Christopher Lowrey and Ensemble Altera

The countertenor and artistic director of Ensemble Altera shares the group’s debut album as well as his own performances of Handel opera.

Music of the Baroque Journeys Through Time in 2024-2025 Season

Highlights include rarely-heard gems, beloved holiday concerts, and the 80th birthday celebration of Nicholas Kraemer.

Christopher Keene and the Syracuse Symphony

During Keene’s too-short career, he served as the music director of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, the founder and music director of the Long Island Philharmonic, and the general director of the New York City Opera.

Chicago-area Bach Week Fest Announces 50th Anniversary – and Final – Season

“It’s the right time for Bach Week to bid adieu, and on a high note.”

Jordi Savall: The Elements and the Furies

Jordi Savall and Le Concert des Nations take us on a journey through a variety of sound environments of the eighteenth century.

Jonathan Cohen on Bach and Handel

Conductor and harpsichordist Jonathan Cohen on Handel opera and the sacred music of Bach in advance of his debut with Music of the Baroque.

Third Coast Baroque Announces Closure

The Chicago early-music ensemble faced diminishing audience sizes and reduced grant funding possibilities after years of concert disruptions by COVID-19.

Handel Messiah & Tchaikovsky Nutcracker

Holiday music conducted by Sir Georg Solti and Fritz Reiner.

Masaaki Suzuki Conducts Handel’s Messiah

A performance of one of the season’s musical crown jewels, Handel’s Messiah.

Haymarket Unveils 2024 Season

Across three flagship performances, Haymarket continues to plumb the expressive depths of early music repertoire.

Handel’s “Judas Maccabaeus”

Handel recast the story of Judas Maccabeus as a celebratory ode to King George II, with music of unprecedented refinement, gripping suspense, and drama.

Playlist: The Best Classical Christmas Albums of 2023

Stunning renditions of contemporary works, stirring early music performances, and more.

Music of the Baroque: Windy City

Wind and water are at the heart of Chicago’s identity; Dame Jane Glover leads a program inspired by our hometown.

Handel’s Brilliance

Highlighting the influential genius of George Frideric Handel in works for string ensembles, vocalists, and winds.

Glover and Jacobs

Dame Jane Glover makes her CSO debut leading Haydn and Mozart.

On Handel and the French Baroque with Aaron Sheehan

The Grammy Award-winning tenor shares his approach to the repertoire for which he is in high demand.

Music of the Baroque Pays Tribute to Its Past, Chicago in Windy City Program

“I’ve been with this group now for over 20 years. It is glorious.”

Water Festival: Rameau, Vivaldi, Handel

Nicholas McGegan conducts a program inspired by water and Milwaukee’s relationship with it.

Handel’s Jephtha

Music of the Baroque’s first performance in over three decades of Handel’s final oratorio.

Apollo’s Fire: The 2023-34 Windy City Series

The Cleveland-based baroque orchestra shares its new program, a sequel to their popular Sugarloaf Mountain: An Appalachian Gathering.

The Pure Voice of Lauren Snouffer

An interview with the early (and contemporary) music specialist in advance of WFMT’s broadcast of Handel’s Jephtha from Music of the Baroque.

Playlist: WFMT Listeners’ First Favorites

We all came to love classical music in different ways. Here are some of the musical first loves of our WFMT listeners, in their own words.

Concerto Italiano: Alessandro Scarlatti, Handel & Francesco Mancini

Founded in 1984, Concerto Italiano has earned the reputation as one of the finest ensembles to specialize in Baroque music. On this week’s edition of Baroque&Before, we’re treated to a select chamber group from Concerto Italiano, joined by soprano Sonia Tedla and bass Gabriele Lombardi, in works by Handel, three works by Handel’s older contemporary Alessandro Scarlatti plus another, formerly …

Apollo’s Fire Returns for 4 Chicago Programs in ’23-24

The Cleveland-based Baroque orchestra made its Chicago debut in 2016 and has since established a strong presence in the city.

Little Traveling Music, Please

Wanderers, farewells, and sightseeing; people are always on the go. This week, Bill calls up, “A Little Traveling Music, Please” from the pens of Handel, Smetana, Duke Ellington, and more. Reflections from such travels infuse themselves into their works, as we will discover throughout the week. We will hear selections from Beethoven’s Les Adieux, Schubert’s Die Schöne Mullerin, and Haydn’s …

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