Lyric Opera – “Turandot”: Last presented in Lyric’s 2006-07 season, Puccini’s unfinished valedictory returns for a long winter’s run, in a new-to-Chicago production starring soprano and Ryan Opera Center alumna Amber Wagner as the ice princess and Lyric debutants Stefano La Colla as Calaf and Maria Agresta as Liu. Andrew Davis conducts and Rob Kearley is the stage director. Opens at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and runs to Jan. 27 at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; $34-$279; 312-827-5600, www.lyricopera.org
Acappellago: The chorus under Dennis R. Smith celebrates the season with “Christmas in the Americas,” a program including Latin American and Caribbean music. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Mayslake Peabody Estate, 1717 W. 31st St., Oak Brook; and 4 p.m. Sunday, Congregational Church of Batavia, 21 S. Batavia Ave., Batavia; $17, $15 for students and seniors; 708-484-3797, www.acappellago.org
Chanticleer: The vocal ensemble returns to Chicago for “A Chanticleer Christmas,” its 17th annual program of classic carols, sacred works and holiday favorites. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut St.; $39-$61; 312-294-3000, www.cso.org
Chicago Men’s A Cappella: The choir’s 11th annual Christmas program, under Bruce Tammen’s direction, combines singing, skits and snacks between the two presentations. The early evening concert will benefit Ray School in Hyde Park. 6 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Hyde Park Union Church, 5600 S. Woodlawn Ave.; $10, $5 for students; www.cmacsings.com
Chicago Philharmonic: The orchestra’s “Side by Side” series, presented as part of the Chicago Park District’s “Night Out in the Parks” initiative, continues with a rehearsal (bring your own instrument) and free concert of seasonal works for Christmas and Hanukkah. The rehearsal begins at 1 p.m. Saturday, the concert at 4 p.m.; Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 N. Central Ave.; www.chicagophilharmonic.org
Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Finnish conductor John Storgards makes his subscription series debut, with Gil Shaham as violin soloist. The program holds Grieg’s “Peer Gynt” Suite No. 1, Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor and the Sibelius First Symphony; 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday; $36-$250. Neeme Jarvi returns to conduct for cellist Alisa Weilerstein in Samuel Barber’s Cello Concerto, with Dvorak’s Symphony No. 5 and selections from Smetana’s “The Bartered Bride” completing the program; 8 p.m. Thursday (repeated Dec. 8-12); $34-$221. Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-294-3000, www.cso.org
CSO Family Matinee Series: The season of young people’s programs gets under way with Thomas Wilkins leading “Friends in Harmony,” including works by Bernstein, Copland, Tchaikovsky and others. 11 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. Saturday, Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-294-3000, www.cso.org
Ensemble Dal Niente: The venturesome contemporary music group’s “Staged” series continues with the world premiere of Chicago composer Tomas Gueglio’s “Prow,” for four dancers and harp, a collaboration with the dance ensemble Delfos Danza Contemporanea of Mazatlan, Mexico. 8 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday, Steppenwolf 1700: LookOut, 1650 N. Halsted; $20, $15 for students; www.dalniente.com
Fifth House Ensemble: Dan Visconti’s guitar concerto “Living Language” anchors a program that ranges works by Schubert and Bartok to music of Duke Ellington and Pat Metheny. 8 p.m. Thursday, Old Town School of Folk Music, 4545 N. Lincoln Ave.; $25, $23 for members; 773-728-6000, www.oldtownschool.org
Fox Valley Philharmonic Orchestra: Joseph Martin’s Christmas cantata “Tapestry of Light” and a carol sing-along highlight a free holiday choral concert. 3 p.m. Sunday, Our Savior Lutheran Church, 420 W. Downer Place, Aurora; 630-897-5936, www.fvacademy.org
Lakeside Singers: Director Robert Bowker and his 25 professional singers offer an eclectic sampling of holiday music ranging from early music and familiar carols to new classical and pop fare. The program will be repeated at various venues through Dec. 9. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston; $35, $25 for seniors, $10 for children; www.lakesidesingers.com. Also, 7:30 p.m. Monday, Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights; $35, $25 for seniors and students; 847-577-2121, www.metropolisarts.com
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Lyric Opera – Bizet’s “The Pearl Fishers”: This French Romantic favorite is back at Lyric, in an outrageously colorful singing-and-dancing extravaganza, with strong singing from principal singers Matthew Polenzani, Mariusz Kwiecien and Marina Rebeka, and Andrew Davis conducting. Through Sunday, Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; $34-$279; 312-827-5600, www.lyricopera.org
Michael Teolis Singers: The chorus’ annual holiday concert will include new takes on old seasonal favorites and the local premiere of John Gardner’s “Cantata for Christmas.” 7:30 p.m. Saturday, First United Methodist Church of Oak Park, 324 N. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park; $20, $15 for seniors and students; 708-366-2889, www.mtsingers.org
Oak Park Concert Chorale: The chorus, with Paul Lindblad directing, celebrates the mystery of Christmas with Renaissance polyphony by Byrd and Victoria and resident composer Michael Wolniakowski’s “O Magnum Mysterium.” 4 p.m. Sunday, St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1025 W. Lake St., Melrose Park; $18-$20, $10-$12 for seniors and students, free for children; 708-848-2130, www.oakparkconcertchorale.org
Park Ridge Civic Orchestra: Music director Victor Muenzer leads a “Nutcracker Holiday Concert,” featuring jazz artists Sarah Young, vocals, and Kent Wehman, piano. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Pickwick Theatre, 5 S. Prospect Ave., Park Ridge; $25, $20 for seniors, $10 for veterans, $5 for youth; 847-692-7726, www.parkridgecivicorchestra.org
Ravinia BGH Classics Series: Violinist Tim Fain and composer-pianist Nicholas Britell present “Once Upon a Score,” a multimedia program combining film segments and film music of Britell, Fain, Philip Glass, William Bolcom and others. 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Bennett Gordon Hall, Ravinia, Green Bay and Lake Cook roads, Highland Park; $11; 847-266-5100, www.ravinia.org
Rembrandt Chamber Musicians: Soprano Josefien Stoppelenburg and harpsichordist Stephen Alltop guest for the annual “Holiday Baroque” program, including selections by Handel, Bach, Vivaldi and others. 3 p.m. Sunday, Alice Millar Chapel, 1870 Sheridan Road, Evanston; $38; www.rembrandtchambermusicians.org
Rockefeller Chapel and Motet choirs: James Kallembach leads the combined choruses, soloists and Haymarket Opera Orchestra in Handel’s “Messiah,” a chapel tradition since 1928. 3 p.m. Sunday, Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave.; $25-$55; http://ticketsweb.uchicago.edu
St. Charles Singers: An annual tradition since the choir’s founding in 1984, this year’s “Candlelight Carols” program will be devoted in its entirety to carols for Christmas. Jeffrey Hunt directs the professional chamber choir. 7:30 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Sunday, Baker Memorial United Methodist Church, 307 Cedar Ave., St. Charles; and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut St.; $35, $30 for seniors, $10 for students; 630-513-5272, www.stcharlessingers.com
Spektral Quartet: To launch its “Once More, With Feeling” series, the ensemble presents a single work — Eliza Brown’s String Quartet No. 1, revealing the backstory of its composition through an onstage conversation with the composer. 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Constellation, 3111 N. Western Ave.; $15, $5 for students; www.constellation-chicago.com
Windy City Performing Arts: Familiar carols and holiday songs share a program of seasonal cheer that includes Britten’s “Ceremony of Carols.” 7 p.m. Saturday, St. James Cathedral, 65 E. Huron; www.windycitysings.org
John von Rhein is a Tribune critic.
Twitter @jvonrhein