For the week of Feb. 6 – 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. 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.
Two beloved artists return to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra this week. The Czech conductor Jiří Bĕlohlávek has conducted here many times, but illness has prevented him from extensive travel in recent years. It’s great to have him back (Feb. 9, 11). Joining him is the celebrated American pianist Garrick Ohlsson. COC Music Director Johannes Debus is taking time out from Götterdämmerung duties to lead the Royal Conservatory Orchestra in a program of Haydn and Sibelius (Feb. 10). Not only is she on a Canadian stamp, soprano Adrianne Pieczonka is taking on the Mount Everest of song cycles, Die Winterreise (Feb. 12). For balletomanes, you have a choice — either the hilarious and irreverent Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (Feb. 10), or the star-studded Canada All-Star Ballet Gala headed by prima ballerina Svetlana Lunkina (Feb. 11). The list this week is a bit longer than usual, because I couldn’t bring myself to cut any more than I have already. Be sure to consult the complete listings calendar.
Tuesday 7
Canadian Opera Company | The Magic Flute. Four Seasons Centre. 7:30 p.m. $35 – $235. (Repeats Feb. 10)
The fabulous production of Mozart’s Magic Flute continues this week, with a great cast – Elena Tsallagova (Pamina), Andrew Haji (Tamino), Joshua Hopkins (Papageno), Ambur Braid (Queen of the Night), and Goran Juric (Sarastro). Bernard Labadie is at the helm. Listing details here.
Music Toronto | Ilya Poletaev, piano. Jane Mallett Theatre. 8 p.m. $55.
Russian-Canadian pianist Ilya Poletaev plays Bach, Enescu, and Schumann under the auspices of Music Toronto. A graduate of University of Toronto and Yale, Mr. Poletaev is on the faculty of the Schulich School of Music at McGill University. Info here.
Wednesday 8
Canadian Opera Company | Götterdämmerung. Four Seasons Centre. 6 p.m. $35 – $235. (Repeats Feb. 11)
The COC Ring Cycle concludes with this production of Götterdämmerung. It features great singing, led by Christine Goerke (Brunnhilde), Andreas Schager (Siegfried), and Ain Anger (Hagen) under the baton of COC Music Director Johannes Debus in his first Ring Cycle. Not to be missed. Details here.
Thursday 9
Canadian Opera Company | Vocal Series: Melodies of the Heart. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre. 12 p.m. Free
Two new members of the COC Ensemble Studio, mezzo Emily D’Angelo, and baritone Bruno Roy join forces in a program of Debussy, Poulenc, Messiaen and Ravel. Hyejin Kwon and Stephane Mayer are the collaborative pianists. Be sure to show up an hour ahead to line up for a place. PDF program details here.
Rideau Stone Arts Centre | Beijing Symphony Orchestra. Sony Centre for the Performing Arts. 7:30 p.m. $20.50 – $82.50
Formed in 2016 to promote cultural exchange between Canada and China, the Rideau Stone Arts Centre is presenting the Beijing Symphony Orchestra, currently on tour. It features a new piece celebrating ties between Canada and Beijing by Chinese composer Lu Zheng. Also on the program are works by Brahms and Mussorgsky. Full details here.
Toronto Symphony Orchestra | Beethoven Emperor Concerto. Roy Thomson Hall. 8 p.m. $49.75 – $154. (Repeats Feb. 11)
Czech conductor Jiri Bĕlohlávek returns to the TSO to conduct a program of Debussy, Martinů, Beethoven, and a new work by Jocelyn Morlock. American pianist Garrick Ohlsson is the soloist in Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5. TSO Principal Clarinet Joaquin Valdepeñas is also featured. Pre-concert lobby chat with Tom Allen at 7:15 p.m. See here, for tickets and details.
Tafelmusik | A Bach Tapestry. Tafelmusik Chamber Choir. Trinity St. Paul’s Centre. 8 p.m. $39 – $98. (Repeats Feb. 10, 11, 12, 14)
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra under the direction of Ivars Taurins presents a concert of JS Bach, including excerpts from his Lutheran Mass in G and the Italian Concerto. Check website for details. The last concert (Feb. 14) takes place at George Weston Recital Hall. More info here.
Friday 10
Toronto Symphony Orchestra | What Makes It Great? Roy Thomson Hall. 7:30 p.m. $40.75 – $89.75.
The work under scrutiny is Haydn’s Symphony No. 104 ‘London’ conducted by Rob Kapilow, who is also host. Also on the program is a TSO Premiere and Co-commission, Retrouvailles: Sesquie for Canada’s 150 by Louis Babin. Gary Kulesha conducts the premiere. Listing here.
Royal Conservatory of Music | Royal Conservatory Orchestra. Koerner Hall. 8 p.m. $25 and up.
COC Music Director Johannes Debus takes time out from the monumental Götterdämmerung to conduct the Royal Conservatory Orchestra in a program of Haydn, Villa-Lobos (with bassoonist Bee Ungar), John Burge, and Sibelius. More concert details here.
Show One Productions | Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. Winter Garden Theatre. 8 p.m. $35 – $115. (Repeats Feb. 11, matinee & evening)
The balletic gender-bender troupe known as Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo is back in town! Can you believe it’s 43 years old? It premiered in 1974 with totally different dancers, now retired I’m sure. Excerpts from Swan Lake, Don Quixote, La Esmeralda and others, at the lovely Winter Garden Theatre. Info here.
Saturday 11
Svetlana Lunkina and Friends Project | Canada All-Star Ballet. Gala Sony Centre for the Performing Arts. 7:30 p.m. $65 – $175.
For a grand night of ballet, don’t miss this event featuring 16 international ballet stars from 8 major companies around the world (Royal Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Rome Opera Ballet, ABT, Bolshoi, Royal Danish Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and the National Ballet of Canada) For details, see here.
Kindred Spirits Orchestra | Shostakovich Symphony No. 10. Flato Markham Theatre. 8 p.m. $30 – $40
Kristian Alexander conducts the Kindred Spirits Orchestra, in Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony, Schumann Cello Concerto (Rachel Mercer, cello), Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde (Margarete von Vaight, soprano). There’s a pre-concert recital at 7:15 p.m. Info here.
Royal Conservatory of Music | Dover Quartet. Koerner Hall. 8 p.m. $35 and up.
The Dover Quartet presents an eclectic program of works by Tsintsadze (with Avi Avital playing the mandolin), Smetana, Bach, and David Bruce. There’s a pre-concert talk at 7:15 p.m. Highly recommended. More info found here.
Sunday 12
Royal Conservatory of Music | Mazzoleni Songmasters: Adrianne Pieczonka sings Die Winterreise. 2 p.m. Mazzoleni Hall. $25 and up.
Canadian soprano Adrianne Pieczonka is tackling the ultimate song cycle, Schubert’s Die Winterreise, with collaborative pianist Rachel Andrist. I interviewed Pieczonka for her thoughts on this cycle; the article will appear together with the review in Musical Toronto. Pieczonka will perform from memory and without an intermission. The recital is completely sold out. Info here.
Massey Hall | Measha Brueggergosman: Songs of Freedom. Harbourfront Centre Theatre. 3 p.m. $39.50 – $44.50
Canadian soprano Measha Brueggergosman performs selections from her forthcoming album of spirituals, Songs of Freedom. It follows the 2015 film of the same name which documented the soprano’s connection with her faith and her past. Details here.
Esprit Orchestra | Accelerando. Koerner Hall. 8 p.m. $40 – $60.
Alex Pauk conducts the Esprit Orchestra in a program of works by four Canadian composers (Jose Evangelista, Analia Llugdar, John Rea and Adam Scime) and American Conlon Nancarrow. Details found here.
For more events, visit our DATEBOOK CALENDAR.
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