For the week of June 6 to 12.

Musical Toronto’s weekly Critic’s Picks are a fully curated list of some of the best concerts happening now through the end of the week. Of course, this is not to say we are the provocateurs of taste, but simply seek to provide a good weekly summary. For a look at the full breadth of what’s available in and around Toronto, check out our concert listings in the Musical Toronto Datebook.

Top on my list this week is the return to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra of the great Canadian violinist James Ehnes, to play the magnificent Elgar Violin Concerto. Ehnes turned 40 this year, his 27^th year in front of the public. In an interview published Sunday in Musical Toronto, the violinist takes stock of his life and his career. Also noteworthy is the start of the Luminato Festival (June 10 to 26) this week. In its 10^th season, this Festival has evolved and transformed over the years, but always in keeping with its mission of an exploration of the cutting edge in all manners of the arts and music. As the Festival stands now, only a tiny portion of it can be considered classical music, but it’s worth checking out. It includes performances of Tafelmusik and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, concentrated in the second week of Festival.

Monday 6

TAFELMUSIK | Delightfully Baroque at Trinity St. Paul’s Centre. 8 p.m. Free!

Tafelmusik is presenting Delightfully Baroque, directed by Jeanne Lamon and Ivars Taurins. The soloist is baritone Peter Harvey. Admission is on a first come, first served basis. Doors open 15 minutes before each concert. No tickets are required and advanced tickets not available. Detailed program information is not available on their website. A different show, Musical Interlude, is presented on June 11. Details, here.

Tuesday 7

CASA LOMA | Toronto Concert Orchestra: Symphony in the Gardens at Casa Loma. 7:30 p.m. $15-25 (Season Passes available; repeats every Tuesday, all summer)

Symphony in the Gardens. Toronto Concert Orchestra under conductor Kerry Stratton is at Casa Loma every Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. until August 30. Soloists are soprano Sara Papini, mezzo Eugenia Dementzis, tenor Romulo Delgado, tenor Riccardo Iannello, and baritone Bradley Christensen. Program details and ticket information, here.

Wednesday 8

OPERA 5 | Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus at 918 Bathurst Street. 8 p.m. $25-50 (Repeats through June 11)

Billed as “Opera That Makes Sense” Opera 5 is one of several “Indie Opera” groups in Toronto. It’s presenting Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, where audiences are “cordially invited to attend the wildest party of the season.” Cast includes Michael Barrett (Eisenstein), Rachel Krehm (Rosalinda), Julie Ludwig (Adele), Keith Lam (Falke), Justin Ralph (Alfred), and Erin Lawson (Orlofsky). Patrick Hansen conducts. Repeats on June 9, 10 11. Details, here.

Thursday 9

TSO | Elgar Violin Concerto with James Ehnes at Roy Thomson Hall. 2 p.m. $29.50 (Repeats June 10, 11 at 7:30 p.m.)

Canadian violinist James Ehnes returns to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra to play the Elgar Violin Concerto. This is the last concert of The Decades Project (1910-1919). Also on the program are Webern’s short but challenging Five Pieces for Orchestra, and Stravinsky’s groundbreaking The Rite of Spring. Repeat performances on June 10 and 11, both at 7:30 p.m. Details, here.

Friday 10

CANADIAN CHILDREN’S OPERA COMPANY | Dean Burry’s The Hobbit at Harbourfront Centre Theatre. 7:30 p.m. $19-33. (Repeats June 11 and 12; two show times daily: 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.)

The Canadian Children’s Opera Company is presenting The Hobbit, a children’s opera composed by Canadian Dean Burry, who has penned many critically acclaimed children’s operas. Based on the book by J.R.R. Tolkien, this production stars Giles Tomkins as Gandalf/Smaug, plus a cast of over 100 children and youth. Teri Dunn conducts a chamber orchestra. Repeats on June 11 and 12. Details, here.

Saturday 11

TSO CHAMBER SOLOISTS | L’Histoire du soldat at Roy Thomson Hall. 6:15 p.m. Included with admission to TSO concert (Repeats June 12, 2 p.m. at the AGO: Walker Court)

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra Chamber Soloists plays the astringent L’Histoire du soldat by Stravinsky. Soloists are Yao Guan Zhai (clarinet), Michael Sweeney (bassoon), Andrew McCandless (cornet), Gordon Wolfe (trombone), David Kent (percussion), Jonathan Crow (violin) and Jeff Beecher (double bass). Repeat performance on June 12, 2 p.m. Details, here.

Author
Recent Posts

Joseph So

Joseph So is Professor Emeritus at Trent University and Associate Editor of Opera Canada.He is also a long-time contributor to La Scena Musicale and Opera (London, UK). His interest in music journalism focuses on voice, opera as well as symphonic and piano repertoires. He appears regularly as a panel member of the Big COC Podcast.He has co-edited a book, Opera in a Multicultural World: Coloniality, Culture, Performance, published by Routledge (Taylor & Francis Group).

CRITIC'S PICKS | Six Amazing Concerts You Should Absolutely See This Week