Sunday November 8

Portland Opera, Orphée

Philip Glass isn’t only the world’s best-known and most prolific living composer, he’s one of the great composers for theater of any age, and he’s been on a bit of a roll of late, transcending the formulaic repetitive patterns familiar from film scores and concert works over the past few decades and achieving late-career landmarks such as Waiting for the Barbarians, Appomattox and even an album of Leonard Cohen settings. The third in Glass’ series of works based on the great films of Jean Cocteau, Orphée earned positive reviews in its original 1993 incarnation and in this 2007 production, which originated at New York’s Glimmerglass Opera. Several members of that team join PO vets in this fast-paced (95 minutes), present-day setting of the classical Greek myth of a poet trying to bring his wife back from hell, or trying to rescue his marriage from midlife crisis. Forget your stereotypes of Glass’s music as cold and mechanical; while this lambent score effectively uses his trademark repetitive structures, it also contains moments of real beauty, including a gorgeous love duet that will melt the heart of even the most hidebound classical fan. When he heard the rehearsal last week, Glass chose to make this production the source of the Opera’s first ever recording. See preview at wweek.com/editorial/3551/13256/. Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay St., 248-4335. 7:30 pm Friday, 2 pm Sunday Nov. 6 and 8. 7:30 pm Thursday and Saturday, Nov. 12 and 14. $20-$135.

Thursday November 12

Portland Opera, Orphée

Philip Glass isn’t only the world’s best-known and most prolific living composer, he’s one of the great composers for theater of any age, and he’s been on a bit of a roll of late, transcending the formulaic repetitive patterns familiar from film scores and concert works over the past few decades and achieving late-career landmarks such as Waiting for the Barbarians, Appomattox and even an album of Leonard Cohen settings. The third in Glass’ series of works based on the great films of Jean Cocteau, Orphée earned positive reviews in its original 1993 incarnation and in this 2007 production, which originated at New York’s Glimmerglass Opera. Several members of that team join PO vets in this fast-paced (95 minutes), present-day setting of the classical Greek myth of a poet trying to bring his wife back from hell, or trying to rescue his marriage from midlife crisis. Forget your stereotypes of Glass’s music as cold and mechanical; while this lambent score effectively uses his trademark repetitive structures, it also contains moments of real beauty, including a gorgeous love duet that will melt the heart of even the most hidebound classical fan. When he heard the rehearsal last week, Glass chose to make this production the source of the Opera’s first ever recording. See preview at wweek.com/editorial/3551/13256/. Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay St., 248-4335. 7:30 pm Friday, 2 pm Sunday Nov. 6 and 8. 7:30 pm Thursday and Saturday, Nov. 12 and 14. $20-$135.

Monday November 16

Lord of the Dance

In the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mount Doom, the Dark Lord Sauron forged in secret, a master ring, to control all others. And into this ring he poured all his cruelty, his malice and his will to dominate all life. One ring to rule them all—sorry, wrong lord. This is the one where the Dark Lord Michael Flatley forged, in secret, a master Irish dance/rock show extravaganza, to control all other permutations of Celtic culture. And into this show he poured all his leaping and fast tapping ability, his flair and his will to dominate all life. One show to rule them all.… (It’s been the top grossing dance show in the world since 1996 with more than $800 million bucks in ticket sales so far). KELLY CLARKE. Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay St., 248-4335. 7:30 pm Monday-Tuesday, Nov. 16-17. $23.35-$58.25. Tix at Ticketmaster outlets or at PCPA Box Office