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.
Critic’s Choice (May 28 – June 3)
Monday 28
Associates of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra | The Small Concerts: Brahms: 20/40 7:30 p.m. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. $22/$20(sr/st)
ATSO members (Shane Kim, violin; Theresa Rudolph, viola; Joseph Johnson, cello; Philip Chiu, piano) play Brahms Piano Trio No. 1 in B major Op. 8 and Piano Quartet No. 3 in C minor Op. 60. | Details
Tuesday 29
Canadian Opera Company | Chamber Music Series: 2018 TSMF Preview. 12 p.m. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre, 145 Queen St. W. Free. Be sure to show up an hour ahead for a seat.
TSMF Artistic Director Jonathan Crow presents a sneak preview of this summer’s program, including works by Beethoven, Messiaen, Ravel, Debussy, Rachmaninoff, and Shostakovich. Also performing are Julia Mirzoev, violin; Maxime Despax, viola; Amahl Arulanandam, cello; Philip Chiu, piano; and Jialiang Zhu, piano. | Listing
Estonian Music Week | Closing Concert. 7:30 p.m. Lula Lounge, 1585 Dundas St. W. $35. Limited dinner reservations available and can be booked directly with Lula Lounge.
Vocal sextet Estonian Voices and Quartetto Gelato join forces to present the Estonian Music Week’s closing concert. Program details not available on their website. | Details
Toronto Symphony Orchestra | Love, Lust and Rock & Roll. 8 p.m. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. Repeats May 30 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., May 31 8 p.m. $49.25-$113.
Pops Maestro Steven Reineke leads the TSO in an evening of pop music from Adele and Elton John to Cole Porter and Queen. Storm Large is the vocalist. | Listing
Friday 1
National Ballet of Canada | Frame By Frame (World Premiere). 7:30 p.m. Four Seasons Centre, 145 Queen St. W. $65-$210. Ten additional performances to Sunday June 10. Check website for different start times.
The world premiere of Frame By Frame, a ballet based on the life and work of Canadian filmmaker Norman McLaren, by Robert Lepage and Guillaume Côté. Ballet Talk 45 minutes before curtain in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre. | Listing
Inglorious B Productions | Inglorious Women 7:30 p.m. St. Andrew’s Church, 73 Simcoe St. $20/$15(adv)/Free for children under 12. Advance booking at Brown Paper Tickets.
The newly formed Inglorious B Productions presents its inaugural event, Inglorious Women, a fundraising concert where all proceeds will be donated in aid of the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic. Fifteen women artists: Allyson Devenish, Christina Faye, Beste Kalender, Kira Braun, Cassandra Warner, Elisabeth Polese, Annie Ramos, Allison Arends, Danie Friesen, Cara Adams, Marcelle Boisjoli, Renée Salewski, Hilary June Hart, Ramona Joy Carmelly, Emma Char. Joining them are “The Allies,” male artists who are supporting this initiative — Michael Robert Broder, Alexander Hajek, Cole Kapoor, Justin Welsh, Robert de Vrij, Cairan Ryan, and Paul Williamson. | Listing
Saturday 2
Toronto Symphony Orchestra | Water Music. 7:30 p.m. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. $40.75-$113. Repeats June 3, 3 p.m.
Guest conductor Christoph Altstaedt leads the TSO in a program of Handel, Johann Strauss, Schubert, Dvořák, Britten, Smetana, Mozart and Schumann, with soloist soprano Lesley Ann Bradley. | Listing
Canadian Sinfonietta | Butterfly Lover’s Violin Concerto. 8 p.m. Glenn Gould Studio, 250 Front St. W. $40/$35(sr)/$30(st).
CS Concertmaster Joyce Lai is the soloist in this iconic piece of western-style Chinese classical composition familiar to just about every Chinese classical music fan – Butterfly Lover’s Violin Concerto. Also on the program is Brahms Symphony No. 4. | Listing
Sunday 3
Pocket Concerts | Pocket Concert at Only One Gallery. 2 p.m. Only One Gallery, 5 Brock Ave. $48/$30(35 and under)/$15(youth)/$100(special supporter) + GST/HST.
Pocket Concerts is an intriguing classical music presenter in that it gives both public and private concerts. In this public concert hosted by Ron and Howard at Only One Gallery, Mark Lee and Elizabeth Skinner (violin); Rory McLeod and Keith Hamm (viola); Leana Rutt and Julie Hereish (cello) play Erwin Schulhoff’s Duo for Violin and Cello, and Arnold Schönberg’s Verklärte Nacht for String Sextet, followed by reception. | Listing
