Indoors or out, more classical concerts are coming to Twin Cities

We were masked, we were socially distanced, but we were together, inside a concert hall.

The scene was Northrop auditorium and the artist was one of the world's expert organists, Paul Jacobs. That mid-April night was the first time I'd seen a live indoor classical concert since COVID came to town, and more opportunities are on the way.

The Minnesota Orchestra will begin allowing limited audiences into Orchestra Hall for Osmo Vänskä-led programs June 11 and 25. Then the plan is to double the orchestra's concerts, presenting them on Friday and Saturday nights every other weekend July 16-Aug. 28. The Friday concerts also can be viewed online via minnesotaorchestra.org.

But perhaps you're thinking: Summer nights are so beautiful in Minnesota. Why don't we just have outdoor concerts? The Schubert Club hears you. They're setting a high bar for classical al fresco with five concerts June 3-10 by the first couple of chamber music, cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han.

Co-leaders of New York's esteemed Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, they will perform nothing but Franz Schubert with such outstanding collaborators as tenor Paul Appleby, pianist Juho Pohjonen and violinists Benjamin Beilman and Paul Huang. And, in case you can't wait until August for a taste of the State Fair, the concerts are all at the Schilling Amphitheater on the fairgrounds' west end. Tickets are going fast at Schubert.org.

Rob Hubbard • wordhub@gmail.com