This Weekend in Classical Music

A few concerts for the week-end: Stanford Lively Arts presents the West Coast premiere of Uri Caine's The Othello Syndrome, based upon Verdi's opera Othello. We have tried to get into Uri's reinterpretation of Gustav Mahler, and we admit we struggled. But we're sure it's better live, and we appreciate effort to bring in new life and new audiences to Verdi. And when your singers are named Josefine and Bunny, it can't go wrong.

The Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra opens it season with Elizabeth (Libby) Wallfisch conducting from the violin. The repertoire is, who would have guessed, baroque music. The perfect antidote to Uri Caine. Concerts are in Palo Alto and Berkeley this week-end, San Francisco and Contra Costa the next.

It's back to the 20th century with the first Blueprint series concert at the Conservatory of Music, including Berkeley's own John Adams' clarinet concerto Gnarly Buttons, Saturday night at 8pm.

The Artist Vocal Ensemble will serenade us with some Kirchenabendmusic (church music of the evening) from 19th century Vienna, sung with their usual expertise and a piano. We guess it's the Sunday morning music which involves an organ with the choir. Said piano is the brand spanking new Steinway of the Disney Museum on Sunday, and of St Mark's in Berkeley tonight and Oakland's Cathedral of Christ the Light (His BMI was under 19) on Saturday.

The Grammy-nominated Charlie's Angels Eroica Trio performs at SF State tonight, playing Brahms, Beethoven and Joan Tower. You should go if you like beautifully crafted chamber music or have a heel fetish.