The wacky, largely self-taught genius who single-handedly dragged French music into the modern age, Hector Berlioz never lived to hear his opera Les Troyens performed in its entirety. Based on Virgil’s The Aeneid, the work about the Trojan War is five hours long and in the 19th century was staged far more infrequently than the works of less talented French composers. However, it has gained in stature over the years. The Metropolitan Opera now resurrects this epic on Saturday morning with an all-star cast, and you can watch it at your local movie theater.
If you do, though, you’ll have to miss out on the Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth as it conducts its traditional concert for the New Year. Van Cliburn competition medalist Antonio Pompa-Baldi joins the ensemble for a performance of Brahms’ invigorating Third Piano Trio in C minor, as well as Beethoven’s Second Piano Trio. The group’s other guest performer will be clarinetist Gregory Raden, who will join them on Mozart’s sublime Clarinet Quintet. The performance this afternoon will go on the same time as the opera, but the opera broadcast will have an encore performance, so there’s a clue as to how you should prioritize your schedule.
[box_info]
Les Troyens broadcasts at 11am Sat at various movie theaters. Check Calendar for locations. Tickets are $12.50. Call 818-761-6100.
The Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth plays at 2pm Sat at Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, 3200 Darnell St, FW. Tickets are $5-28. Call 817-877-3003.
[/box_info]
