CLASSICAL.

Byline: - Fred Shuster

Los Angeles Opera takes center stage in the coming weeks with two grand operas in repertory. ``La Boheme'' follows the tale of six young Parisians at Christmas in a production designed by the late filmmaker Herbert Ross. The equally charming ``Vanessa'' sees the long-awaited local debut of soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa in the title role.

Here's a list of selected classical music delights over the holidays.

TONIGHT

Mahler No. 10, Daniel Harding with the L.A. Phil, Disney Hall, also Friday and Saturday, $63 and $89. [phone]; www.musiccenter.org.

SATURDAY

La Boheme, Los Angeles Opera, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, also various days through Dec. 19, $30-$175. [phone]; www.losangelesopera.com.

Cappella Romana, 14th- and 15th-century Byzantine chants, Getty Center, $15 and $20. [phone]; www.getty.edu.

Don Giovanni, performed by Mozart Festival Opera, Cerritos Center, $20- $35. [phone]; www.cerritoscenter.com.

NOV. 26

Rachmaninoff No. 3, Alexander Toradze with the L.A. Phil, Disney Hall, also Nov. 27 and 28, $15-$125. [phone]; www.musiccenter.org.

NOV. 27

Vanessa, Los Angeles Opera with Kiri Te Kanawa, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, also various days through Dec. 18, $30-$175. [phone]; www.losangelesopera.com.

NOV. 29

Arditti Quartet, contemporary string quartets and chamber works, Leo S. Bing Theater, LACMA, $5-$20. [phone]; www.lacma.org.

NOV. 30

Christmas Concert, ``Advent Canticle'' with Pepperdine University's orchestra, chorale and concert choir, Pepperdine's Center for the Arts, $10. [phone]; www.pepperdine.edu/arts.

DEC. 3

Tristan und Isolde, Esa-Pekka Salonen with the L.A. Phil, Disney Hall, also Dec. 4-5, $15-$125. [phone]; www.musiccenter.org.

DEC. 4

Mojacar, contemporary flamenco music and dance, Madrid Theatre, Canoga Park, $15-$125. [phone]; www.madridtheatre.org.

Calder Quartet, Haydn and Beethoven, UCLA's Schoenberg Hall, $42 and $30. [phone]; www.performingarts.ucla.edu.

DEC. 5

Tallis Scholars, Renaissance vocal music, Immanuel Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles. [phone]; www.immanuelpres.org.

DEC. 6

Yo-Yo Ma & Emanuel Ax, Royce Hall, $25-$110. [phone]; www.performingarts.ucla.edu.

DEC. 18

San Fernando Valley Opera Company, with the San Fernando Valley Symphony Orchestra performs ``Amahl and the Night Visitors'' and ``Medea,'' Pierce College Performing Arts Theater, $12-$20. [phone]; www.piercecollege.edu/departments/music/concerts.html.

DEC. 19

Souls on Fire: Leonard Nimoy narrates West Coast premiere of Charles Osborne's oratorio telling of the founders of European Hassidism, with the Los Angels Jewish Symphony, Temple Israel of Hollywood, $8-$25. [phone]; www.tioh.org.

DEC. 25

Theodore Bikel, Skirball Center, $25 and $65. [phone]; www.skirball.org.

DEC. 28

Celebrar, L.A. Master Chorale, Disney Hall, Also Dec. 29, $19-$79. [phone]; www.musiccenter.org.