Fall Arts -- Classical

If you thought all the excitement about Benaroya Hall would be over by now, take another look. There's even more on tap for the hall's second season, not only on the main stage (where the Seattle Symphony opens Sept. 18 with a Second Annual Gala featuring mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne), but in the Nordstrom Recital Hall (where the Northwest Chamber Orchestra has piano soloist Anton Nel playing Beethoven on Sept. 11-12).

The recent venue explosion has everybody on the move, not only to the two performance spaces at Benaroya (where you'll now find the Seattle Baroque Orchestra) but also to the Kirkland Performance Hall (also hosting the SBO and an increasing number of other organizations) - and the newly renovated Town Hall at Eighth Avenue and Seneca Street in Seattle, which will reopen Oct. 16-30 with a Duke Ellington festival and go on to host concerts by the Early Music Guild and a long list of choruses and orchestras.

After the opening production of "Der Freischutz" last month, Seattle Opera will go on to present Mozart's celestial "The Magic Flute" in October, in a promising co-production with the Los Angeles Opera. Meanwhile, the Opera House itself awaits a prospective remodel that could start two years from now, if all the funding elements coalesce this fall.

BEST BETS:

A lot of the big guns at the Seattle Symphony come after the New Year (Itzhak Perlman on March 10, Murray Perahia on Jan. 19). But it's still a banner fall for pianists:

Horacio Gutierrez plays Beethoven's "Emperor" Concerto with the Seattle Symphony and conductor Gerard Schwarz in a program that also includes Bartok's big orchestral showpiece, the "Concerto for Orchestra" (Sept. 23-26, Benaroya Hall.)

Washington, D.C.'s National Symphony makes its Benaroya debut with Leonard Slatkin conducting an all-American program (Oct. 23, Benaroya Hall.)

The King's Singers visit as a Seattle Symphony "pops extra" - and, of course, a great bargain is the entirely free "Day of Music" (King' Singers, Oct. 30; "Day of Music," Sept. 19; Benaroya Hall.)

Purcell's lovely "Dido and Aeneas" will feature Seattle Baroque performers in two venues (Oct. 29, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church; Oct. 30, Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya).

The Seattle Youth Symphony opens on Halloween with a spooky program including the Bach/Stokowski "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor." (Oct. 31, Benaroya Hall.)

Rising Star

The clear, sparkling voice of soprano Terri Richter has been turning heads around the Northwest in the past two seasons, as a soloist with orchestras and as the perky Barbarina in Seattle Opera's "Marriage of Figaro." Now the former member of Seattle Opera's 1998 Young Artists Program has been cast as Papagena, a particularly winning role and a great opportunity, in Mozart's "The Magic Flute" this October. It's a role that asks for youth, beauty and some very nice lyrical singing, and it should give Richter a chance to rise in both experience and visibility. A Tennessee native, Richter was a Metropolitan Opera regional finalist in 1996; her Northwest performance credits also include Civic Light Opera (Lily in "The Secret Garden") and concerts with the Northwest Chamber Orchestra, Seattle Symphony and Spokane Symphony Orchestra. -------------------------------

SEPTEMBER SEPT. 9 Scottish Music Concert with flutist Chris Norman, fiddlers Elke Baker and David Greenberg and pianist Muriel Johnstone; Green Lake United Methodist Church, Seattle, $15.

SEPT. 10 Northwest Chamber Orchestra's Opening Millennium Celebration; Kirkland Performance Center, Kirkland, $18-$20.

SEPT. 11-12 Northwest Sinfonietta presents pianist Ariel Francisco Dechosa; Saturday, Rialto Theater, Tacoma, $12-$20; Sunday, Kirkland Performance Center, Kirkland, $18-$20.

Northwest Chamber Orchestra's Opening Millennium Celebration; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $22.50-$24.50.

SEPT. 18 Seattle Symphony Second Annual Opening Night Gala; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $60-$125.

The Tudor Choir presents a cappella English Renaissance music; St. Mark's Cathedral, Seattle, $15-$18.

Tacoma Philharmonic presents The Canadian Brass; Pantages Theater, Tacoma, $20-$40.

SEPT. 19 Seattle Symphony's Second Annual Day of Music; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, FREE.

SEPT. 23-26 Seattle Symphony presents pianist Horacio Gutierrez; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $15-$60.

SEPT. 26 ArtsWest Concert Series presents "Featuring Winds: Chamber Music Masterpieces"; West Seattle Presbyterian Church, Seattle, $10-$18.

SEPT. 30-Oct. 3 Seattle Symphony presents violinist Cho-Liang Lin; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $15-$60.

OCTOBER OCT. 2 Tacoma Philharmonic presents the Seattle Symphony and violinist Cho-Liang Lin; Pantages Theater, Tacoma, $20-$40.

OCT. 6 UW International Chamber Music Series presents the Brentano String Quartet; Meany Theater, Seattle, $27.

OCT. 7-9 Seattle Symphony presents cellist Natalia Gutman; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $15-$60.

OCT. 8 St. Mark's Cathedral presents organist Jan Ernst in a benefit concert for the Cathedral Associates; St. Mark's Cathedral, Seattle, $20.

Duvall Arts Commission presents the Seattle Symphony; Cedarcrest Performing Arts Center, Duvall.

OCT. 9 Auburn Arts Commission presents "Seattle Opera's Young Singers in Recital"; Auburn Performing Arts Center, Auburn, $6-$18.

OCT. 9-10 Northwest Chamber Orchestra presents "Timeless Classics"; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $22.50-$24.50.

Gallery Concerts presents "Viola da Bamba"; Saturday, Central Lutheran Church, Seattle; Sunday, Frye Art Museum, Seattle, $9-$18.

OCT. 14-15 Bellevue Philharmonic presents Carlos A. Flores; Westminster Chapel, Bellevue, $14-$20.

OCT. 15-16 Seattle Symphony Basically Baroque Series presents Michala Petri; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $15-$60.

OCT. 16 Northwest Sinfonietta Family Concert; Rialto Theater, Tacoma, FREE (pay as you can).

Opus 7 Vocal Ensemble presents a program called "The Full Moon Was Rising"; St. Mark's Cathedral, Seattle, $10-$17.

OCT. 16-30 Seattle Opera presents "The Magic Flute" ("Die Zauberflote"); Opera House, Seattle, $33-$99.

OCT. 17 Northwest Chamber Orchestra presents "Schubert in the Park"; Seattle Asian Art Museum, Seattle, $12.50.

Seattle Chamber Players Opening Concert; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $15-$20.

OCT. 19 UW President's Piano Series presents Angela Hewitt; Meany Theater, Seattle, $27.

OCT. 21 Seattle Symphony Light Classics Series presents violinist Maria Larionoff; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $15-$60.

OCT. 21-24 Water Music Festival; various locations along the Long Beach peninsula, Seaview, Pacific County, free-$15.

OCT. 22 Seattle Symphony Music of Our Time Series Concert; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $15-$60.

Washington Wind Symphony, Kirkland Performance Center, Kirkland, $5-$10.

OCT. 22-23 Gallery Concerts presents "The Age of Romance"; Queen Anne Baptist Church, Seattle, $9-$18.

OCT. 23 Washington D.C.'s National Symphony, 7:30 p.m., Benaroya Hall, Seattle.

OCT. 23-24 "An Evening with the Keith Highlander's Pipe Band," Kirkland Performance Center, Kirkland, $15.

Auburn Arts Commission presents the Auburn Symphony Orchestra; Auburn Performing Arts Center, Auburn, $6-$18.

OCT. 24 Northwest Chamber Orchestra presents violinist Ida Levin; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $22.50-$24.50.

Northwest Chamber Chorus and Philharmonia Northwest Orchestra performs Bach's "Magnificat"; Town Hall, Seattle, $10-$14.

Orchestra Seattle and Seattle Chamber Singers present their "Opening Gala"; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $10-$30.

OCT. 26 UW International Chamber Music Series presents the Emerson String Quartet; Meany Theater, Seattle, $27.

OCT. 28 Seattle Symphony Mainly Mozart Series presents pianist Menahem Pressler and violinist Ikka Talvi; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $15-$60.

OCT. 29 Trio Voronezh performs using traditional Russian folk instruments; Kirkland Performance Center, Kirkland, $17-$20.

OCT. 29-30 Seattle Baroque presents "Dido and Aeneas"; Friday, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Seattle; Saturday, Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $14-$23.

OCT. 29-NOV. 7 Bellevue Opera presents "The Mikado"; Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue, $8-$16.

OCT. 30 Lake Union Civic Orchestra's Fall Concert; Shorecrest Performing Arts Center, Seattle, $5.

Bellevue Philharmonic presents a "Halloween Spooktacular"; Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue, $10-$17.

OCT. 31 Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras' Season Opener; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $5-$32.

Sammamish Symphony Orchestra presents a "Halloween Concert"; Eastlake Performing Arts Center, Redmond, $7-$10.

NOVEMBER NOV. 2 St. James Cathedral presents Mozart's "Requiem"; St. James Cathedral, Seattle, FREE.

NOV. 3-7 Tacoma Opera presents "Cosi fan tutte"; Pantages Theater, Tacoma, $25-$50.

NOV. 4-7 Seattle Symphony presents violinist Elmar Oliveira; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $15-$60.

NOV. 5 Early Music Guild presents "Musica Antiqua Koln"; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $14-$23.

NOV. 7 Northwest Chamber Orchestra presents "Dvorak in the Park"; Seattle Asian Art Museum, Seattle, $12.50.

NOV. 11-12 Bellevue Philharmonic presents pianist Hae-Sun Paik; Westminster Chapel, Bellevue, $14-$20.

NOV. 11-14 Seattle Symphony Pops Series presents "As I Remember" Frank Sinatra Jr.; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $15-$52.

NOV. 12 Tacoma Concert Band with percussionist Amy Putnam; Pantages Theater, Tacoma, $10-$16.

NOV. 13-14 Bellevue Chamber Chorus presents "A Millennium of Beautiful Music"; Sacred Heart Church, Bellevue, $11-$15.

NOV. 13-16 Seattle Opera Young Artists Program presents "The Marriage of Figaro"; Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue, $10-$15.

NOV. 14 Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra presents "World Music in Motion!"; Lindbergh High School, Renton, $6-$12.

NOV. 17 Tacoma Philharmonic presents Northwest Sinfonietta and violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg; Pantages Theater, Tacoma, $25-$50.

NOV. 18-21 Seattle Symphony presents pianist Awadagin Pratt; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $15-$60.

NOV. 19 Chris Norman Ensemble with flutist Chris Norman, guitarist and fiddler Randall Bays and Ensemble A Corda string quintet; Green Lake United Methodist Church, Seattle, $16.

Orchestra Seattle and Seattle Chamber Singers present "Winds, Strings and Glass"; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $10-$30.

NOV. 20 Broadway Center for the Performing Arts presents Silk Road musical ensemble; Rialto Theater, Tacoma, $14-$26.

NOV. 20-21 Northwest Chamber Orchestra presents cellist Page Smith; Benaroya Hall, Seattle, $22.50-$24.50.

NOV. 21 ArtsWest Concert Series and Seattle Pro Musica presents "Music of Our Time: Northwest 20th Century Composers"; First Lutheran Church of West Seattle, Seattle, $10-$18.

Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra presents "World Music in Motion"; Meany Theater, Seattle, $6-$12.

Seattle Bach Choir presents its fall concert; Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, Seattle, $10-$12.

NOV. 23 UW President's Piano Series presents Evgeny Kissin; Meany Theater, Seattle, $27.

P H O N E S and A D D R E S S E S

ArtsWest Concert Series, 206-938-0339. Auburn Arts Commission, 253-931-3043. Auburn Performing Arts Center, 700 E. Main St., Auburn. Bellevue Chamber Chorus, 425-881-0445. Bellevue Opera, 425-454-1906. Bellevue Philharmonic, 425-455-4171. Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., Seattle. Broadway Center for the Performing Arts, 253-591-5894. Cedarcrest Performing Arts Center, 29000 N.E. 150th St., Duvall. Central Lutheran Church, 1710 11th Ave., Seattle. Chris Norman Ensemble, 206-329-9748. Duvall Arts Commission, 425-844-8516. Eastlake Performing Arts Center, 400 228th Ave. N.E., Redmond. Frye Art Museum, 704 Terry Ave., Seattle. Gallery Concerts, 206-726-6088. Green Lake United Methodist Church, 6415 First Ave. N.E., Seattle. Early Music Guild, 206-325-7066. Kirkland Performance Center, 350 Kirkland Ave., Kirkland, 425-893-9900. Lake Union Civic Orchestra, 206-667-4783. Lindbergh High School, 16426 128th St. S.E., Renton. Meany Theater, University of Washington, Seattle, 206-543-4880. Meydenbauer Center, 11100 N.E. Sixth St., Bellevue. Northwest Chamber Chorus, 206-523-1196. Northwest Chamber Orchestra, 206-343-0445. Northwest Sinfonietta, 253-383-5344. Opera House, 300 Mercer St., Seattle. Opus 7 Vocal Ensemble, 206-782-2354. Orchestra Seattle and Seattle Chamber Singers, 206-682-5208. Pantages Theatre, 901 Broadway St., Tacoma, 253-591-5894. Philharmonia Northwest, 206-675-9727. Queen Anne Baptist Church, 2011 First Ave. N., Seattle. Rialto Theatre, 310 S. Ninth St., Tacoma, 253-591-5894. Sacred Heart Church, 9460 N.E. 14th St., Bellevue. Sammamish Symphony Orchestra, 425-392-3624. Scottish Music Concert, 206-329-9748. Seattle Asian Art Museum, 1400 E. Prospect St., Seattle. Seattle Bach Choir, 206-324-4828. Seattle Baroque Orchestra, 206-322-3118. Seattle Chamber Players, 206-367-1138. Seattle Opera, 206-389-7676 Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra, 206-528-6878. Seattle Symphony, 206-215-4747.Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras, 206-362-2300. Shorecrest Performing Arts Center, 15343 25th Ave. N.E., Seattle. St. James Cathedral, 804 Ninth Ave., Seattle, 206-382-4874. St. Mark's Cathedral, 1245 10th Ave. E., Seattle, 206-323-1040. St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 4805 N.E. 45th St., Seattle. Tacoma Concert Band, 253-591-5894. Tacoma Opera, 253-627-7789. Tacoma Philharmonic, 253-272-0809. Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., Seattle. The Tudor Choir, 206-322-3118. UW International Chamber Music Series, Meany Theater, University of Washington, Seattle, 206-543-4880. UW President's Piano Series, Meany Theater, University of Washington, Seattle, 206-543-4880. Water Music Festival, 800-451-2542. Westminster Chapel, 13646 N.E. 24th St., Bellevue. West Seattle Presbyterian Church, 3601 California Ave. S.W., Seattle.