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CRITIC'S PICKS | Ten Classical Music Shows You Should Absolutely See This Week

By Joseph So on November 15, 2016

For the week of Nov. 14 – 20

Critic’s Picks for classical music events in Toronto for the week of Nov. 14–20.
Critic’s Picks for classical music events in Toronto for the week of Nov. 14–20.

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. 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 curated concert listings here: Musical Toronto Datebook.

Of the many wonderful musical events this week, top on my list is the visit of the Berlin Philharmonic with conductor Sir Simon Rattle, in town for two performances (Nov. 15, 16).  We used to get plenty of big name bands making a stop at TO, but given the economics of touring these days, it doesn’t happen very often anymore. This is something not to be missed. Even if the Second Viennese School isn’t exactly your cup of tea, there’s Brahms #2 and Mahler #7. The Toronto Symphony Orchestra is putting on Saint-Saëns #3, paired with Ravel Piano Concerto in G (Nov. 17, 19). The National Ballet of Canada’s Cinderella continues this week at the Four Seasons Centre (Nov. 17-20). The Glenn Gould School’s fall opera is a rarity, Cendrillon. No, not the well-known one by Massenet, but the “salon opera” by Pauline Viardot.  For the curious, check out a few video clips on Youtube. Two performances on Nov. 18 and 19 in the intimate Mazzoleni Hall. If the recent COC’s Norma has turned you into a Bellini fan, Voicebox is presenting his I Capuleti e i Montecchi, with piano accompaniment (Nov. 20).  Tapestry Opera is presenting Naomi’s Road, an opera by Canadian composer Ramona Luengen based on the book, Obasan, by Joy Kogawa. Set in Vancouver during WWII, the story follows a young Japanese-Canadian girl’s journey from Vancouver to an internment camp in the BC interior. It’s a moving account of a dark moment in Canadian history (Nov. 16-20). There are lots more interesting shows, so be sure to check out the full listings.

Tuesday 15

Music TorontoDanny Driver at the Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre. 8 p.m. $55

Music Toronto presents pianist Danny Driver in his Toronto debut. He plays a program of Bach, Schumann, Balakirev, Rachmaninoff, and Prokofiev. More details, here.

Massey and Roy Thomson Hall | Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra at Roy Thomson Hall. 8 p.m. $75–250 (Repeats Nov. 16)

The Berliner Philharmoniker is in town, with conductor Sir Simon Rattle. Two evenings, two separate programs. The centerpiece on Nov. 15 is Mahler Symphony No.7, plus Eclat by Pierre Boulez.  Berg, Schönberg, Webern are paired with Brahms on Nov 16. Info, here.

Wednesday 16

National Ballet of CanadaCinderella at the Four Seasons Centre. 7:40 p.m. $39 –265 (Repeats through Nov. 20)

National Ballet of Canada presents Cinderella. Choreography by James Kudelka, to the score of Prokofiev. Repeats on Nov 17, 19, 20 (2:00 pm) and Nov 17, 18, 19 (7:30 pm). Details, here.

Tapestry OperaNaomi’s Road at St. David’s Anglican Church. 8 p.m. $35 (Repeats through Nov. 20)

Tapestry Opera presents Naomi’s Road. Music by Ramona Luengen, with libretto by Ann Hodges based on Obasan, the novel by Joy Kogawa.  Soloists are soprano Hiather Darnel-Kadonaga, mezzo Erica Iris Huang, tenor Sam Chung, and baritone Sung Taek Chung.  Michael Hidetoshi Mori directs.  More details, here.

Thursday 17

TSO | Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony at Roy Thomson Hall. 8 p.m. $33.75–148

Toronto Symphony Orchestra plays Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No. 3 “Organ” and Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G, with organist Patricia Krueger and pianist Stefano Bollani. Italian maestro Gianandrea Noseda returns to the TSO to conduct. Repeats Nov 19 7:30 p.m. Info, here.

Toronto Masque TheatreApollo and Daphne, & Enoch Arden at the Enoch Turner Schoolhouse. 8 p.m. $50 (Repeats Nov. 18–19)

Toronto Masque Theatre presents an interesting double-bill, Apollo and Daphne by Handel juxtaposed with Enoch Arden by Richard Strauss. Soloists are soprano Jacqueline Woodley, baritone Geoffrey Sirett, pianist Angela Park, and actor Derek Boyes. Directed and choreographed by Marie-Nathalie Lacoursière. Larry Beckwith conducts a baroque orchestra. Repeats Nov. 18, 19. Full details, here.

Friday 18

Glenn Gould School’s Fall Opera | Pauline Viardot’s Cendrillon at Mazzoleni Hall, Royal Conservatory of Music. 7:30 p.m. $15 (Repeats Nov. 19)

Glenn Gould School’s fall opera production is Cendrillon, a “salon opera” by Pauline Viardot. Peter Tiefenbach conducts; Joel Ivany is the stage director. Repeats Nov 19. Info, here.

Canadian Art Song ProjectThe Art Song of Healey Willan at Trinity St. Paul’s Centre. 7:30 p.m. $30

The Canadian Art Song Project presents The Art Song of Healey Willan. On the program are both the Canadian composer’s familiar and unpublished songs. Soloists are soprano Martha Guth, mezzo Allyson McHardy, and baritone Peter Barrett. Helen Becqué, piano and Matthew Whitfield, organ. Pre-concert chat with Canadian composer Dean Burry. Details, here.

Sunday 20

Voicebox | Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi at the Jane Mallett Theatre. 2:30 p.m. $22–52.

Voicebox presents Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi in concert. Soloists are soprano Caitlin Wood, mezzo Anita Krause, and tenor Tonatiuh Abrego, with the Voicebox Chorus (chorusmaster Robert Cooper) Raisa Nakhmanovich is the music director/pianist. More info, here.

Esprit Orchestra | m’M at Koerner Hall. 8 p.m. $40–60

Esprit Orchestra, under the baton of Alex Pauk, presents a program of George Crumb, Marc-Andre Dalbavie, Zosha Di Castri, and Philippe Leroux. TSO Principal Cello Joseph Johnson is the soloist. See here, for more details.

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Joseph So

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