Cello fever
The CELLOici mini-festival continues with a recital featuring cellist Emmanuel Feldman, a distinguished soloist and professor at Boston's New England Conservatory. He gives a rare outing to Samuel Barber's broodingly romantic Cello Sonata, before a lighter serving of works by Copland and Gershwin. Pianist Mary Jo Gothmann accompanies. (7:30 p.m. Mon., Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church, Mpls. $15-$20, celloanamerican experience.com.)
Classical Brainerd
The three-week extravaganza that is the Lakes Area Music Festival gets underway this week in Brainerd, Minn. Baritone John Taylor Ward, the festival's associate artistic director, leads the way with "In a Distant Land," a fascinatingly programed recital of works by Schumann, Ives, George Crumb and Chavela Vargas. Crumb's "The Ghosts of Alhambra," setting poems by Federico García Lorca, is written for the alluring combination of guitar, percussion and singer. It's sure to prove a fascinating contrast with the "Ranchero Songs" by Costa Rican chanteuse Chavela Vargas. (7 p.m. Wed., Tornstrom Auditorium, Brainerd. Free, lakesareamusic.org.)
Classical Alexandria
The Alexandria Festival of the Lakes opens its 25th anniversary season with an attractive recital with chamber music by Mozart, Turina and Dohnányi. Also featured is E.J. Moeran's lyrical String Quartet No. 1, a special treat for Anglophiles. Pianist Lydia Artymiw makes a guest appearance. (7 p.m. Fri., Alexandria United Methodist Church, Alexandria, Minn. $15, 1-320-763-9400, www.alexfest.org.)
Ballet the beautiful
Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring" is among his best-loved pieces, but the expanded version of the complete ballet for full orchestra is a Minnesota Orchestra premiere. Dancers from New York City Ballet add extra color to another ballet score, "Who Cares?" built from George Gershwin's Broadway songs. (8 p.m. Fri., Orchestra Hall, Mpls. Sold out, 612-371-5656, minnesotaorchestra.org.)
Scandalous 'Salome'
Richard Strauss' opera "Salome" was judged scandalous in its day, repeatedly raising the hackles of early 20th-century censors. The salacious libretto is based on Oscar Wilde's biblical play, stirring elements of incest, murder and dysfunctional teenage sexuality into a dangerous brew. Add Strauss' swirlingly seductive music, and the recipe for an operatic masterpiece is complete. American soprano Patricia Racette sings Salome in the Minnesota Orchestra's concert performance, with Minnesota tenor Dennis Petersen as her lascivious stepfather, Herod. Andrew Litton conducts, in his farewell appearance as Sommerfest artistic director. (8 p.m. Sat., Orchestra Hall, Mpls. $30-$80, 612-371-5656, minnesotaorchestra.org.)
TERRY BLAIN
