One night with Bell

Fans of Joshua Bell will relish this opportunity to hear the superstar violinist play two relative rarities: Wieniawski's Violin Concerto No. 2 and Sarasate's " Zigeunerweisen" ("Gypsy Airs"). This one-off Minnesota Orchestra program also includes Sibelius' "En Saga" and Beethoven's Seventh Symphony. Osmo Vänskä conducts. (7:30 p.m. Mon., Orchestra Hall, Mpls.; $50-$130, 612-371-5656 or minnesotaorchestra.org)

Kurtág meets Mozart

Violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra won a Grammy earlier this year for their "Death and the Maiden" recording. Now they're back with another innovative project called "Fragments," slotting pieces by Hungarian composer György Kurtág between the movements of Mozart's masterful Symphony No. 40 in G minor. Also on the program is music by Bach, Hartmann and Schubert. (7:30 p.m. Thu., Trinity Lutheran Church, Stillwater; 8 p.m. Fri., Wooddale Church, Eden Prairie; 2 p.m. Sun., Ordway Concert Hall, St. Paul; 7:30 p.m. May 1, Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, Apple Valley; 8 p.m. May 2, Carleton College, Northfield; 8 p.m. May 4 & 5, Ordway Concert Hall, St. Paul; $11-$50, 651-291-1144 or thespco.org)

'Orpheus' reset

Offenbach's operetta "Orpheus in the Underworld" ran for a staggering 228 performances after its Paris premiere in 1858. The piece became an international sensation thanks to its witty satire on the political and social scandals of the day, most of which were buried by history. University Opera Theatre presents a new production of "Orpheus," updating the action to the modern era. Expect a cast of fresh young voices and incisive staging by director David Walsh. (7:30 p.m. Thu., Fri., Sat.; 1:30 p.m. Sun.; Ted Mann Concert Hall, University of Minnesota; $5-$25, 612-624-2345 or tickets.umn.edu)

'Battle of the Vox'

A spinoff on the "Battle for the Axe" football rivalry, this competition pits a cappella groups from the University of Wisconsin-Madison against those from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. A total of nine teams participate in this slugfest of unaccompanied singing. (7 p.m. Sat., Northrop auditorium, Mpls.; $12-$18, 612-624-2345 or northrop.umn.edu)

'Saints and servants'

After centuries of neglect, music by women composers is gradually being rescued from obscurity. This program by the all-female Lumina vocal quartet furthers that effort, featuring works that examine the "mundane but holy work" women do. (7 p.m. Sun., St. Paul's United Church of Christ, St. Paul; $15, lumina womensensemble.com)

TERRY BLAIN