Though July and August are no longer the classical-music black hole they once were—Mostly Mozart and the Lincoln Center Festival have long been keeping us busy in the warm months—the out-of-town summer presence just keeps getting bigger and better, judging by the highlights below.
Caramoor International Music Festival
Girdle Ridge Road, Katonah, N.Y. (914-232-1252; caramoor.org). Through August 14.
The annual “Bel Canto at Caramoor” program features three rarely performed works, including Gluck’s Paride ed Elena (July 10), Pauline Viardot’s Cendrillon (July 18), and the U.S. premiere of Francesco Conti’s Don Quixote in Sierra Morena (July 23). The Czech mini-fest includes new works by composer-in-residence Krystof Maratka (August 12–14).
Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival
Various locations, Bridgehampton, N.Y. (212-741-9403; after July 19, 631-537-3507; bcmf.org). July 28–August 21.
The usual Baroque classics by Bach, Telemann, and others (July 28–August 1), as well as an evening devoted to the music of composer Paul Moravec (August 4) and—far less typically—a preview of a chamber opera by Roger Waters (yes, of Pink Floyd fame) on August 7. Also: songs by three Rodgers generations, including Richard, Mary Rodgers Guettel, and Adam Guettel, at the Channing Daughters Winery on August 13.
Bard Summerscape
Bard College, Annandale-On-Hudson, N.Y. (845-758-7900; bard.edu/bmf). July 8–August 22.M
The Bard Music Festival’s “Shostakovich and His World” (August 13–15 and 20–22) focuses on the Soviet composer and his contemporaries, culminating in a performance of his early comic opera, The Nose, directed by Francesca Zambello and featuring sets by architect Rafael Viñoly (July 28 through August 7).
Glimmerglass Opera
Cooperstown (607-547-2255; glimmerglass.org). Through August 24.
Though not widely known, Handel’s Imeneo featured two arias that were later incorporated into Messiah. Christopher Alden’s production runs from July 17 through August 21. Also: the U.S. premiere of Richard Rodney Bennett’s creepy 1965 work The Mines of Sulphur (July 24 through August 22).
Tanglewood
Lenox, Mass. (888-266-1200; tanglewood.org). Through September 5.
Star-studded as usual; this year, the names are Tan Dun (The Map, August 7) and Wynton Marsalis (All Rise, featuring Kurt Masur conducting the Boston Symphony, July 9). Also: The Hilliard Ensemble performs Hartke’s Tituli (July 28), and Dawn Upshaw sings songs by Copland with John Williams conducting the BSO (August 1).