{"id":2183192,"date":"2025-12-01T19:07:50","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T19:07:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2183192"},"modified":"2025-12-01T19:07:50","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T19:07:50","slug":"the-best-classical-music-concerts-and-events-to-see-in-vancouver-in-december","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/the-best-classical-music-concerts-and-events-to-see-in-vancouver-in-december\/","title":{"rendered":"The best classical music concerts and events to see in Vancouver in December"},"content":{"rendered":"

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As noted last week<\/a>, choirs are the big deal during the lead-up to the holidays. But that doesn\u2019t mean there isn\u2019t other music tailored for December merrymaking.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look at some selected options:<\/p>\n

Handel\u2019s Messiah has become a regular holiday feature, but Tchaikovsky\u2019s Nutcracker is almost as illustrious. Of course, it\u2019s always been about the festive season (the titular implement is a Christmas gift, after all), but it took a while for ballet companies all over the world to make it a December tradition. A 1944 Christmas Eve production in San Francisco launched the trend, which is still going strong. Vancouver gets a choice of two different Nutcrackers this year: The Royal Winnipeg Ballet offers five performances Dec. 12-14, while Goh Ballet offers five performances of its version, Dec. 18-21. Both companies perform at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre<\/a>. Check out balletbc.com<\/a> and gohnutcracker.com<\/a> for times and tickets.<\/p>\n

At the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra<\/a>, there\u2019s a variety of holiday music on tap all month. A succession of holiday movies with live music accompaniment starts with a Dec. 6 matinee (2 p.m.) of The Snowman, followed by Home Alone, Dec. 17 and 18 (7 p.m.), and Elf, Dec. 19 and 20 (7 p.m.), all at The Orpheum Theatre.<\/p>\n

Movies with orchestral accompaniment are tailor-made for the Orpheum, but the VSO also moves out of its downtown home to bring music to other venues. Vivaldi\u2019s Four Seasons<\/a>, plus Corelli\u2019s Christmas Concerto, some Bach and a new work by Gabriella Smith are on offer at UBC\u2019s Chan Centre, Dec. 11 and 12 (7:30 p.m.).<\/p>\n

Then there is the VSO\u2019s long-running and much loved A Traditional Christmas project<\/a>, a sentimental mix of seasonal concert music, readings and carols. This year\u2019s launch is on Dec. 10 (7:30 p.m.), at South Delta Baptist Church in Tsawwassen. Next come concerts on the North Shore, starting at West Vancouver\u2019s Kay Meek Centre Dec. 11 (7:30 p.m.), followed by two performances at North Vancouver\u2019s Centennial Theatre on Dec. 12 (4 and 7:30 p.m.). Surrey\u2019s Bell Performing Arts Centre also sees two shows on Dec. 13 (4 and 7:30 p.m.). The program winds up back in the Orpheum on Dec. 21 (4 and 7:30 p.m.). If you think your holiday plans are complicated, best not to think of the logistics of such a massive enterprise in so many places. But, as a multi-generational friend-winning gambit for our home-team orchestra, A Traditional Christmas is an absolute winner.<\/p>\n

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