Critic’s Picks (Jan. 14 – 20)
Ludwig van Toronto’s weekly Critic’s Picks are a curated list of some of the best concerts happening now through the end of the week. For a look at the full breadth of what’s available in and around Toronto, check out our curated concert listings here.
Tuesday 15
Canadian Opera Company | Chamber Music Series. 12 p.m. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre, 145 Queen St. W. Free. Limited seating.
Members of the COC and National Ballet Orchestras play works by Heitor Villa-Lobos, Astor Piazzolla, and Osvaldo Golijov. The centrepiece is Golijov’s Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind, scored for string quartets and Klezmer clarinet. | Details (PDF)
Wednesday 16
Tafelmusik | The Harlequin Salon. 7 p.m. Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. Repeats Jan. 17, 18, 19, 20 (mat). $30-$78.
Written by Marco Cera, this show is a recreation of an 18th-century Roman salon, featuring music by Gasparini, Vivaldi, Porpora, Vinci, Pergolesi, and Bononcini. Elisa Citterio, music director; Guillaume Bernardi, stage director. | Details
University of Toronto Faculty of Music | New Music Festival: Sparks & Wiry Cries songSLAM. 7 p.m. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University of Toronto, 80 Queen’s Park. Free.
While the TSO New Creations Festival is history, new music fests at U of T and RCM are going strong. This interesting songSLAM presented by Women on the Verge offers emerging classical music composers and performer a chance to showcase their new art songs for voice and piano and compete for cash prizes totaling $2,000, as voted by the audience. | Details
Additional U of T New Music Festival concerts this week: 1) Jan 17 7:30 p.m.: Opera Double Bill – The Raven/The Maiden from the Sea (Futari Shizuka), Walter Hall. 2) Jan 20 2:30 p.m.: U of T Opera: Opera Student Composer Collective – Who Killed Adriana? MacMillan Theatre. | Details
Toronto Symphony Orchestra | Mozart with Zukerman. 8 p.m. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. Repeats Jan. 17, 18 (7;30 pm), 19. $40.75-$154.
Violinist Pinchas Zukerman is soloist and conductor in an All-Mozart program that includes Overture to Le nozze di Figaro, two violin concertos and Symphony No. 35, “Haffner.” | Details
Royal Conservatory of Music | 21C Music Festival: Toronto Symphony Orchestra. 8 p.m. Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St. W. Pre-concert talk at 7 p.m.
The TSO makes its 21C Music Festival debut with a piano concerto composed and played by Stewart Goodyear. The program also includes works by Emile LeBel, Terry Riley, Dorothy Chang, Dinuk Wijeratne, and Jocelyn Morlock. Tania Miller conducts. | Details
Additional 21C Music Festival concerts this week: 1) Jan 18 8 p.m.- Terry Riley: Live at 85! Koerner Hall. 2) 10:30 p.m., AfterHours with Continuum, Mazzoleni Hall. 3) Jan 19 8 p.m. Sō Percussion: Amid the Noise. Koerner Hall. 4) Jan 20, 1 p.m. The Glenn Gould School New Music Ensemble: 4D. Mazzoleni Hall. | Details
Thursday 17
Royal Conservatory of Music | Stewart Goodyear. 8 p.m. Temerty Theatre, Royal Conservatory of Music, 273 Bloor St. W. Sold Out.
The Canadian pianist Stewart Goodyear shows his pop side in this concert, singing and playing variations on “Hallelujah,” his original piano sonata, and “Acabris! Acabras! Acabram!” with his rock band. | Details
Friday 18
Opera by Request | Hansel and Gretel. 7:30 p.m. College St. United Church, 452 College St. $20
Humperdinck’s classic, semi-staged by Stephanie Ferracane, with piano accompaniment by Claire Harris. Shilpa Sharma (Hansel), Sharon Tikiryan (Gretel), Andrew Tees (Father), Emily Ding (Mother), and Stephanie Ferracane (Witch). | Details
Saturday 19
Opera by Request | Menotti’s The Telephone and Donizetti’s Rita. 7:30 p.m. College St. United Church. $20.
Two comic operas sung in English and Italian with supertitles. Mark Towstego, baritone (Ben); Tsu-Ching Yu, soprano (Lucy and Rita); Avery Krisman, tenor (Beppe); Larry Tozer, baritone (Gasparo); William Shookhoff, music director and pianist. | Details
Sunday 20
Esprit Orchestra | 21C Music Festival: Constellations. 8 p.m. Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St. W. $21-$65.
Esprit Orchestra participates in the RCM’s 21C Music Festival with this mixed program of works by Hosokawa, Jiang, Vivier, and Goddard. Alex Pauk conducts. | Details
