Spring can be the slow time in classical music, that part of the year when the major orchestras and opera companies are winding down — and just before the big, outdoor summer season starts up.

But this year, presenters have saved some of their best offerings for last. The programs are promising and so are the performers, with some interesting guest artists headed to town.

Here are six concerts to look out for.

The Colorado Symphony with Gabriela Montero, April 25-27

The Colorado Symphony’s late April offering has two things going for it: a thoughtful program and an exciting guest soloist.

The music is classic Russian and includes both Tchaikovsky’s beloved Piano Concerto No. 1, which will feature Gabriela Montero center stage, and Shostakovich’s adventurous Symphony No. 11, a less-performed composition he wrote as a tribute to the country’s 1905 revolution. The pieces go well together.

Montero is an in-demand pianist these days, but she’s also known for her work as a recording artist, teacher, composer and human rights advocate, raising awareness about issues in her native Venezuela.

This is the kind of program — full of both romance and drama — that orchestra conductor Peter Oundjian handles with finesse, and a deep understanding of the music. He will be all in.

Where: Boettcher Concert Hall, in the Denver Center downtown. Info: 303-623-7876 or coloradosymphony.org

“The Marriage of Figaro,” The Met in HD, April 26

It is easy to take the Metropolitan Opera’s broadcasts to movie theaters for granted — the company has been beaming productions from New York City since 2006 — but sometimes a program comes along that reminds opera fans just how special it is to see singers performing live on stage (when anything can happen) and to remember they are part of a global audience, spanning continents, that is having the same experience at the same moment, in whatever time zone they live.

This production of “The Marriage of Figaro” is promising because it is of full career-making Met debuts, including for bass-baritone Michael Sumuel and soprano Olga Kulchynska, who take lead roles; and for conductor Joana Mallwitz, who makes her first appearance on the podium.

Federica Lombardi will sing the crucial part of Countess Almaviva and opera star Julia Bullock will serve as broadcast host, doing the intros and the live singer interviews that take place between acts. Remember, this event starts early, locally at 11 a.m.

Where: movie theaters across the Front Range (check the website for locations). Info: fathomentertainment.com“Fire and Fiesta with La Diva Dia,” Boulder Opera, May 9

Boulder Opera has put together a light, one-night-only program for spring with the inviting title of “Fire and Fiesta with La Diva Dia.”

The diva on display will be Spanish mezzo-soprano Dianela Acosta, a local favorite, and the concert will feature Latin composers such as Ernesto Lecuona and Rafael Guastavino, while also raising money for a future opera venue in Boulder.

The show has an “and friends” tag to it, so expect a handful of guest artists to join the party. Pianist Fernanda Nieto is the featured accompanist. The venue is a bit unusual for classical music: the Roots Music Project, the nonprofit theater that brings a diverse lineup of performers to the city.

Where: Roots Music Projects, 4747 Pearl St., Boulder. Info: boulderoperacompany.com

Miró Quartet with Steven Banks, May 14

Denver’s Friend of Chamber Music has been bringing classical to Colorado for a half-century now, but its May concert is right on the cutting edge of the genre, featuring a collaboration between the Miró Quartet and saxophonist Steven Banks.

No ensemble is better known in classical circles than this quartet, which has been performing — and innovating — for 25 years. The ensemble is based in Austin but travels the globe, leading the field with creative programming that keeps audiences on their toes.

Banks is that rare thing, a classical saxophonist whose playing and composing put his instrument center stage in a genre that more often looks for pianos and violins to bring audiences to the theater. At 32, he is the future of classical.

See the concert in person or purchase live-stream tickets on the website.

Where: Newman Center, 2344 E. Iliff Ave. Info: newmantix.com

Il Trovatore in Concert, April 26 and May 2

Opera Colorado is closing out this season with two innovative programs.

The first is a staged version of “Il Trovatore,” which trims sets, adds narration and scales Verdi’s masterpiece down to a brisk, audience-friendly 90 minutes.

The second is a concert billed as “Opera’s Greatest Hits,” which features a lineup of hummable arias from “Carmen,” “La Traviata,” “Macbeth” and other well-known works.

Here’s the interesting part: Opera Colorado is using the same cast for both offerings, so there is some economy for the company when it comes to putting on the show. Ticket prices start at $39.

The singers include soprano Alexandra LoBianco, mezzo-soprano Deborah Nansteel, baritone Ricardo José Rivera and bass Young Bok Kim. Marcia Ragonetti, a regular on Colorado concert stages, will do the narration.

Both events are good choices for opera newcomers. The singing will be swell and the mood should be light.

Where: Ellie Caulkins Opera House, in the Denver Center downtown. Info: operacolorado.org.

Ray Mark Rinaldi is a Denver-based freelance writer specializing in fine arts.