A breezy look at the classical fare coming to Colorado this summer

It s not hyperbole to say that Colorado is the country s classical music hotspot in the summer Each year a great number of of the best-known performers composers and conductors descend upon the state and down into northern New Mexico bringing regional audiences world-class music much of it in the form of global premieres Classical fans have their favorite works and their preferred guest soloists as well as their majority content mountain towns in which to gather for concerts The challenge is sorting it all out and making crucial decisions when it comes to getting tickets Here is a brief look at the major players and specific of the highlights from their seasons Central City Opera will present a staging of The Knock directed by its new artistic director Alison Moritz Provided by Central City Opera Central City Opera June -Aug Central City Opera is back for with the same audience-friendly formula that has served it well both commercially and artistically in latest seasons There will be one classical warhorse one nearly-new title and one Broadway-style show The season opens with Rossini s The Barber of Seville a popular comedy that will likely be the preferred choice for regulars seeking out a night of quality music and big laughs in the mountains The show tunes come from Once Upon a Mattress the hit that has been a hot revival lately The more fresh offering is The Knock and there is an absorbing story behind it The opera about the fortitude of war widows when they get informed of the deaths of loved ones was originally slated to have its world premiere at New York s Glimmerglass Opera in a production directed by Alison Moritz who coincidentally was appointed Central City s artistic director last year But the live production was canceled due to restrictions during the pandemic Instead Mortiz created a video adaption that was shared via the web This new production is a chance for a re-do bringing the work to an actual theater for a fresh listen Where Central City Opera House in Central City Info - - or centralcityopera org The Gerald R Ford Amphitheater home to the Bravo Vail Music Festival Provided by Bravo Vail Music Festival Bravo Vail Music Festival June -July The Bravo Vail Music Festival is pushing a season of firsts this year and it looks promising In the mix will be short residencies by five orchestras from three different continents along with a long list of well-known guest conductors featured on the podium Certain good news Mexico s Sinf nica de Miner a helmed by artistic director Carlos Miguel Prieto will return after last season s triumphant debut The ensemble will be part of a summer that includes long-time fest regulars the Dallas Symphony Orchestra The Philadelphia Orchestra the New York Philharmonic and a latest addition the Chamber Orchestra of Europe Among the conductors to look out for are local favorite Marin Alsop Matthias Pintscher and Santtu-Matias Rouvali In a surprise move Colorado Symphony conductor Peter Oundjian will make his Vail debut with a performance of composer Amy Beach s Piano Concerto which will feature soloist Anne-Marie McDermott The one concert to get tickets early for Brahms Piano Concertos performed by Yefim Bronfman which is scheduled for June Where Various locations in Vail Info - - or bravovail org Conductor Peter Oundjian will lead concerts at the Colorado Music Festival where he is music director He will also appear at the Aspen Music Festival Provided by the Colorado Music Festival Colorado Music Festival July -Aug The Colorado Music Festival is packing a lot in to its monthlong season this year with major guest artists appearing throughout performances all curated by artistic director Oundjian The audience-pleaser is pianist H l ne Grimaud who opens the season with two performances on July and that feature Gershwin s Piano Concerto in F and celebrate the th anniversary of Ravel s birth The combination of Ravel and Grimaud is something you might not want to miss There is also more challenging fare on the roster That includes a new saxophone concerto by the legendary composer Joan Tower an appearance by guitarist Xuefei Yang who will perform Rodrigo s Concierto de Aranjuez and a presentation of composer Michael Abels Amplify which was co-commissioned by the festival Other familiar names on the schedule include violinists Anne Akiko Meyers and Benjamin Beilman and the Brentano String Quartet The season showstopper a presentation of Beethoven s larger-than-life Ninth Symphony featuring the iconic Ode to Elation which Oundjian will conduct himself July and Aug That show is likely to show off the Colorado Music Fest at its best Where Chautauqua Auditorium Boulder Info - - Ren e Fleming makes her directorial debut at the Aspen Music Festival leading a new production of Mozart s Cos fan tutte Timothy White Decca Aspen Music Festival July -Aug It s unfailingly demanding to find the gems at the Aspen Music Festival but only because there are so a multitude of of them among the nearly populace events that happen each summer But there are specific definite highlights in a season that is going under the title Concerning the Spiritual in Art Fitting into that is the new musical drama Siddhartha She a co-commission from composer Christopher Theofanidis and librettist Melissa Studdard which premieres Aug with music director Robert Spano conducting Another first the directorial debut of soprano superstar Ren e Fleming who will helm a new production of Cos fan tutte at the Wheeler Opera House July - Other commissions sure to lure Aspen s sophisticated audiences include The Origin of the Harp a tone poem by Thomas Ad s KINSFOLKNEM by Jasmine Barnes and ATLAS a piano concerto by Anna Clyne which will feature the very popular Jeremy Denk Want more stars Look for appearances by Edgar Meyer Lang Lang Conrad Tao Gil Shaham and Alisa Weilerstein Where Various locations in Aspen Info - - or aspenmusicfestival com The view from the seats at the Santa Fe Opera Image provided by Santa Fe Opera Santa Fe Opera June -Aug This summer the Santa Fe Opera is opting out of presenting any of the world premieres that have made it a global force over the decades Still and as expected the season is full of big ambition including three brand-new fully staged productions of familiar titles Among the fresh takes La Boheme directed by James Robinson Rigoletto a co-production with Irish National Opera and Opera Zuid and Die Walk re which will be only the third Wagner opera presented in the company s long history Related Articles Jazz Anthony Braxton at is still awe-inspiring Whiskey and doughnut fest City Park Jazz is back and more Denver things to do Copper Mountain summer operations to begin on June Katy Perry bounced out of Ball Arena by the Nuggets on Thursday Pop star Benson Boone fresh off Coachella bringing tour to Denver this fall The most-anticipated moment this season looks to be a staging of The Turn of the Screw the Benjamin Britten work that was returned to life in by director Louisa Muller at England s Garsington Opera receiving particular of the best critical reviews of the year Muller will tour it to Santa Fe with a cast that includes Jacquelyn Stucke Christine Rice Wendy Bryn Harmer and Brenton Ryan Get tickets early for that one and keep an eye on show start times this season because they will fluctuate to accommodate run times Where Santa Fe Opera Santa Fe N M Info - - or santafeopera org Subscribe to our weekly newsletter In The Know to get entertainment news sent straight to your inbox