(Jan 20, 2010) The 4th Annual Barrington Area Festival of Sacred Music / Choral Music Festival will be held on Sunday Jan 31 at Barrington United Methodist Church, beginning at 7PM. A variety of sacred music styles will be presented by choirs, ensembles, and soloists from nine Barrington-area churches; festival founder Dr. James Skomer will also lead massed choir selections. For more info, please call Dr. Skomer at (847) 359-6663 .

(Jan 18, 2010) The Elgin Opera presents a French Opera Gala "L'Amour, Toujours L'Amour!" on Saturday Feb 06 at 7:30PM in the Hemmens Cultural Center (HCC) in Elgin. Maestro Francesco Milioto will lead the New Millennium Orchestra, Elgin Choral Union, and soloists in excerpts from Carmen, Manon, Romeo & Juliet, Faust, The Pearl Fishers, The Tales of Hoffmann, Werther, Lakmé, and more. Sung in French with English Supertitles. Adult tickets from $20 - $35; students/seniors $15 - $30. For more information, call the HCC Box Office at 847-931-5900, visit the HCC Website, or view the Gala Brochure [.pdf / Adobe].

(Jan 03, 2010) This season's Young Vocal Artist Recital Series at the North Shore Unitarian Church (NSUC) in Deerfield begins with a performance by Soprano Susanna Phillips on Sunday Jan 24 at 2PM . Her program is entitled THE TUDOR QUEENS and features music by Carissimi, Schumann, Britten and Larson. For more information, please visit the NSUC website. (BTW... in February, Susanna stars as Adina in "The Elixir of Love" at Lyric Opera of Chicago.)

(Dec 15, 2009) The Civic Ballet of Chicago will perform a "The Nutcracker" at the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts at the College of Lake County in Grayslake. This spectacular version of the holiday favorite was reated by legendary choreographer Ruth Page, and staged at the Arie Crown Theatre in Chicago from 1965 to 1997. Performances are Saturday Dec 19 at 1pm and 5pm, and Sunday Dec 20 at 3pm. Tickets are $20 - $27, children 12 and under $12. Click HERE to visit the event page for more details.

(Dec 04, 2009) Citadel Theatre in Lake Forest hosts its first annual Fireside Memories fundraiser on Sunday Dec 13 from 5:00 – 8:30pm at Lovell's restaurant. The event kicks off a capital campaign drive to fund a move to a new theatre space, and includes a three course sit down dinner with wine service, a special fireside performance of Truman Capote's A Christmas Memory, silent auction, and the raffling of exciting prize baskets. Tickets are $125 and all proceeds benefit Citadel Theatre Company, now in its seventh season.

(Nov 30, 2009) The Chicago Bronze Handbell Ensemble presents two Lake County holiday concerts: Sun Dec 6 @ 3pm in the Ela Area Library in Lake Zurich, and Sun Dec 13 @ 1pm in the Wauconda Library. Click HERE for info...

(Nov 11, 2009) Festival Arts of Antioch presents "Autumn Fling", an annual fundraiser, on Saturday Nov 14th at 7pm. including performances by the Antioch Brass, the Festival Carolers, Lakes Area Swing Band, soloists Melissa and Joe Cardamone from Broadway Etc and others. Festival Arts sponsors the Lakes Area Swing Band, Lakes Area Community Band, the Antioch Community Chorus' annual performance of Handel's Messiah, and a fundraising concert to benefit the United Way of Lake County. Tickets $15; full info HERE / FLYER [.pdf / Adobe].

(Nov 10, 2009) The Riverview Theatre Company presents the "Salute to Broadway" (The Judith Irwin Medical Benefit Concert) on Saturday Nov 14 at 7:30pm at the Raue Center for the Arts in Crystal Lake. A life-long supporter of the area arts, Judith was a founder of the dance company at the Svalander School of Ballet; a cast member and board member of TownSquare Players; and a founding board member of Raue Center for the Arts, which will host an incredible evening of music, dance and storytelling as a "Thank You" benefit fundraiser by the local arts community to help cover significant medical expenses. For more information, please call Marla Gamze-Pendergrast at 815-477-3480.

(Nov 09, 2009) The da Corneto Opera Company presents "Cosi fan tutte", one of Mozart's most-popular comic operas, on Friday Nov 13 at 7:30pm and Sunday Nov 15 at 4pm at the Gorton Community Center in Lake Forest. This is a "Young Artists' Production", featuring some of the area's best new opera talent, and will be sung in Italian (with English supertitles), staged and costumed. Tickets are $20 in advance/$25 at the door; $10 students. To purchase or for more info, please call 847-234-6060 or click HERE.

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