Elgin Symphony Orchestra to open year with classics

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra opens 2008 with four events featuring timeless masterworks such as Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, Tchaikovsky's "Romeo and Juliet," and the spectacular "Organ Symphony" by Camille Saint-Saens, as well as a tribute to American legend Ray Charles.

Make a resolution to fill your New Year with fantastic music with the ESO.

• Friday-Sunday. 4-6: Elizabeth Blumenstock, one of the country's leading Baroque violinists, will join the ESO in Vivaldi's Concerto for Violin "Il Grosso Mogul." As part of the "Historically Informed Performances" initiative, the ESO also performs works by Biber and Rameau and presents Beethoven's celebrated Symphony No. 5. All performances take place at the Hemmens Theatre in downtown Elgin. Performance times are 1:30 and 8 p.m. Friday, 8 p.m. Saturday and 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

• Jan. 18-20: Dee Daniels' amazing four-octave range has thrilled audiences around the world. She brings her gospel background, blues flavoring, and jazz styling to the symphonic stage. Daniels and the ESO celebrate the work of a legendary American musician in "The Soul of Ray: A Tribute to Ray Charles." The Jan. 18 performance takes place at 8 p.m. at Schaumburg's Prairie Center for the Arts. The Saturday and Sunday performances take place at the Hemmens Theatre in downtown Elgin at 8 p.m. Jan. 19 and 3:30 p.m. Jan. 20.

• Feb. 1-3: Conductor Giancarlo Guerrero returns to lead the ESO in a performance of Saint-Saens Symphony No. 3, popularly known as the Organ Symphony and featured in the Academy Award-winning film, "Babe." Performances at the Hemmens Theatre in downtown Elgin will be at 1:30 and 8 p.m. Feb. 1, 8 p.m. Feb. 2 and 3:30 p.m. Feb. 3.

• Feb. 29-March 2: Robert Hanson, the ESO and the Elgin Choral Union present an evening of Russian masterworks. Prokofiev's "Classical Symphony," excerpts from Mussorgsky's "Boris Godunov," Tchaikovsky's famous "Romeo and Juliet," and Borodin's "Polovtsian Dances" all make for an unforgettable experience. Performances at the Hemmens Theatre in downtown Elgin will be at 1:30 and 8 p.m. Feb. 29, 8 p.m. March 1 and 3:30 p.m. March 2.

Individual tickets start at $25 and may be purchased by calling the ESO Box Office at (847) 888-4000 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.ElginSymphony.org. Discount sales to groups of 10 or more may be purchased by calling Mike Drummer, group sales manager, at (847) 888-0404.

Lunch with the Maestro: New this season, the Elgin Symphony League presents "Lunch with the Maestro" before Friday matinee performances in the Heritage Ballroom in downtown Elgin, across from the Hemmens Theatre. Join the afternoon's maestro and other special guests as they discuss the upcoming concert and answer questions during dessert.

Upcoming "Lunch with the Maestro" events take place at 11:30 a.m. Fridays, Jan. 4, Feb. 1 and 29, May 2 and June 13. "Lunch with the Maestro" tickets may be purchased for $20 by calling the ESO box office at (847) 888-4000.