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CRITIC'S PICKS | 11 Classical Music Offerings To Consider This Week

By Joseph So on February 20, 2017

For the week of Feb. 20 – 26.

Critic’s Picks for classical music and opera events happening in and around Toronto for the week of Feb. 20 – 26.
Critic’s Picks for classical music and opera events happening in and around Toronto for the week of Feb. 20 – 26.

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.

Several intriguing musical offerings this week. If you want a sneak peek of the opera stars of tomorrow, you’ll do well to attend An Evening with the Ensemble Studio, a show on the mainstage of the Four Seasons Centre featuring all the COC young artists in highlights from La finta giardiniera, Norma, and Ariodante (Feb. 23). The National Arts Centre Orchestra under its new conductor Alexander Shelley is at Roy Thomson Hall (Feb. 25). Remember the terrific 1988 British film Madame Sousatzka starring Shirley MacLaine? Canadian impresario Garth Drabinsky has set the same story into a Broadway musical, Sousatzka, which is having its premiere in Toronto before moving on to the Big Apple. I think there are some changes to the characters but the story is essentially faithful. Previews start Feb. 25 at the Elgin. Canadian theatre icon Brent Carver sings the American Songbook and Broadway at Koerner Hall (Feb. 24). The Met Live in HD is presenting a brand-new production of Dvorak’s Rusalka, starring the glamorous Latvian soprano Kristine Opolais. I’ve always thought their old production, which is not all that old really, was perfectly lovely, but hey, if you are the Met and can afford it, why not! Last call for the two exceptional shows from the Canadian Opera Company – The Magic Flute (Feb. 24) and Götterdammerung (Feb. 25). Plenty of others, be sure to consult the full listing.

Wednesday 22

Tafelmusik | Visions and Voyages: Canada 1663-1763. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre. 7 p.m. $39 and up. Pre-concert chat one hour before performance. (Repeats Feb. 23, 24, 25 at 8 p.m.; 26 at 3:30 p.m.)

Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra presents works by Purcell, Lully, Marais and Handel. Ryan Cunningham, narrator; Brian Solomon, choreographer and dancer. Full details here.

Thursday 23

Canadian Opera Company | An Evening with the Ensemble Studio. Four Seasons Centre. 7:30 p.m. $35

The “Ensemble Performance” of a mainstage opera, the practice of the last few seasons, has now been replaced by an “ensemble showcase” on the mainstage, featuring the young artists performing scenes from various operas. This year, it’s La finta giardiniera, Ariodante, and Norma, with the COC Orchestra and conductor Johannes Debus.  Info here.

Tapestry Opera | Songbook VII. Ernest Balmer Studio, Distillery District, 9 Trinity St. $25 (Repeats Feb. 24, 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.)

There are very little program details at the Tapestry Opera website, save for the following – “Canada’s brightest emerging artists perform alongside operatic masters. Hear highlights from Tapestry’s 37-year collection of absurd, tragic, and beautiful Canadian repertoire in the intimate Ernest Balmer Studio (Distillery District).” Singers are mezzo Krisztina Szabo and tenor Keith Klassen, with Steven Philcox at the piano. Tapestry head Michael Mori is listed as “dramatic clinician.” Info here.

Friday 24

Royal Conservatory | Music Mix: Art of Time Ensemble with Brent Carver. Koerner Hall. 8 p.m. From $40

Canadian theatre icon Brent Carver sings the American Songbook and Broadway. Joining him is the Art of Time Ensemble led by pianist Andrew Burashko. Program info here.

Canadian Opera Company | The Magic Flute. Four Seasons Centre. 7:30 p.m. $35 – $235.

The last of a 12-performance run of Mozart’s masterpiece> It’s double-cast, but for this last show, it stars Kerstin MacKinnon (Pamina), Owen McCausland (Tamino), Phillip Addis (Papageno), Matt Boehler (Sarastro), and Ambur Braid (Queen of the Night). Bernard Labadie conducts. Listing info found here.

Saturday 25

Toronto Symphony Orchestra | Lights, Camera … Orchestra! Roy Thomson Hall. 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. $20.50 – $30.75.

A kids-friendly program by the TSO featuring classical music used in movies, including The Ride of the Valkyries and Romeo and Juliet Fantasy-Overture. Earl Lee, RBC Resident Conductor, leads the TSO forces. Info here.

Toronto Symphony Orchestra | National Arts Centre Orchestra. Roy Thomson Hall. 8 p.m. $33.75 – $148.

NAC Orchestra under the direction of its new maestro Alexander Shelley is in town for a program of Walton Symphony No. 1, and Concierto de Aranjuez for Guitar and Orchestra, with soloist none other than the venerable Pepe Romero. He is, of course, one of the Romero brothers, the other famous one being Angel Romero. Details here.

Canadian Opera Company | Götterdammerung.  Four Seasons Centre. 4:30 p.m. $35 – $235

If you love Wagner, this is your last chance to see the last of the Ring Tetralogy!  It stars a superlative cast led by American soprano Christine Goerke, Austrian tenor Andreas Schager, and Estonian bass Ain Anger. Johannes Debus conducts. It’s a bit of a marathon but totally worth it. More info found here.

Met Live in HD | Rusalka  Participating Cineplex locations. 12:55 p.m. $28 Go to the website for locations of the cinema near you. Details here.

A brand-new production of Dvorak’s Rusalka, directed by Mary Zimmerman. Here’s an interesting preview where Zimmerman talks about the production.

It stars the current opera glamour queen, Latvian soprano Kristine Opolais, paired with the princely American tenor Brandon Jovanovich as, appropriately, The Prince. Sir Mark Elder conducts. More details here.

Teatro Proscenium Limited Partnership/Garth Drabinsky | Sousatzka. Elgin Theatre. 8 p.m. $60 – $175.  Repeats Tues-Sat 8 p.m.; Wed/Sat/Sun 2 p.m.

If you are a fan of the 1988 British movie, Madama Sousatzka, starring Shirley MacLaine, then this show is for you. MacLaine wasn’t quite convincing as the Russian expat piano teacher, but she sure had star power.  Based on the novel by Bernice Rubens, it is set in London, in 1982. A musical prodigy is torn between two powerful women in his life, from different cultural worlds. The ethnicity of the prodigy and his mother has been changed from South Asian in the British movie to African in the musical. Given this is a brand-new piece, I have not heard any of the music by Richard Maltby, but am eager to experience it. This is another Drabinsky’s creations, and it will go to Broadway after the Toronto run which concludes on April 9. Full listing series here.

Sunday 26

Orpheus Choir of Toronto | Beginning: With Glowing Hearts. Grace Church on-the-Hill. 3 p.m. $35.

Since this is Canada’s Sesquicentennial year, there are plenty of celebratory programming, including this one. Orpheus Choir’s tribute showcases Ruth Watson Henderson’s The Magic of God’s World, and Derek Holman’s Laudis Creationis, together with premieres of two specially commissioned works by Mark Sirett and Laura Hawley that reveal the 1867 and 2017 faces of our home and native land. Info found here.

For more events, visit our DATEBOOK CALENDAR.

#LUDWIGVAN

Joseph So

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