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CRITIC'S PICKS | 12 Concerts You Should Absolutely See This Week

By Joseph So on October 10, 2017

Critic’s Picks for October 9–15

Soprano Erin Wall (Photo: Tara McMullen)
Soprano Erin Wall (Photo: Tara McMullen)

Ludwig van 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.

Tuesday 10

Canadian Opera Company | Vocal Series: Golden Age of Opera. 12 p.m. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre. Free!

A great opportunity to hear up and coming voices. This concert features students from the U of T Opera School, in works by Donizetti, Delibes, Bizet, Offenbach, Rossini, Leoncavallo, Verdi, Saint-Saens and von Flotow. Complete program here.  Be sure to show up an hour ahead to ensure a spot.

Canadian Opera Company | Arabella. 7:30 p.m. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Repeats Oct. 14 (4:30 p.m.). $50–350

The Canadian premiere of Richard Strauss’s Arabella opened the COC season last Thursday. I attended the performance – it’s a terrific show, with great singing from the principals. It stars soprano Erin Wall and baritone Tomasz Konieczny. Patrick Lange conducts. | Listing

Wednesday 11

Tafelmusik | Elisa’s Italian Adventure. 7 p.m. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, Jeanne Lamon Hall, 427 Bloor St. W. Repeats on Oct. 12, 13, 14, 15. Check website for start time. $19–97.

Billed as a “grand tour across baroque Italy with our new Music Director as your guide,” this show features works by Fontana, Marini, Castello, Steffani, Locatelli, Brescianello, and Vivaldi. There the usual pre-concert chats, but also a post-concert talkback after the Oct. 11 performance. | Listing

Canadian Opera Company | The Elixir of Love. Four Seasons Centre 7:30 p.m. $50–350. Repeats Oct. 15 (2 p.m.)

The second production of the COC fall season opens with Donizetti’s effervescent L’Elisir d’amore. Sung in Italian, but the COC chooses to Anglicize its name. It stars tenor Andrew Haji, soprano Simone Osborne, bass-baritone Gordon Bintner, and bass Andrew Shore. Yves Abel conducts. | Listing

Falun Dafa Association of Toronto | Shen Yun Orchestra. Roy Thomson Hall. 8 p.m. $29-$109.

New York-based Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra performs a program of Chinese and western classical music. Read all about it here. | Listing 

Thursday 12

Attila Glatz Concert Productions | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Film Score in Concert. Repeats Oct. 13, 14. $49–175.

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra conducted by Joshua Green performs the John Williams’ film score. | Listing

Saturday 14

University of Toronto Faculty of Music | Wind Ensemble. MacMillan Theatre, Edward John Building, University of Toronto. $10–30

The U of T Wind Ensemble conducted by Gillian MacKay performs a program of works by Polgar, Hogg, Shapiro, Bedford, Goto, and Ticheli. MacMillan Theatre, Edward John Building, University of Toronto. | Info

Tallis Choir of Toronto | Six Bach Motets. 7:30 p.m. St. Patrick’s Church, 141 McCaul St., Toronto. $10–30

Tallis Choir is a chamber ensemble of 36 voices, founded in 1977. It opens the 40th anniversary season with a performance of six Bach Motets plus his Cello Suite No. 1. Peter Mahon, conductor. | Listing

Mississauga Symphony Orchestra | Symphonic Titans. 8 p.m. Hammerson Hall, Mississauga. $40–65.

The Mississauga Symphony Orchestra plays Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 and the Sibelius Violin Concerto, with Jonathan Crow as soloist. | Listing

Met Live in HD | Die Zauberfloete  12:55 p.m. Selected Cineplex locations. $28

The Met Live in HD that started it all! The Julie Taymor production is back, and well worth seeing again. The great James Levine is at the helm, in one of his favourite operas. Charles Castronovo is Tamino and Golda Schultz is Pamina.

Sunday 15

Royal Conservatory of Music | Songmasters: A Song for All Seasons. 2 p.m. Mazzoleni Hall, 273 Bloor St. W. $25

Soprano Erin Wall, in town for Arabella at the COC, is joined by tenor Asitha Tennekoon in a duo recital. No program details available on RCM website at press time. | Listing

Elmer Iseler Singers | Season Opening Concert. 4 p.m. Eglinton St. George’s United Church, 35 Lytton Blvd. $40–55.

This concert features soprano Mary Lou Fallis, pianist Peter Tiefenbach, and the Elmer Iseler Singers. Details at here.

Esprit Orchestra | Eternal Light. 8 p.m. Koerner Hall. $40–60.

Alex Pauk conducts the Esprit Orchestra in a program of works by Christopher Goddard, Claude Vivier, and Colin McPhee. | Listing

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Joseph So
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