There's no excuse for music lovers to miss this weekend's Utah Symphony concerts. Music director emeritus Keith Lockhart is back in Abravanel Hall to lead a program of music everyone knows (orchestral highlights from Bizet's "Carmen"), music that hasn't been heard west of Washington, D.C., until now (Mark Adamo's harp concerto "Four Angels"), and music that's a little of both (Stravinsky's ballet "Pulcinella," often heard in its abbreviated suite version but rarely offered in its full glory).

Arguably the main attraction is the Adamo concerto, featuring the Utah Symphony's own Louise Vickerman as soloist. "Four Angels" depicts four powerful celestial beings from different religious traditions, and Adamo characterizes each one distinctly and vividly. We have the imperious Metatron, from the Kabbalah; Sraosha, the Zoroastrian angel of divine intuition; Mary, mother of Jesus and Queen of Heaven; and Michael, the archangel common to the Abrahamic faiths. The colorful orchestra features prominently in this concerto, but there's no doubt that the harp is the star of the show.

Vickerman gave a powerful, impassioned performance on Friday. She got to show off some stunning special effects in the second movement, and the jarring pedal crashes and otherworldly glissandos didn't come off as stunts at all — rather, they contributed to Adamo's fascinating portrait of Sraosha. But perhaps the concerto's most memorable moment was the harp's entrance in the third movement. Vickerman made the harp sound simultaneously majestic and serene.

It's a shame that audiences don't get to hear the complete "Pulcinella" more often. If you like the orchestral suite, you'll love the full ballet, which includes three vocalists singing about the faithlessness of women. The Utah Symphony's soloists — mezzo-soprano Deborah Domanski, tenor Lawrence Jones and bass Jeffrey Tucker — all sang with attractive tone and charming characterization. Stravinsky's amazingly inventive score also provided chances for nearly every member of the chamber-size orchestra to shine.

creese@sltrib.com —

Utah Symphony

P Keith Lockhart returns to lead a lively program that includes the Western U.S. premiere of Mark Adamo's harp concerto "Four Angels."

With • Harpist Louise Vickerman, mezzo-soprano Deborah Domanski, tenor Lawrence Jones and bass Jeffrey Tucker.

Where • Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City

When • Reviewed Friday, Jan. 28; repeats tonight at 8

Tickets • $20 to $55 at 801-355-ARTS, www.utahsymphony.org or the box office

Running time • Two hours, including intermission

Learn more • Lockhart, Vickerman and Adamo will talk about the music at 7:15 p.m. in the hall's First Tier Room.