Lyric Opera — Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”: Three decades after the premiere of its last production of Mozart’s joyous singspiel, Lyric presents a new “Zauberflote.” Neil Armfield is the director, Rory Macdonald the conductor, with Christiane Karg as Pamina, Andrew Staples and Matthew Polenzani sharing the role of Tamino, Adam Plachetka as Papageno, Kathryn Lewek as the Queen of the Night and Christof Fischesser as Sarastro. Opens at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and runs to Jan. 27 at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; $17-$329; 312-827-5600, www.lyricopera.org
Apollo Chorus of Chicago: Tradition makes the group’s seasonal performances of Handel’s “Messiah” special, since various incarnations of the Apollo choir have been performing the beloved oratorio almost continuously for 145 years. Stephen Alltop conducts the chorus, orchestra and soloists. 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St.; $20-$70; 312-334-7777, www.harristheaterchicago.org
Chamber Opera Chicago: Victoria Bond conducts the world premiere of her holiday opera “The Miracle of Hanukkah,” double-billed with Gian Carlo Menotti’s Christmas fable “Amahl and the Night Visitors.” 3 p.m. Sunday and Dec. 18, Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted St.; $20, $15 for students and seniors, $10 for children; 312-988-9000, www.ticketmaster.com/amahl-the-night-visitors-tickets/artist/759904
Chicago Chamber Choir: An audience singalong and arrangements of familiar Christmas carols highlight the season-opening concerts. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 1509 Ridge Ave., Evanston (repeated at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17, Unity Lutheran Church, 1212 W. Balmoral Ave.; and 3 p.m. Dec. 18, Anderson Chapel, North Park University, 3225 W. Foster Ave.); $20, $10 for students; 773-920-7464, www.chicagochamberchoir.org
Chicago Chorale: The choir under Bruce Tammen heralds the Advent season with movements from the Roman Rite Vespers service. 5 p.m. Sunday, Monastery of the Holy Cross, 3111 S. Aberdeen St.; free ($15 suggested donation); 773-306-6195, www.chicagochorale.org
Chicago Master Singers: The Ars Viva Brass Ensemble joins director Alan Heatherington’s chorus for its annual Christmas celebration. 7:30 p.m. Friday and 7 p.m. Sunday, Chapel of the Holy Spirit, Society of the Divine Word at Techny Towers, 2001 Waukegan Road, Northbrook; $28-$48 general and seniors, $15-$48 students; 877-825-5267, www.chicagomastersingers.org
Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Guest conductor Neeme Jarvi directs Sibelius’ Symphony No. 5 and “Karelia” Suite, along with Prokofiev’s First Violin Concerto; Vadim Gluzman is the soloist; 1:30 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday; $34-$222. Works by Stravinsky, Saint-Saens and Prokofiev make up the CSO’s final subscription program of 2016, with Michael Tilson Thomas conducting and cello soloist Gautier Capucon; 8 p.m. Thursday (repeated Dec. 16-18); $36-$215. Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-294-3000, www.cso.org
Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass: The CSO’s formidable brass section performs its annual holiday program of classics and symphonic works arranged for brass instruments. 8 p.m. Wednesday, Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; $33-$128; 312-294-3000, www.cso.org
CSO Special Concert — “It’s a Wonderful Life”: CSO members will accompany a screening of Frank Capra’s classic holiday film, playing the Dimitri Tiomkin score under the baton of Justin Freer. 7 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; $45-$145; 312-294-3000, www.cso.org
Civic Orchestra of Chicago: Teddy Abrams, music director of the Louisville Orchestra, makes his Orchestra Hall podium debut leading the CSO’s youth training orchestra in Samuel Adams’ “Drift and Providence” and Aaron Copland’s Third Symphony. 8 p.m. Tuesday, Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; free, but tickets required; 312-294-3000, www.cso.org
“Czech Christmas Mass”: Erik Nussbaum leads Czech composer Jakub Simon Jan Ryba’s choral work, written in 1796. 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday, First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple, 77 W. Washington St.; free; 312-201-4535.
Joyce DiDonato: The socially conscious mezzo-soprano presents no ordinary vocal recital, but a program of baroque arias built around a very contemporary theme — finding unity and hope in a chaotic world — and drawn from her new album “In War and Peace.” She is accompanied by the European period-instrument orchestra Il Pomo d’Oro. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St.; $35-$125; 312-334-7777, www.harristheaterchicago.org
DuPage Symphony Orchestra: Barbara Schubert leads back-to-back family holiday concerts. 2 and 4 p.m. Sunday, Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville; $15, $12 for seniors, $8 for students; 630-637-7469, www.dupagesymphony.org
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Elgin Symphony Orchestra: Soprano soloist Marisa Buchheit (Miss Illinois 2014) joins conductor Stephen Squires, the Elgin Master Chorale, Anima Children’s Chorus, Midwest Dance Collective and the orchestra for its annual holiday festivities. 2:30 p.m. Saturday and 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin; $30-$50; 847-888-4000, www.elginsymphony.org
Highland Park Strings: Music director Francesco Milioto conducts string serenades by Dvorak and Elgar, with the prize-winning cellist John-Henry Crawford playing Haydn’s Cello Concerto in C major. 3 p.m. Sunday, Highland Park High School, 433 Vine Ave., Highland Park; free; www.hpstrings.org
Music at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church: James Janssen leads 30 singers and a professional orchestra in the world-premiere performances of Francis Lynch’s Christmas opera, “Joseph’s Gift.” 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday, St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 2120 Lincoln St., Evanston; $25-$50, $15 for students; 847-869-9447, www.josephsgiftopera.org
Music of the Baroque: Early music specialist Paul Agnew leads MOB’s traditional holiday brass and choral concerts. 8 p.m. Thursday, Grace Lutheran Church, 7300 Division St., River Forest (repeated 8 p.m. Dec. 16, St. Michael’s Church, 1633 N. Cleveland Ave.; and 3 p.m. Dec. 17 and 18, Chapel of the Holy Spirit, Society of the Divine Word at Techny Towers, 2001 Waukegan Road, Northbrook); $27-$90; 312-551-1414, www.baroque.org
Rembrandt Chamber Musicians: Soprano Josefien Stoppelenburg and harpsichordist David Schrader are among the performers for the group’s annual “Holiday Baroque” program of Bach, Handel and Corelli works. 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Alice Millar Chapel, Northwestern University, 1870 Sheridan Road, Evanston; $28; 872-395-1754, www.rembrandtchamberplayers.org
John von Rhein is a Tribune critic.
Twitter @jvonrhein
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