Giuseppe Verdi's Messa da Requiem is one of the most dramatic and inspiring sacred pieces ever written, contrasting fiery climaxes with passages of heart-rending poignancy. Composed in 1874 as a memorial to the Italian poet and novelist, Allesandro Manzoni, the Requiem is one of the most moving works ever to flow from the heart of Verdi. Sunday, the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra will open its concert of opera music with excerpts of the piece. That's a tough act to follow. Can baritone Kenneth Overton and the Tacoma Symphony Chorus move the audience along with lively and poignant selections from Aida, Il Trovatore, La Traviata and Carmen? Only Music Director Harvey Felder and crew know the answer. The "Major General Song" from Gilbert & Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance is on the set list, which means a "I am the very model of a modern Major-General" sing-along could bust out.

VERDI & FRIENDS, 2:30 p.m., Pantages Theater, 901 Broadway, Tacoma, $19 and more, 253.591.5894