ART
`INFRA-THIN’
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A series of installations by 15 artists inspired by Marcel Duchamp’s portable museum in a valise; opens Tuesday; Gahlberg Gallery, College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn; free; 630-942-2321.
`THE MAKING OF “LA GRANDE JATTE”‘
An exhibit that examines the genesis and development of arguably the most famous painting in Chicago; final week; Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave.; $12 suggested admission; 312-443-3600.
THINK BEAUTIFUL
“think small” and “Beautiful Otherness,” 36 small-scaled works by contemporary artists and a single mural-size abstract painting by Chicago artist Dzine opens Friday at the Illinois State Museum Chicago Gallery, James R. Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph St., Suite 2-100; free. 312-814-5322.
`YANG FUDONG’
Screenings of works by the Chinese filmmaker, Yang Fudong, including the premiere of a new work produced by the Renaissance Society; opens today; Renaissance Society, University of Chicago, 5811 S. Ellis Ave.; free; 773-702-8670.
— Alan G. Artner
CLASSICAL
BLYTHE AND PANCELLA
The acclaimed Stephanie Blythe will perform Brahms’ “Alto Rhapsody” and other works in a benefit concert for Soli Deo Gloria Inc., at 3 p.m., College Church, 332 E. Seminary Ave., Wheaton. Also performing will be pianist Warren Jones, conductor John Nelson and members of the Ars Viva Symphony Orchestra; free, donations accepted; 630-231-5828. The versatile Phyllis Pancella will give the local premiere of a new Dominic Argento song cycle as part of her free concert at 3 p.m. in the Chicago Cultural Center’s Preston Bradley Hall, 78 E. Washington St.; 312-744-6630.
`CAROUSEL OF THE ANIMALS’
Ravinia will close its season with a concert created by actor-director John de Lancie and featuring animal-theme music, at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. The program features the Ravinia Festival Orchestra, singers Sylvia McNair and Rodney Gilfry, Luna Negra Dance Theater and Chicago Children’s Choir. Following the concert, the Women’s Board will auction off the carousel horses that graced Ravinia’s gardens this summer. Lake Cook and Green Bay Roads, Highland Park; $30-$50, $10 lawn ($100 admission includes pre-concert cocktail buffet, priority seating, post-concert auction and champagne toast); 847-266-5100.
CHICAGO SINFONIETTA
The city’s boundary-blasting chamber orchestra will launch its 18th season with Paul Freeman conducting the local premiere of Chris Brubeck’s “Interplay” for Three Violins and Orchestra, featuring Irish fiddle virtuosa Liz Carroll and fellow soloists Paul Zafer on classical violin and James Sanders playing jazz violin. Concerts will be at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; $32-$85; and 2:30 p.m. Sept, 19 in Lund Auditorium, Dominican University, 7900 W. Division St., River Forest; $27-$38; 312-236-3681, ext. 12.
DA CORNETO OPERA
Chicago’s ever-ambitious concert opera troupe will present the first local performances of Verdi’s “Ernani” in 20 years, with Victoria Bond conducting soloists, orchestra and chorus. Singers include Christopher Bengochea, Kelli Finn, Tom Hall and artistic director Alvaro Ramirez. Performances are 4 p.m. Sunday at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie; $35; 847-673-6300; and 4 p.m. Sept. 19 at Church of St. Hilary, California and Bryn Mawr Avenues; $25; 847-662-2694.
ELGIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Robert Hanson leads the excellent ensemble in a gala concert to open the 55th season, at 8 p.m. Saturday in Hemmens Theatre, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. The program will cover the worlds of jazz and classical, with soloists Kevin Cole, piano, and Rachel Barton Pine, violin. $22-$70; 847-888-4000.
— John von Rhein
MOVIES
FACETS CINEMATHEQUE
Two excellent documentaries on 9/11 premiere this weekend at Facets Cinematheque, both by French-born Manhattan filmmaker Etienne Sauret. “WTC: The First 24 Hours” is a wordless half-hour-long look at the crash and awful aftermath, done with discretion and a poetic eye. “Collateral Damages” at near feature length, is a devastating set of interviews with the firefighters who tried to cope with the catastrophe; Facets Cinematheque, 1517 W. Fullerton Ave.; 773-281-4114; www.facets.org/cinematheque.
FELLINI AND MARCELLO
“La Dolce Vita,” restored in a new 35 mm print, is a Federico Fellini masterpiece that once created a worldwide scandal. This 3-hour, 7-episode epic of sin, sex and celebrity among the jet set stunningly tracks journalist Marcello through the loss of his illusions in a glittering society of bored, rich, amoral people for whom life and Rome are a playground. In Italian with English subtitles; Music Box Theatre, 3733 Southport Ave.; 773-871-6604; www.musicboxtheatre.com.
— Michael Wilmington
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JAZZ
ERNESTINE ANDERSON
The veteran jazz-blues singer leads a trio; Tuesday through Sept. 19 at the Jazz Showcase, 59 W. Grand Ave.; $20; 312-670-2473.
CLAIRE DALY
Daly ranks among the baritone saxophone’s noteworthy practitioners; 9 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday at the Green Mill Jazz Club, 4802 N. Broadway; $10; 773-878-5552.
— Howard Reich
THEATER
`HANNAH AND MARTIN’
The Hannah of Kate Fodor’s play is philosopher and political theorist Hannah Arendt. Martin is Martin Heidegger, her mentor, lover and eventually a slippery Hitler apologist (or worse). Did Arendt, a Jew, detect the incipient fascist lurking within Heidegger, whose beliefs fed the Nazi doctrines? It’s a potent question, more engagingly wrestled with in the lively, stageworthy first act than the conventional, facile second one. But the TimeLine Theatre production is a good one; through Oct. 10, 615 W. Wellington Ave.; $22; 312-409-8463.
— Michael Phillips