The Latest
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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By Paul E. Robinson on October 27, 2014
Capriccio was described by its creators – Richard Strauss and Clemens Krauss – as “a conversation piece for music in one act.” In fact, it was Strauss’ fifteenth and last opera, premiered in wartime Munich in 1942.
As the work of a 78-year-old composer it is remarkable. Yet it will probably always be a work for connoisseurs rather than the general public. For a one-act opera at about two and a half hours it is excessively long, and the musical style is almost continuous recitative. And the subject matter is, depending on your point of view, either rarified art or pretentious chit-chat. Some critics have even suggested it is little more than a make-work project for an aging composer.
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By Michael Vincent on October 26, 2014
This is 1735, and the plot is slightly drunken, (Handel, after all). The Elgin Theatre’s gilded balconies shimmer as the patrons wander in from the un-seasonably warm October evening, hinting of unease for good Opera.
Other than an errant spring in the Theatre’s 100-year-old aging seats, this was Opera Ateliers night to shine. In a city that adores all things early music, (even the Canadian Opera Company has jumped on that bandwagon), it was a sure fire hit – or was it?
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By Michael Vincent on October 25, 2014
In this short video, discover the legendary Glenn Gould and the vision for this "Nobel Prize of the Arts" given in his name. Narrated by past Juror, Stephen Fry. This years nominations are open until Nov 15, 2014...
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By Michael Vincent on October 25, 2014
While Canada begins to come to terms with the shooting rampage that left one soldier lifeless at the foot of the National War Memorial, and a gunman shot dead in the Parliament buildings, members of the National Arts Centre Orchestra have been had to do so from afar.
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By Michael Vincent on October 24, 2014
German-born, Anne-Sophie Mutter is one of the greatest violin virtuosos of our time. At the age of 13 she performed as a soloist at the renowned Salzburg Festival, under conductor Herbert von Karajan. Two years later, she made her recording debut with Karajan, and the Berlin Philharmonic. Besides being an interpreter of traditional classical repertoire, she is a avid supporter of contemporary music. She has premiered works by Henri Dutilleux, Sofia Gubaidulina, Witold Lutoslawski, Krzysztof Penderecki, Sir André Previn and Wolfgang Rihm. After going on to win four Grammy Awards and countless prizes, she founded The Mutter Virtuosi -- a group made up of some of the best alumni of the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation.
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By Member on October 22, 2014
Since its founding in 1972, the Toronto Consort has become internationally recognized for its excellence in the performance of medieval, renaissance and early baroque music. Some of Canada’s leading early music specialists have come together to form The Toronto Consort, under the leadership of Artistic Director, David Fallis. The company’s nine members include both singers and instrumentalists (lute, recorder, guitar, flute, early keyboards and percussion)...
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By Curtis Perry on October 22, 2014
Daniel Spreadbury is Product Marketing Manager for Steinberg’s in-house scoring application. I had the opportunity to chat with him briefly about the ongoing development of computer music standards in the wake of the digital humanities movement, the challenge of building great software, and the future of digital music notation. Learn more about the application’s development at blog.steinberg.net, and follow Daniel @dspreadbury.
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By Michael Vincent on October 22, 2014
What does it say about the state of Canada’s recording industry when eight seconds of digital noise accidentally released by a super star reaches #1 on the Canadian iTunes music charts? On Tuesday, Oct 21, American singer Taylor Swift released a title called “Track 3” on iTunes for $1.29. By the end of the day, it beat-out everyone (actual music), reaching #1...
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