By Michael Vincent on November 5, 2014
After filling in for an indisposed soprano at the Metropolitan Opera in 1984, Aprile Millo got her big break as Amelia, in Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra. The reviews rolled in, calling her “the Verdi soprano we’ve all be waiting for.” Performing in over 160 performances across 15 different, she has since gone on to become one of the most essential spinto sopranos of our time. She has performed alongside Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo, Ben Heppner, Herbert von Karajan, Riccardo Muti, James Levine, and Giuseppe Sinopoli (to name a few). Franco Zeffirelli chose her as the singing voice of Elizabeth Taylor in the bio film, “Young Toscanini”. Her career has been nothing short of remarkable, and based upon a single foundation: her voice.
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By Michael Vincent on November 5, 2014
(via) Released just today, virtuoso violinist Lara St. John has taken up the challenge to rework Nicki Minaj’s latest hit “Anaconda”. Renaming it “Anachorda", St. John hired out a number of well-known Vancouver musicians to help her bridge the great style divide. Her approach was to focus on the rhythmic element, rather than the controversial lyrics, which have received some criticism. The original is inspired by Sir Mix-a-Lot’s Baby Got Back, which is all about celebrating a “big butts”...
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By Member on November 5, 2014
Acclaimed as “a world-class ensemble”, Sinfonia Toronto is one of Canada’s finest chamber orchestras. Its repertoire includes all the major works for string orchestra from baroque to contemporary, and it has premiered many new works. It presents its concerts two of the finest concert halls of Toronto: at the CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio, where many of its concerts have been recorded for national broadcast and in the George Weston Recital Hall in North York. The orchestra has recorded for its own label, Marquis Classics EMI, Cambria and Analekta on iTunes.
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By Michael Vincent on November 4, 2014
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. Of course 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 the comprehensive concert listings from our friends at Wholenote Magazine.
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By Neil Crory on November 4, 2014
The American-born, Greek soprano, Maria Callas (1923 - 1977), must hold a record for the sheer number of studio recordings made within a 20 year period: 26 complete operas and 13 recital discs in total. Apart from a few 78 rpms made at the beginning of her career for the CETRA label, all of Callas' subsequent recordings were made by EMI. Together, these discs became the backbone of EMI's rich vocal catalogue.
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By Michael Vincent on November 3, 2014
Arguably Eglar’s strongest work, the Dreams of Gerontius is a kind of sacred cantata-oratorio conjured up from the depths of pre-world War I turmoil. It is an important creative triumph for Elgar, and proved he could write religious music on par with the greats, such as Bach, Handel, Mozart, Beethoven and Verdi.
The piece is rarely heard outside of Europe, and seeing it on the Toronto Symphony Orchestra season’s line-up against the usual pork and beans repertoire is pleasant surprise for those of us who would like to hear more than his Pomp and Circumstance Marches or Enigma Variations.
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By Lev Bratishenko on November 3, 2014
Seven seasons of Opéra de Montreal have trained me to read a season brochure cynically and only with chemical support. I must find satisfaction in the absence of disaster rather than the chance of a triumph. Objectively, of course, this is awful; I love opera but have to travel for interesting productions. But I am much calmer now.
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By Michael Vincent on November 3, 2014
James Parker is a one of Toronto’s true musical gems. He is at once a soloist, a chamber musician, and pianist with an incredible facility for both chamber music and solo performance. He is a founding member of Canada’s premiere ensemble, the Gryphon Trio. He has performed with nearly every major orchestra in Canada, including, the Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, Quebec City, Edmonton, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra. He has won a total of three JUNO Recording Awards, and is an Associate Professor, and Rupert E. Edwards Chair in Piano Performance at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto.
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By Paul E. Robinson on November 2, 2014
Many years ago, in 1979 to be exact, Leon Major and I worked together at the St. Lawrence Centre in Toronto. Leon was the General Manager and directed most of the plays, and I was the incoming director of music programming, succeeding Franz Kraemer. For me it was a great opportunity to broaden my approach to music programming. I was to continue my work as music director at CJRT-FM and as conductor of the CJRT Radio Orchestra, but with Leon I could see new challenges. Alas, it was not to be. After ten years of working together, Leon and his board were ready to part ways, and he left just after I arrived. Without Leon at the helm, the St. Lawrence Centre seemed far less idealistic and far less interested in taking artistic risks. I too soon moved on.
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By Member on October 30, 2014
Led by Artistic Director Lawrence Cherney and Executive Director Susan Worthington, Soundstreams is a Toronto-based music presenter that commissions, develops, and showcases the work of contemporary Canadian composers and their international counterparts.
These innovative collaborations are performed by the finest artists from Canada and around the world, and are presented in an annual concert series, our monthly Salon 21 series at The Gardiner Museum, in national and international tours, and through a variety of education and outreach activities. To mark its 30th anniversary season in 2012/13, Soundstreams launched SoundMakers, an innovative website and smartphone app that invites music lovers to explore and create with Soundstreams’ commissioned works.
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