Previews

The Takacs String Quartet has long been among the elite of the elite, consistently cited as one of the top quartets in the world.

Bach's B-Minor Mass is for choral groups a little like a full marathon — you have to build up to it. And when you finally have mastered all the necessities for a successful presentation of the piece, you still need five good soloists and a strong orchestra.

Canadian soprano Karina Gauvin has made her mark in two contrasting art forms: Baroque repertoire, in which she excels in rapid-fire coloratura, and song, in which her gift for lyric expression comes to the fore.

British choreographer Russell Maliphant's evening-length After Light, a meditation on the artistry and influence of Vaslav Nijinsky, touches on Nijinsky’s role as one of classical ballet’s greatest dancers, as well as the breakaway invention of his hotly controversial Afternoon of a Faun.

Akram Khan, who credits his international brigade of dancers as collaborators, draws inspiration from Sufism and the Persian poet and mystic Rumi.

The Kirov Ballet, based in St. Petersburg (formerly Leningrad), has reverted to calling itself the Mariinsky Ballet, but its Swan Lake, choreographed in 1950 by Konstantin Sergeyev and based, of course, on the 1895 Petipa/Ivanov version, prevails, uninterrupted by the vagaries of history.

The Bad Plus come to San Francisco Performances for a re-imagning of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring.

On the cusp of its 30th anniversary, the Alexander String Quartet continues its residence at Mondavi with a performance of Schubert’s String Quartet in C Minor, D. 703, “Quartettsatz”; and his String Quartet in A Minor, D. 804, “Rosamunde.”

The Ives Quartet is a locally based ensemble with a tough-grained and determined style.

Sergio and Odair Assad have been the preeminent classical guitar duo of the last 40 years, having set the standard for technical excellence, sensitive musicianship, and innovative repertoire choices.