On From the Top: Liszt, a

Young Pianist & New Music

Sunday, August 13 at 6 p.m.

Each Sunday, From the Top celebrates stories of talented, young classically trained musicians and presents their recitals. This month, some of the most fun music written for violin is performed brilliantly on the August 13 broadcast by 15-year-old violinist Anais Feller of San Diego, California. She is joined by a talented young pianist, Taige Wang, from Irvine, California, and other youth musicians performing challenging new repertoire. Feller performs excerpts from Zigeunerweisen/Gypsy Airs by Pablo de Sarasate; Wang performs Hungarian Rhapsody No.11, S.244 in A minor by Franz Liszt; and other young artists perform works for saxophone (by Roberto Molinelli); oboe (by William Grant Still); and marimba and clarinet (a duet by Derrick Spiva Jr.). Tune in to From the Top each Sunday at 6 p.m. on WETA Classical.

Choral Brahms on Choral Showcase

Sunday, August 20 at 9 p.m.

This month, Sunday-night WETA Classical program Choral Showcase dives deep into the works of Johannes Brahms, beyond his masterpiece — and one of the best-loved choral works of all time — German Requiem. The program will explore his sacred motets, Liebeslieder or “Love Song” waltzes, select songs for women’s choir, and the Schicksalslied, or “Song of Destiny,” for chorus and orchestra. One of the highlights will be the Geistliches Lied, Op. 30, a work of profound solace and consolation much like the German Requiem. In other Choral Showcase programs this month, enjoy Stravinsky and Rautavaara “bird” works on August 6; Evensong compositions by Tallis, Fauré and Duruflé on August 27; and more. Tune in to Choral Showcase each Sunday at 9 p.m. on WETA Classical.

Opera Matinee Features

Bellini’s La Sonnambula

Saturday, August 26 at 1 p.m.

Weekly Saturday broadcast Opera Matinee continues its series of performances with La Sonnambula (“The Sleepwalker”) by Vincenzo Bellini on August 26. The bel canto beauty follows the troubles of a woman beset by somnambulism and caught in a web of misunderstanding. The production is from Belgium’s Opéra Royal de Wallonie, featuring Jessica Pratt and René Barbera in the principal roles, and led by Giampaolo Bisanti. Other presentations this month include a production by The Royal Opera (London) of Alban Berg’s Wozzeck (August 5), a powerful story of a destitute soldier’s undoing and demise; and a Budapest Festival Orchestra production of Benjamin Britten’s Turn of the Screw (August 19), a ghost story-turned-opera about a household haunted by previous caregivers — based on the novella by Henry James. Tune in to Opera Matinee each Saturday at 1 p.m. on WETA Classical.

Enjoy Vocal Classical Music on VivaLaVoce

WETA Classical’s service VivaLaVoce presents classical vocal music in all its forms, from the Middle Ages to the present, 24 hours each day. Featuring opera (including a daily opera at 8 p.m.), choral music, and art song, VivaLaVoce can be heard on HD channel 90.9-2 and online through the audio player on wetaclassical.org.