Grace Nikae
The young pianist Grace Nikae plays a virtuosic and fascinating program at Old First, ranging from Beethoven's Op. 90 through to George Crumb's Processional for Piano, via Schumann, Ravel, and Bartok. Nov. 28, 8 p.m., Old First Church, San Francisco, $12-$15, (415) 474-1608, www.oldfirstconcerts.org (L.H.)

Lynn Harrell in Carmel
Acoustics at Carmel's new Sunset Theater vividly reach every seat in the house, all of them expected to sell out for cellist Lynn Harrell's November appearance. Harrell's recording of the Bach cello suites is still held up as an example of how great the works themselves are, not to mention his distinctive interpretations. Harrell's announced program includes such meat-and-potatoes sonata repertory as Schubert's "Arpeggione," Beethoven's D Major, and Brahms' E Minor. Nov. 30, 8 p.m., Sunset Theater, Carmel, $20-$52, (831) 625-9938, www.carmelmusic.org. (S.M.)

City Lights in the City
For film buffs, there's a full screening of Charlie Chaplin's classic City Lights, with David Robinson conducting the San Francisco Symphony in Chaplin's original score. Nov. 22, 24, 25, 8 p.m., Davies Hall, San Francisco, $31-$114, (415) 864-6000, www.sfsymphony.org. (H.T.)

Borisova-Ollas, Rachmaninoff, and Tchaikovsky at the Symphony
Vladimir Ashkenazy puts on his conducting hat and leads the S.F. Symphony in a Russian concert. The program leads off with the young composer Victoria Borisova-Ollas's Kingdom of Silence, followed by pianist Simon Trpceski in Rachmaninoff's brilliant and thrilling Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, and Tchaikovsky's rarely heard Third Symphony, ("Polish"). Nov. 29, 30; Dec. 1, 2; 8 p.m., Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, $25-$114, (415) 864-6000, www.sfsymphony.org (L.H.)

Takács Quartet
Probably Cal Performances' biggest recital event will be the Takács Quartet performance, with the familiar Geraldine Walther, longtime principal of the S.F. Symphony, on viola. The premier string ensemble continues its exploration of the complete Beethoven string quartet cycle with the A Major, Op. 18, No. 5; C Minor, Op. 18, No. 4; and A Minor, Op. 132. (They'll be back in Berkeley on March 25, too, with the F Major, Op. 18, No. 1; E-flat Major, Op. 74; and C-sharp Minor, Op. 131. And if you can't get enough Takács, they'll be in Santa Cruz on Dec. 1). Dec. 3, 3 p.m., Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, $42, (510) 642-9988, www.calperfs.berkeley.edu/presents/. (H.T.)

Kahane and Kraggerud
San Francisco Performances presents Scandinavian violinist Henning Kraggerud, who came to national attention in 1988 when he won the prestigious Young People’s String Championship. Joining him is the Bay Area's beloved Jeffrey Kahane, who, it's fair to say, just might be one of Mozart's biggest fans. The program will include chamber works by that composer as well as other works that mirror Kraggerud's and Kahane's musical tastes and passions: Mozart's Sonata for Piano and Violin in B-flat Major, K.454; Brahms' Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Major, Op. 100; and Beethoven's Sonata in F Major for Violin and Piano, Op. 24, (“Spring”). Dec. 2, 8 p.m., Herbst Theatre, San Francisco, $27-$44, (415) 392-2545, www.performances.org. (C.G.)

The Maybeck Trio
A shared passion for chamber music and a common Czech ancestry bring together the members of the Maybeck Trio — clarinetist Roy Zajac, cellist Elaine Kreston, and pianist Jerry Kuderna. The trio, named after one of Berkeley's finest architects, will play the Bach Suite for Solo Cello, Schumann's Fantasie Pieces for clarinet and piano, as well as trios by Rota and Brahms. Dec. 2, 8 p.m., Trinity Chapel, Berkeley, $8-$12, (510) 549-3864, www.trinitychamberconcerts.com. (C.G.)

Advent and Christmas Cantatas
'Tis the season for Dietrich Buxtehude with the early music masters Magnificat. Dec. 1, 8 p.m., First Lutheran Church, Palo Alto; Dec. 2, 8 p.m., St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Berkeley; Dec. 3, 4 p.m., St. Gregory Nyssen Episcopal Church, San Francisco; $12-$25, (415) 979-4500, www.magnificatbaroque.org. (M.B.)

The Magic Flute
San Francisco Lyric Opera's latest production, Mozart's Magic Flute, has two performances left (see review). Flute will be sung in German with English supertitles, Barnaby Palmer conducts, and Heather Carolo directs a cast that includes Svetlana Nikitenko (Queen of the Night), Heidi Moss (Pamina), Merolini Brian Thorsett (Tamino), and Michael Mendelsohn (Monostatos). Nov. 24 and 25, 7:30 p.m., Florence Gould Theater, San Francisco, $18-$32, (415) 392-4400, The www.sflyricopera.org. (C.G.)

The Barber of Seville
Rossini's evergreen comedy returns to the San Francisco Opera in a modern-dress production that features an onstage motorcycle and a giant revolving house (see review). Barber is, among other things, the dramatic predecessor of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, and tells the story of how Count Almaviva won his Rosina. (The love between the couple here is what the Countess is so wistful about in Mozart's masterpiece.) Nathan Gunn stars as the clever barber Figaro, John Osborn debuts in the bravura role of Count Almaviva, and Merola alumna Allyson McHardy is back as the charming and strong-minded Rosina. Nov. 26 and 30, times vary, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, $25-$245, (415) 864-3330, www.sfopera.com (L.H.)

Manon Lescaut
The incandescent soprano Karita Mattila returns to the San Francisco Opera in Puccini's Manon Lescaut, which hasn't been staged there since 1988 (see review). Mattila, silver-toned and stunning in Strauss, Wagner, and Janácek, isn't an obvious choice for Puccini. Yet, she is never anything less than musically imaginative and theatrically riveting, in whatever she sings. Misha Didyk, last year's Gherman in Queen of Spades, is Des Grieux, and Donald Runnicles is at the helm of a new production directed by Olivier Tambosi. Nov. 22, 25, 28; Dec. 1, 7, 10; times vary, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, $25-$245, (415) 864-3330, www.sfopera.com. (L.H.)

Volti
The always adventurous and polished chorus spotlights composers Wayne Peterson, Alan Fletcher, and Stacy Gorrup in a concert titled "Commitment." The set features the world premiere of No More to Hide by Fletcher, sung by the sterling soprano Christine Brandes, about the recent same-sex marriages performed in San Francisco's City Hall. Nov. 21, 8 p.m., St. Francis Lutheran, San Francisco, $8-$20, (415) 771-3352, www.voltisf.org. (M.B.)

Sing-It-Yourself Messiah
The San Francisco Sinfonietta takes over the venerable Sing-It-Yourself Messiah tradition. Chorus members were invited to attend rehearsals starting in late September. If you have not been rehearsing, call the Sinfonietta to find out if you can sing anyway. Nov. 27, 8 p.m., Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, $20-$55, (415) 864-6000 (Davies box office), (415) 401-9229 (Sinfonietta), www.sfsinfonietta.org (L.H.)

In Dulci Jubilo
The California Bach Society sings a Christmas program anchored by Charpentier's Messe de Minuit pour Noel. That work is based on French carols, and the rest of the program features settings of traditional melodies, some well-known, some not. Paul Flight, who is everywhere this season, conducts. Dec. 1, 8 p.m., St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church, San Francisco; Dec. 2, 8 p.m., All Saints Episcopal Church, Palo Alto; Dec. 3, 4 p.m., St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Berkeley; $10-$18, (415) 262-0272, www.calbach.org (C.G.)

Tallis Scholars
The Tallis Scholars, peerless exponents of early choral music, sing a concert of music by Tallis, Tye, de Monte, Palestrina, and Taverner. Director Peter Phillips discusses the program one hour before performance time. Dec. 1, 8 p.m., First Congregational Church, Berkeley, $46, (510) 642-9988, www.calperfs.berkeley.edu (L.H.)

Sacred & Profane's Christmas in London
The Bay Area a cappella chorus celebrates Christmas, British-style, with choral selections from England, including motets by Renaissance master William Byrd, modern works by Howells, Warlock, Holst, and Maxwell Davies, as well as several pieces by England’s choral master, Benjamin Britten. Drinks and reception with the singers to follow. Dec. 2, 8 p.m., St. Francis Lutheran Church, San Francisco; Dec. 3, 7 p.m., Trinity Lutheran, Walnut Creek; Dec. 10, 7 p.m., All Souls Episcopal Church, Berkeley, $12-$18, (510) 524-3611, www.sacredprofane.org. (C.G.)