It’s been a LONG intermission, hasn’t it? Eighteen months since the last time we were able to meet to hear the glorious accents of Mozart or Beethoven. But with vaccines and safety protocols, live classical music is back in Colorado this season. We can’t wait to get dressed and stand in the entrance line to the Boettcher Concert Hall!
Below is an ever-growing list of sets from Colorado gearing up for their first season. All performing arts institutions at the Denver Performing Arts Complex are ready to go this month and through October. Instrumentalists from across our state safely gather for rehearsals and anticipate a successful return to the stage accompanied by emerging artists, virtuoso performers, beloved masterpieces, dynamic collaborations, and more. Imagine the thrill of this first highlight of the Maestro!
Article updated September 23. Please Note: All sites will implement COVID security guidelines. While these may vary from organization to organization, expect protocols such as audience and artist spacing to allow for greater social distancing, mask and vaccine requirements. , etc. Please visit each organization’s website for their specific COVID protocols.
Colorado Symphony
The Colorado Symphony was among the first performing groups to release its 2021/2022 season, which runs from September to May and features classics, Symphony Pops, Movie at the Symphony, vacation programs and more. Opening week brings the performances back inside the Boettcher Concert Hall and pairs legend Emanuel Ax at the piano performing Chopin’s second piano concerto with conductor Peter Oundjian.
Colorado Opera House
Full-scbeer productions return to the Ellie Caulkins opera house from November with Puccini’s classic drama, Tosca. The season continues with an exciting adaptation of a Stephen King novel, “The Shining,” which transforms the live stage into the Colorado-inspired Overlook Hotel for five nights. The fateful story of Carmen, by Georges Bizet, concludes the 2021/22 season of Opera Colorado with six performances in May.
Tickets for every production on sale now.
Colorado Opera HouseChamber music friends
Friends of Chamber Music has provided the world’s best chamber music in Metro Denver since 1954. Each season, they perform concerts featuring string quartets, piano trios, soloists and mixed chamber ensembles featuring beloved classical works and daring new compositions. This season features the eclectic sounds of violinist Tessa Lark, the virtuosity of pianist Daniil Trifonov and a bit of everything in between.
Visit the FCM website for the exciting concert lineup and mix of guest artists.
FCMColorado Baroque Chamber Music
As cultural shows return to the stage, the Colorado Baroque chamber music series hosts “A Joyful Reunion” in October and later a pair of on-demand virtual concerts for the months of December / January. To crown their return, the humorous and comical miniature of JS Bach, the Cantata du café and “Paris in colors”, which highlights the French composers Jean-Philippe Rameau and Joseph Bologne, Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges.
Season pass and single tickets available.
BCOC / Amanda TiptonChamber orchestra of the sources
Music lovers in the Pikes Peak communities appreciate the artistry and programming of the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs. The ensemble holds a classic series of six concerts in several venues and has spent decades forming friendships with local musicians and composers. His return is heralded with an “Organ Spectacular” featuring organists from Colorado and a world premiere by composer Roderick Gorby, who performs his piece “An American Tone Poem”. Francesca Leo, who won the 2020 Emerging Artist Competition, returns to perform “Trail of Tears” for flute and chamber orchestra by Michael Daugherty. A cast of star singers and the Colorado Springs Chorale collaborate to introduce the audience to Beethoven’s astonishing “Missa Solemnis” and later violinist Mark Fewer joins the ensemble with “Affairs of the Heart” by Marjan Mozetich.
Season preview and tickets available now.
Chamber orchestra of the sourcesBoulder Philharmonic
Boulder Philharmonic returns with two performances in October before a full-scale production of The Nutcracker presented in collaboration with Boulder Ballet at the Macky Auditorium. Their symphonic series with conductor Michael Butterman highlights a world-class guest list including violinist Rachel Barton Pine, pianist Terrence Wilson, Boulder’s own violist Richard O’Neill, and the ukulele sensation. , Jake Shimabukuro.
Event tickets for October Together again and The art of jazz concerts available now.
Boulder philColorado Ballet
Colorado Ballet closed its doors last year on a milestone anniversary, but is now back to celebrate “60 + 1” during the 2021/2022 season. Dazzling productions and romantic tragedies are back … Giselle, Romeo and Juliet by Prokofiev … as well as iconic performances from the Nutcracker sold out.
Giselle, The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet, The Wizard of Oz and Masterworks on sale.
Colorado BalletCU presents
CU Presents is the home of the performing arts on the beautiful campus of the University of Colorado at Boulder – bringing hundreds of concerts, plays and other cultural events to the community each year. Faculty Tuesdays are back with the exciting debut of the Pendulum New Music series. Verdi’s Traviata and the Takács Quartet mark the upcoming season as well as an exclusive program featuring Japanese, gamelan and all percussion ensembles.
All season long events and ticketing information here.
CU presentsKantorei
Kantorei performs a wide range of choral music with a mission to “elevate the human experience through choral excellence”. Their season opens with “VOX FEMINA” in October and “A Kantorei Christmas” in December. The ensemble proudly collaborates with Mr. Roger Holland, artist in residence and contributor to CPR Classical Journey to Freedom, to explore the stories spirituals tell, illuminating the African American cultural narrative.
Katorei Main Concert Series and Tickets Available Now.
Scott Dressel MartinSaint-Martin chamber choir
The St. Martin Chamber Choir offers exquisite choral performances from over 1,000 years of fascinating repertoire. The series invites audiences to its 28th season, “Return & Restoration”, which begins in September with a touching rendition of Brahms’ German Requiem. The ensemble later explored choral works by twentieth-century composers, including William Grant Still and Amy Beach. End-of-season concerts feature music on religious journeys with “Songs of Pilgrimage” and “Songs of Farewell” by Hubert Parry.
Explore the whole season with the St. Martin Chamber Choir.
Amanda TiptonGrand Junction Symphony Orchestra
A full season with special events from the classic series, pop and chamber music decorates the renewed season of the Grand Junction Symphony. Highlights include Tchaikovsky’s Fourth, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with pianist Jeffrey Biegel and GJSO Concerto Brian Krinke performing Aram Khachaturian’s Violin Concerto. The group also joins forces with the Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado with soloists for JS Bach’s Coffee Cantata.
Take your seats and tickets today!
GJSOThe Newman Center presents
South Denver residents know that some of the most diverse and engaging cultural events take place at the Newman Center located nearby on the University of Denver campus. A big highlight this year is the famous Kronos Quartet, which is visiting in January 2022 for a residency with Lamont School students and a program featuring newly commissioned works from Kronos’ flagship project Fifty for the Future.
Tickets for the classic show and all events available now.
Jay blakesbergWe’ll update this page as more performing arts groups across the state announce their 2021/20 plans. Please visit each event page for the latest admission policies and security practices for indoor in-person gatherings.
