Spring into classical music with beloved opera music, fresh commissions by contemporary classical composers, internationally revered artists and a wealth of talented local musicians. MN Chamber Society — April 6 Paul Schoenfield (Chamber Music Society of Minnesota) Composer, pianist and polymath P aul Schoenfield, who lived in Minnesota in the 1980s and died in 2024 in Israel, will be celebrated by the Chamber Music Society of Minnesota in its “Concert for Paul.” The group will perform one of Schoenfield’s most popular works, “Café Music,” commissioned by the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and inspired by Murray’s Steakhouse. They’ll also perform several of Schoenfield’s Ashkenazi religious songs called Niguns and works by Beethoven and Dvorak that Schoenfield enjoyed playing in his lifetime. Sundin Music Hall: 1531 Hewitt Ave., St. Paul. Tickets: $25; chambermusicmn.org. Minnesota Orchestra: Turandot — May 1 & 3 The Minnesota Orchestra presents its first full-length opera concert under the leadership of Thomas Søndergård when it presents “Turandot,” by Giacomo Puccini. Starring soprano Christine Goerke, who won acclaim in the title role in Franco Zeffirelli’s production for The Met, is joined by Italian bass Adolfo Corrado and South African singer Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha. Orchestra Hall: 1111 Nicollet Mall, Mpls. Tickets: $41-$139; minnesotaorchestra.org. MN Bach Society: An Organ Recital Featuring Bálint Karosi — May 2 Balint Karosi (Jonghee Yoon) Budapest native Bálint Karosi, winner of the 2008 International Bach Competition in Leipzig, performs pipe organ works by J.S. Bach and Robert Schumann as well as his own compositions for a concert put on by the Bach Society of Minnesota. Performing on the 97-rank 1979 Fisk pipe organ at The House of Hope Presbyterian Church, Karosi also performs works by Bach’s son, C.P.E. Bach, 17th-century French composer and organist Nicolas de Grigny, and late Renaissance Spanish composer Correa de Arauxo. House of Hope Presbyterian Church: 797 Summit Avenue, St. Paul. Tickets: $30; Mnbach.org. The Barber of Seville May 3-18 Minnesota Opera’s 2009 production of “The Barber of Seville.” (Michal Daniel) Chuck Hodson, who directed “The Barber of Seville” for the Minnesota Opera in 2001, returns to reimagine the Gioachino Rossini opera, with lyrics by Cesare Sterbini, teaming with Christopher Franklin in his second season as principal conductor. A double cast featuring visiting and local singers perform the story of romance and mischief. The Ordway: 345 Washington St., St Paul. $32-$263, mnopera.org. Turtle Island Quartet — May 10 Turtle Island Quartet (Sylvia Elzafon) The celebrated Turtle Island Quartet returns to the Twin Cities after last appearing in February with Terence Blanchard at the Ordway. In a concert presented by the Schubert Club, the quartet will highlight a new direction as it moves away from performing a mix of arranged standards and new repertoire to an ensemble that performs original music. In “Island Prayers,” the group has commissioned four composers, including six-time Grammy-award winner Terence Blanchard, Pulitzer prize winner, singer and banjo player Rhiannon Giddens, Joyce award-winner Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate and Turtle Island Quartet founder/composer David Balakrishnan. Parkway Theater: 4814 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis. Tickets: $33, schubert.org. The Chopin Society: Anna Geniushene — May 11 Anna Geniushene (Courtesy of The Cliburn) Lithuania-based pianist Anna Geniushene, who gained notoriety by winning silver in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2022, performs two works by Franz Schubert, two pieces Franz Liszt transcribed from Verdi operas and Guido Agosti’s transcription of Three Movements from “The Firebird” by Igor Stravinsky. Mairs Concert Hall: 62 S. Macalester St, St Paul. Tickets: $40; chopinsocietymn.org. Accordo with Silent Film 2025: Women in Early Cinema — May 13 Accordo with Silent Film (Galen Higgins) Six silent movies from a collection called “Cinema’s First Nasty Women” selected by guest curator Maggie Hennefeld are accompanied by music written for the films by six composers. Among them are Minnesota-based composers Michelle Kinney and AJ Isaacson-Zvidzwa, whose work will be heard alongside pieces by Meg Morley, Jess Julian, John Novacek and Stephen Prutsman. The music comes to life at the hands of musicians from Accordo, a string ensemble made up of present and former principal string players of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and Minnesota Orchestra. The Ordway: 345 Washington St., St. Paul. $31-$36, schubert.org. The SPCO: Coleman’s Sandbox Premiere with William Eddins — May 16-18 Valerie Coleman (Kia Caldwell) American composer Valerie Coleman, a composer-in-residence as part of The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra’s Sandbox program incubating new work, shares the world premiere of her new work in a concert led by guest conductor William Eddins. The concert also features Igor Stravinsky’s “Danses concertantes,” the mournful “Lyric for Strings,” by American composer George Walker, and Argentine composer Alberto Ginastera’s Variaciones concertantes for Chamber Orchestra. Ordway Concert Hall: 345 Washington St., St. Paul. Tickets: $16-68; thespco.org. Related Articles Spring and summer concerts include AC/DC, Post Malone, the Weeknd Film adaptations, Sondheim and ‘Glensheen’ coming to local theaters Fine-art galleries and museum exhibitions are thinking big Month-by-month guide to spring and summer festivals and family fun ...read more read less