Ludwig van Toronto

Critic’s Picks: Toronto concerts and opera for March 11 to 17

John Terauds
Cellist Shauna Rolston leads an all-star evening of central European chamber music at University of Toronto on Monday.
Cellist Shauna Rolston leads an all-star evening of central European chamber music at University of Toronto on Monday.

MONDAY

The four members of this wonderful chamber ensemble perform the music of John Weinzweig on what would have been his 100th birthday. The programme includes the Toronto composer’s String Quartet No. 3 as well as his violin and cello sonatas.

This is a starred night for U of T Faculty of Music’s Monday evening chamber concerts, featuring a who’s who of faculty members and collaborators joining cellist Shauna Rolston on stage, including violinist Annalee Patipatanakoon, Toronto Symphony principal viola Teng Li, associate principal Eric Nowlin and pianist Lydia Wong. The prgramme is rich central European fare by Brahms, Dvorák and Dohnanyi. Details here.

WEDNESDAY

In a fun case of audience participation, Canadian Opera Company artist educator Kyra Millan will sing — as long as the audience sings, too. There will be vocal warmups for all, as well as a lesson in singing the Papageno-Papagena Duet from The Magic Flute along with Millan and baritone Jesse Clark. Check out all the details here.

THURSDAY

As part of their Trinity College residency, the Gryphon Trio teams up with composer Gary Kulesha in this lecture-concert that explores the life and musical appeal of composer Dmitri Shostakovich. There will be many musical moments, including a full performance of one of his piano trios. You’ll find the details here.

Trio Fibonacci

These three talented Montrealers — violinist Julie-Anne Derôme, cellist Gabriel Prynn and pianist Wonny Song — celebrate their 15 years as a trio with a fascinating mix of new and old for Music Toronto’s Discovery series. The old is represented by unjustly neglected early 19th century Anglo-French composer George Onslow. The new comes via Canadian composers Laurie Radford and Ana Sokolovic, who both write appealing music. You’ll find the details here.

FRIDAY

Members of the Yale Russian Chorus at the Yale Club in New York City in January.

The institution turns 60 this year, but the 17 members of the Yale Russian Chorus are young male students that represent the full spectrum of study at the university — and they’re very good, especially considering they only rehearse one day a week. The young men and music director Mark Bailey will sing a broad range of music from Russia and environs at the church across the street from Roy Thomson Hall.

These lively characters close their third season with two short comedies they’re calling Two Weddings and a Funeral: Giacomo Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and Gaetano Donizetti’s Il campanello. The casts are promising and Michael Rose should do a fine job of leading the musicmaking from the piano in this intimate space. You’ll find all the details here.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY

This upstart group of Early Music practitioners masterminded by tenor Bud Roach is presenting their most ambitious concert yet: the oratorio Giuseppe by early-17th century Neapolitan composer Luigi Rossi. There are five singers and five instrumentalists, all of whom should do a fine job. You’ll find the details here.

In case you would like a sample of Rossi’s style, clearly influenced by the Italian “new school” of Monteverdi & co., here is an excerpt for an oratorio for Holy Week, as performed by Neapolitan group I turchini:

SUNDAY

Here is a rare Toronto opportunity to hear Antonin Dvorák’s choral music with orchestra in one of my favourite public spaces in Toronto. The Mass in D Major runs slightly more than a half-hour. The choristers have also been practicing Mozart’s Regina Coeli, which may also be on the programme. It should make for a fine stop on a Sunday-afternoon walk.

For a taste of Dvorák’s Mass, here is the McGill Choral Society (a group I sang with once upon a time) performing it in 2010:

John Terauds