Kansas City classical Christmas countdown: Your guide to so much live music

The coming week brings a full stocking of classical holiday happenings:

Navidad Natal with Victoria Botero

Soprano Victoria Botero’s Cecilia Series returns to live performances with Navidad-Natal Dec. 13 at the Black Box in the West Bottoms. The concert will celebrate the Christmas music and customs of Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia and Mexico. Botero will be joined by actress Vanessa Severo, pianist Lamar Sims and Amado Espinoza, who is fluent in an amazingly diverse range of Latin American music.

7 p.m. Dec. 13. The Black Box, 1060 Union Ave. $15-$25. victoriabotero.com.

Tidings of Joy: Lessons & Carols

Village Presbyterian Church’s superb music program always puts on a deeply emotional Christmas concert. Tidings of Joy: Lessons & Carols, modeled after the Nine Lessons and Carols at King’s College, Cambridge, combines readings given by children and adults from the community with music provided by the church’s choirs and a small string ensemble led by Trilla Ray-Carter and Elisa Bickers on organ and piano.

What makes Tidings of Joy extra special is that each year the concert raises money for a charity through free-will offerings. This year, the charity is Artists Helping the Homeless. It’s a wonderful group of people who not only provide meals and rides for the homeless, but try to address the underlying causes of the crisis.

3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Dec. 19, Village Presbyterian Church, 6641 Mission Road. Free. villagepres.org.

Kansas City Symphony’s Christmas Festival

Handel’s “Messiah” and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio are Christmas classics, but sometimes you just want to hear a rousing rendition of “Sleigh Ride.” The Kansas City Symphony’s Christmas Festival Dec. 16 to 19 at Helzberg Hall is just the ticket if you want to enjoy the lighter side of the holidays. Associate conductor Jason Seber will lead the symphony in a festive frolic that features Broadway star Ashley Brown and the multi-talented Lee Langston. Charles Bruffy will direct the Kansas City Symphony Chorus.

7 p.m. Dec. 16, 18 and 19, 8 p.m. Dec. 17, 1 p.m. Dec. 18 and 2 p.m. Dec. 19. Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. $35-$105. 816-471-0400 or kcsymphony.org.

Organist Kurt Knecht

The holidays are a joyous time, but they can be stressful, too. The Westport Center for the Arts is offering you an opportunity to recharge, reset and remeber that this is a season of peace and reflection. Organist Kurt Knecht will perform “Improvisations on Christmas Carols” at a free lunchtime recital on Dec. 17. Bring your lunch, and don’t forget the sugar cookies and a thermos of hot cocoa.

Noon Dec 17. Westport Presbyterian Church, 201 Westport Road. Free. wcakc.org

Candlelight, Carols and Cathedral

Nothing is more enchanting than soaring choral music in a cathedral lit only by candles. Candlelight, Carols and Cathedral presented by the William Baker Festival Singers Dec. 17 and 19 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception will give your holidays a touch of magic. Baker’s musical selections are always old school, inspiring and classy.

7:30 p.m. Dec. 17 and 2 p.m. Dec. 19. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 416 W. 12th St. $5-$50. 913-403-9223 or festivalsingers.org.

Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo

One of the hottest singers in opera right now is a countertenor. Who’d have thought? Anthony Roth Costanzo has been wowing audiences with his lyrical falsetto voice, charming personality and appealing repertoire. The Harriman-Jewell Series will present Costanzo, who is currently artist-in-residence with the New York Philharmonic, Dec. 18 at the Folly. One of the highlights of his program is “Les nuits d’été” by Hector Berlioz, one of the great vocal works of the Romantic era.

7:30 p.m. Dec. 18. Folly Theater, 300 W. 12th St. $7.50-$45. 816-415-5025 or hjseries.org

Te Deum — Christmas Joy

Te Deum wants us to remember that in spite of all the challenges we’ve had to face recently, joy is within reach. “Christmas Joy” Dec. 20 at Village Presbyterian Church and Dec. 21 at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, will feature music of the season performed by one of Kansas City’s most refined choirs led by its founder, Matthew Christopher Shepard.

After each concert there will be a free reception. You can enjoy lemonade and cookies at Village Presbyterian and mulled wine at St. Mary’s.

7 p.m. Dec. 20 at Village Presbyterian Church, 6641 Mission Road in Prairie Village, and 7 p.m. Dec. 21 at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 1307 Holmes St. $15-$25. te-deum.org

You can reach Patrick Neas at patrickneas@kcartsbeat.com and follow his Facebook page, KC Arts Beat, at www.facebook.com/kcartsbeat.