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`ALONG THE DES PLAINES RIVER’
Photographs and digital images by artists from Chicago and the suburbs; through Aug. 26; William A. Koehnline Gallery, Oakton Community College, 1600 E. Golf Rd., Des Plaines; free; 847-635-1813.
— Alan G. Artner
CLASSICAL
CHRISTOPH ESCHENBACH
It’s a blockbuster weekend when Ravinia’s former music director turns up the vocal star power in three concerts with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Joining him for Mahler’s mammoth Symphony No. 8, at 8 p.m. Friday, will be eight vocal soloists, the Chicago Symphony Chorus, Apollo Chorus of Chicago and Chicago Children’s Choir. Ravinia’s annual gala benefit evening, 7 p.m. Saturday, will field a heavyweight solo lineup — singers Renee Fleming, Heidi Grant Murphy, Susan Graham and Steans Institute members; violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, pianist Lang Lang and the G-Strings quintet. Ravinia’s fourth annual train commission, Jennifer Higdon’s “Loco,” will receive its premiere. Soprano Fleming returns with Eschenbach and the CSO for a program of classical and popular songs and arias at 7 p.m. Aug. 1; Ravinia Festival, Lake Cook and Green Bay Roads, Highland Park; $20-$60, $10 lawn; 847-266-5100.
GRIER, TAVENER PREMIERES
Two Ravinia commissions for its Steans Institute for Young Artists vocal program will receive their premieres at 8 p.m. Thursday in the festival’s Martin Theatre. Chicago composer Lita Grier’s “Songs From Spoon River” is a cycle for four voices and piano adapted from “Spoon River Anthology,” the famed poetry collection by Edgar Lee Masters. The mystic British composer Tavener’s new work is titled “Schuon Lieder,” and is scored for soprano (Patricia Rozario), piano, string quartet and temple bowls; Ravinia Festival, Lake Cook and Green Bay Roads, Highland Park; $25-$40, $10 lawn; 847-266-5100.
— John von Rhein
JAZZ
MICHAEL KOCOUR
A fixture at Northwestern University, pianist Kocour plays his last area engagement before leaving the Chicago area; 8:30 p.m. Monday at Pete Miller’s Steakhouse, 1557 Sherman Ave., Evanston; no cover or minimum; 847-328-0399.
JUNIOR MANCE
The veteran pianist, who leads a trio, brings a palpable blues sensibility to his improvisations; Tuesday through Aug. 1 at the Jazz Showcase, 59 W. Grand Ave.; $20-$25; 312-670-2473.
— Howard Reich
MOVIES
SILENCE IS GOLDEN
The Silent Film Society of Chicago opened its 5th Annual “Silent Summer Film Festival” Friday (with Buster Keaton’s “Steamboat Bill Jr.”) at The Gateway Theatre, and it will continue, offering silent classics with live musical accompaniment and stage shows on its beautiful renovated stage, for the next five Fridays at 8 p.m. This Friday: “Nosferatu” (F.W. Murnau, 1922), the great spectral German vampire movie, based on “Dracula,” with Max Schreck as the cinema’s creepiest and most disturbing blood fiend; Gateway Theatre, 5216 W. Lawrence Ave.; 773-205-7372.
— Michael Wilmington
ROCK
BRAID
Hard-charging emo-punks mark reunion; Saturday at Metro, 3730 N. Clark St., $14-$16; 773-549-0203.
THE HIVES
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Swedes bring humor to their garage tunes; Monday at Metro, 3730 N. Clark St.; $16; 773-549-0203.
SONIC YOUTH
The longtime New York noiseniks are swinging with renewed purpose since Chicago expatriate Jim O’Rourke joined two albums ago; Thursday at Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield Ave.; $25; 773-472-0449.
— Greg Kot
THEATER
`AIN’T MISBEHAVIN”
A fine and mellow rendition of the 1978 Fats Waller wallow. This musical revue is harder to get right than its perpetual recirculation suggests: Too much shtick, and you’ve got something perilously close to minstrelsy. Here, no problems and lots of payoffs. Director Dominic Missimi has a rock-solid onstage quintet In all, a very good time; through Sept. 5 at Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire; $41.60; 847-634-0200.
— Michael Phillips