinity Episcopal Church, Portsmouth) – Diane Snider, organ; Elizabeth Coulter Vonderheide, violin. ($10 donation requested)

May 16 (5 p.m., Chrysler Museum, Norfolk), May 22 (8 p.m., Churchland Baptist Church, Chesapeake), May 30 (3 p.m., Williamsburg Presbyterian Church) – Virginia Chorale, Scott Williamson directing. “Perpetual Light,” requiems by Tomas Luis da Victoria and Ildebrando Pizzetti. ($25-$35)

May 17 (12:15 p.m., Christ & St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Norfolk) – Marjorie Setnicky, organ; Kathy Harty Gray Dance Theater. ($10 donation requested)

May 20 (7:30 p.m., American Theatre, Hampton) – Orion String Quartet. Bach: “Contrapunctus” No. 1 from “The Art of the Fugue;” Kirchner: Quartet No. 4; Beethoven: Quartet in E flat major, Op. 74 (“Harp”); Smetana: Quartet No. 1 (“From My Life”). ($40)

May 21 (10:30 a.m., Sandler Arts Center, Virginia Beach) – André-Michel Schub, piano; Orion String Quartet. Haydn: String Quartet in D major, Op. 76, No. 5; Schumann: Piano Quartet, Op. 47. ($20)

May 21 (8 p.m., Ferguson Arts Center, Newport News) – Boston Brass. Ginastera: “Danza final” from “Estancia;” Mozart: “The Marriage of Figaro” Overture; Piazzolla: “Tango Apasionado;” Lecuona: “Malaguena;” Kosma-Brubeck: “Autumn Leaves;” Moore: “Blues for Ben;” Golson: “I Remember Clifford;” Meyers-Pettis-Schoebel: “Bugle Call Rag.” ($32)

May 22 (8 p.m., Chrysler Hall, Norfolk) – Virginia Symphony, Brent Havens conducting, with Brody Dolyniuk, vocals. “Music of Queen: a Rock Symphony.” ($35-$50)

May 23 (6 p.m., Williamsburg Winery) – André-Michel Schub, piano, with Orion String Quartet. Schumann: Quartet in A minor, Op. 41, No. 1; Schumann: “Märchenbilder,” Op. 113; Schumann: Piano Quintet, Op. 44. ($40)

May 27 (7:30 p.m., Westminster Presbyterian Church, Williamsburg) – Alisa Weilerstein, cello. Bach: Suite No. 3 in C major for solo cello, BWV 1009; Kodály: Sonata for cello, Op. 8. ($30)

May 28 (10:30 a.m., Williamsburg Winery) – JoAnn Falletta & women of the Virginia Symphony. Schubert: Guitar Quartet; Muczynski: Wind Quintet, Op. 45; Glanville-Hicks: “Concertino Antico;” Ravel: String Quartet. ($20)

May 30 (7 p.m., Virginia Room, Williamsburg Lodge) – Virginia Symphony, JoAnn Falleta conducting, with Alisa Weilerstein, cello. Handel: “Music for the Royal Fireworks;” Tchaikovsky: Suite No.4 in G major, op.61 (“Mozartiana”); Dvořák: Cello Concerto. ($35-$50)

June 6 (2 p.m., Chandler Hall, Diehn Arts Center, Old Dominion University, Norfolk) – New music by John Duffy Composers Institute participants. (Free)