The Latest
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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By Jenna Douglas on October 30, 2014
Opera singers are masters of multi-tasking: they juggle an important list of technical elements in order to sing a performance, and they have to do it in foreign languages, while following a conductor and negotiating weird costumes/lighting/staging. Singers' to-do lists don't get simpler as they gain experience. Once there's a decent consensus amongst the opera industry that a singer is established, there's a weird phenomenon that occurs. The singer begins to pick up followers, hangers-on of a parasitic sort. These new companions are usually people who aren’t opera singers, but are really into opera for one reason or another. Voice teachers, coaches, audition consultants, agents, and even donors like to latch onto a successful singer (even better if they’re a young up-and-comer). They’re like really swanky groupies. So why do they cling to opera singers? Simply put: they want to vicariously live the perceived glam life.
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By Curtis Perry on October 30, 2014
Suffice to say, it has been a long and tumultuous week in Ottawa. For some here in the nation's capital, it was recently capped off with a remarkably timely and well-executed rendition of Liszt's Lenore and the Dante Symphony.
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By Member on October 29, 2014
An international classical music festival and academy that is entering it’s tenth season, Toronto Summer Music Festival brings world-renowned performing artists to Toronto for an unparalleled combination of concerts, guest lectures and Masterclasses.
“Toronto Summer Music has become one of the city’s most eagerly awaited summer cultural events, and I am thrilled to welcome audiences to our festival and academy where we create and foster connections between great artists and great music.” says Douglas McNabney.
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By Michael Vincent on October 29, 2014
I’ll give it to the Canadian Opera Company, they put on a brave face.
The Canadian Opera Company released its 2014 annual report on Monday afternoon, and after four years of declining attendance and ticket revenues, besides a few upsides to report, there is little to be optimistic about.
What the COC described as “impressive endowment growth, growing attendance and subscription figures,” is really negligible growth in attendance and major financial losses. After three years of serious declines, they continue to deteriorate with the worst numbers they have ever reported...
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By Michael Vincent on October 27, 2014
Our 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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