Solti protege conducts Elgin Symphony this weekend

In Solti's footsteps

Shi-Yeon Sung, who became the first woman to win the Sir Georg Solti International Conductor's Competition two years ago in Frankfurt, Germany, follows Solti's footsteps to the Chicago area this weekend by conducting the Elgin Symphony Orchestra in an all-Mozart program. Arianna Zukerman, daughter of violinist Pinchas Zukerman, is highlighted as soprano.

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra performs All Mozart at 1:30 and 8 p.m. today, 8 p.m. Saturday and 3:30 p.m. Sunday at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. Tickets are $15 to $63, available at elginsymphony.org or by calling (847) 888-4000.

Colombian imports

Aterciopelados is probably the best-known band to emerge from Colombia - and that's not damning with faint praise. The name loosely translates as "the velvety ones," befitting Andrea Echeverri's smooth vocals set to the music of Hector Buitrago. Their latest album, "Rio," finds the band advocating a green political stance - without making its music any less velvety soft.

Aterciopelados performs at 9 p.m. Sunday at the House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn, Chicago. Tickets are $24.50, available at the box office or by calling (312) 923-2000 or visiting houseofblues.com.

Some enchanted tunes

WJJG 1530-AM's Kevin Moore hosts a celebration of Rodgers and Hammerstein at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights next week. Moore is recruiting some of the top cabaret singers in the area to perform tunes from "The Sound of Music," "South Pacific," "The King and I" and "Oklahoma!"

"Kevin Moore Presents Score-by-Score: The Best of Broadway Musicals Celebrating Rodgers and Hammerstein" takes place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. Tickets are $25 and $35, cabaret tables $40, available by calling (847) 577-2121 or visiting metropolisarts.com.