Toronto Concert Orchestra: Romeo & Juliet. Charles Gounod: Romeo and Juliet, Je veux vivre and Ah! Lève-toi soleil!; Giacomo Puccini: La Boheme, Je veux vivre; Freddie Mercury: Bohemian Rhapsody; Jules Massenet: Werther, Pourquoi me réveiller; Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet; Taylor Swift and Post Malone: Fortnight; Leonard Bernstein: West Side Story, Maria and Tonight; Lyn: My Destiny, from My Love from the Star; Giuseppe Verdi: La Traviata, Parigi o cara; Des’ree: I’m Kissing You, from Romeo + Juliet; Gaetano Donizetti: Don Pasquale, Tornami a dir che m’ami; The Cardigans: Lovefool, from Romeo + Juliet. Toronto Concert Orchestra, Artistic Directors Sharon Lee and Marcus Scholtes. July 29, 2025, Palais Royale.
What is the best way to spend a Tuesday evening in Toronto this summer? For me, it was experiencing one of six themed concerts presented by the Toronto Concert Orchestra at the intimate setting of Palais Royale, against the stunning backdrop of an orange sun dipping into Lake Ontario.
The timeless story of Romeo and Juliet has inspired music across genres from classical to modern. Artistic Directors Sharon Lee and Marcus Scholtes took turns leading the 20-something strong ensemble through an eclectic collection of opera, symphonic masterpieces and contemporary hits that celebrated what Sharon called, “the right kind of love at the wrong time.”
The Program
The concert’s namesake work, Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet, was the most substantial piece of the evening. Originally orchestrated for a full orchestra, it posed some challenge for the small ensemble to play cohesively and to balance the sounds from the various sections. Nonetheless, the prestos felt climatic and the love theme reprisal was beautifully played by the strings.
The orchestra was completely in its elements with lighter works that included The Cardigans’ “Lovefool” and “I’m kissing you” by Des’ree, both numbers from the 1996 Hollywood movie “Romeo + Juliet.”
The Taylor Swift and Post Malone hit “Fortnight” was given a refreshing arrangement by Sharon. As a nod to her heritage, Sharon included Lyn’s “My Destiny” from the K-drama My Love from the Star, in which her violin virtuosity also dazzled in the solo.
Vocalists: Soprano Lynn Anoush Isnar and Tenor Colin Ainsworth
Soprano Lynn Anoush Isnar and Tenor Colin Ainsworth added star power to the concert. Lynn made a grand entrance in a fiery red gown with “Musetta’s Waltz” from Puccini’s La Boheme.
Her silvery tone was well suited to Irving Berlin’s love song “Reaching to the Moon.” But, it was “Je veux vivre” from Charles Gounod’s opera Romeo and Juliet that showcased her incredible range and colours. This piece demanded precision, and her high notes — a fleeting high D and a sustained high C — were effortlessly secure.
Also from the same opera was the tenor aria “Ah! lêve-toi soleil,” which Colin delivered with equal measures of tenderness and power, with a ringing high Bb.
His “Pourquoi me réveiller” from Jules Massenet’s opera Werther was filled with lyricism and introspection. But, I enjoyed him most in his Broadway persona. As Tony singing “Maria” in Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story, his creamy voice and charming stage presence channelled Mario Lanza.
Lyn and Colin made a formidable duo with matching vocal prowess, and their duets were some of the evening’s highlights. Together, they brought alive the tender chemistry between Norina and Ernesto in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale. The melodic lines in their “Tornami a dir che m’ami” were beautifully phrased with sublime harmonies. They made another handsome pair as Violetta and Alfredo in Verdi’s La Traviata. Their duet “Parigi, o cara” was filled with bittersweet passion and yearning.
The evening culminated in a heart-pounding orchestral arrangement of Freddy Mercury’s famous Bohemian Rhapsody that had everyone grooving and tapping in their seats.
The vocalists returning as star-crossed lovers Maria and Tony in West Side Story’s “Tonight” ended the concert on a high note.
It was an exhilarating evening to celebrate love, in all its forms.
- Find the rest of Toronto Concert Orchestra Presents Symphony in the City Summer 2025 [HERE].
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