Kirov Opera performs “The Queen of Spades” (Dec. 6-14) and “Otello” (Dec. 9-16), The Kennedy Center Opera House.

This great Russian opera company brings two fresh renditions of great operatic classics to the Kennedy Center this month, Tchaikovsky’s “Queen of Spades” and Verdi’s amazing opera based on William Shakespeare’s “Otello.” I wouldn’t want to recommend one over the other if only to focus on the company, itself. Maybe it’s better at performing their countryman’s creation, which would tip the hand to “Queen of Spades.” On the other hand, there’s no better operatic composer than Verdi and combining his genius with that of Shakespeare is hard to beat. So, if you can’t see both, remember you’ll get your Tchaikovsky fix with “The Nutcracker,” while it’s always fun to hate Iago. Check www.Kennedy-Center.org www.Kennedy-Center.org for everything you need to know.