April 2023
Canadian Opera Company | Free Concert Series : Chamber Connections
Some of the brightest rising stars on the Canadian classical music scene illuminate the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre in an exciting hour of chamber music celebrating their victories at The Glenn Gould Chamber Music Competition.
Find out more »Canadian Opera Company | Free Concert Series : Songs in Time of War—Revisited
Acclaimed Toronto-based mixed East/West PhoeNX Ensemble and celebrated tenor Lawrence Wiliford join forces to present a new cross-cultural revisit of Alec Roth’s Songs in Time of War. Based on the poetry of Du Fu as translated by Vikram Seth, this epic song cycle shares stories of adventure, friendship, solitude, love, loss, and the profound beauty of life.
Find out more »Canadian Opera Company | Free Concert Series : Franz² = Poetry, Drama and the 19th Century Piano
Rudin Lengo’s piano playing has been described as “profound, imaginative, and exceptionally communicative.” From the poignant, expressive, and delightful late Schubert impromptus, to the monumental structure and virtuosity of Liszt's Sonata in B Minor, this program captures the Romantic era at its peak.
Find out more »Canadian Opera Company | Free Concert Series : The Musical Offering
The LARK Ensemble is formed by members of Toronto’s leading orchestras (COC Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and National Ballet of Canada Orchestra). Joined by special guest harpsichordist Christopher Bagan, they perform Johann Sebastian Bach’s masterpiece The Musical Offering, arranged for traverso, string trio, and harpsichord. Dedicated to and based on a single musical theme given to Bach by Frederick II of Prussia, this piece is widely accepted as one of the greatest chamber works of the Baroque era.
Find out more »Canadian Opera Company | Free Concert Series : Preview of DanceWeekend’23 – 30th anniversary edition!
Dance Ontario’s flagship event is a sumptuous two-to-three-day dance festival chocked full of talent, performance, innovation, education, companies, culture, and exceptional opportunities. DanceWeekend has evolved into a vibrant must-see extravaganza featuring ballet, flamenco, hip hop, Indian classical, Egyptian, Chinese, contemporary, and everything in between and unfolding! Join us for a sneak peek.
Find out more »Canadian Opera Company | Free Concert Series : Stories for Ballet
Canada's preeminent touring ballet company, Ballet Jörgen, will present highlights from the full-length ballets Anne of Green Gables—The Ballet® and Cinderella. Based on the novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables—The Ballet® is a playful, colourful, and evocative production that will transport audiences to early 20th-century Atlantic Canada. Ballet Jörgen’s Cinderella is an innovative take on the classic story which balances the fairy tale elements with a contemporary treatment of Cinderella and her family relationships.
Find out more »Canadian Opera Company | Free Concert Series : Quivering Woods, Starry Sky
COC Ensemble Studio mezzo-sopranos Queen Hezumuryango and Alex Hetherington join Liz Upchurch, Head of the COC Ensemble Studio, for a program that explores the richness and depth of the mezzo soprano repertoire. The program includes Chausson’s Chanson perpétuelle and H. Leslie Adams’ Nightsongs.
Find out more »Canadian Opera Company | Free Concert Series : Rebanks Family Fellowship Showcase
This performance showcases artists from the Rebanks Family Fellowship and International Performance Residency Program at The Royal Conservatory's Glenn Gould School, which is designed as a catalyst for launching successful professional careers of extraordinary Canadian emerging artists who have completed their formal training.
Find out more »Canadian Opera Company | Free Concert Series : To be here
Dance artist Katherine Semchuk premieres to be here, a solo arising through her dedication to journaling, physical practice, and improvisation, all employed with specificity and intentionality in the making of a dance through a deeply collaborative relationship with veteran solo dancer and choreographer Peggy Baker.
Find out more »May 2023
Canadian Opera Company | Free Concert Series : In All Seriousness
Turkish Bass Önay Köse recently left Berlin's famed Komische Oper, where he performed a variety of roles, including the Nightwatchman in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. Current projects include the artist’s debuts with the Opéra National du Rhin in Strasbourg as Jorg in Stiffelio and with the Grand-Théâtre de Luxembourg as Sparafucile in Rigoletto, while Canadian audiences will be able to see his springtime performance as Banquo in the COC's production of Verdi’s Macbeth. For his Free Concert Series Recital, Köse…
Find out more »Canadian Opera Company | Free Concert Series : House, Hip hop, and Jazz with Miha Matevzic and Friends
Featuring Miha Matevzic, Raoul Wilke, and Sarah Tumaliuan, DanceWorks Education presents a performance highlighting the connections between vernacular jazz, hip hop, and house dance. Audience members are invited to join in this interactive experience at the COC.
Find out more »Canadian Opera Company | Free Concert Series : 2023 Festival Preview
Artistic Director Jonathan Crow presents a sneak preview of the 2023 Toronto Summer Music Festival, which provides music lovers with an opportunity to enjoy and deepen their knowledge of classical music by bringing audiences together with international artists and emerging professional musicians.
Find out more »Canadian Opera Company | Free Concert Series : Life of a Baritone
While visiting Toronto as part of the COC’s spring production of Tosca, Roland Wood demonstrates to audiences the professional life-cycle of a baritone. From the music a student might expect to sing during their training, to repertoire showcasing the various stages of vocal development of an opera singer, Wood will showcase his range and experience in this educational recital.
Find out more »Canadian Opera Company | Free Concert Series : Chopin and Variations
Having performed in numerous concerts throughout the world to great critical acclaim, Ishay Shaer is quickly becoming one of the leading pianists of his generation. In his Free Concert Series debut, Shaer will demonstrate the profound influence of Frederic Chopin on early 20th-century piano masters. Audiences will be presented with a selection of Chopin’s preludes from Opus 28, followed by works from Rachmaninoff and Scriabin, directly inspired by Chopin.
Find out more »Canadian Opera Company | Free Concert Series : Les Adieux
Jonah Spungin, baritone Vlad Soloviev, piano COC Ensemble Studio artists Jonah Spungin and Vlad Soloviev bid farewell to the Ensemble Studio with a graduating recital of art song that showcases the full extent of their musical and dramatic range.
Find out more »June 2023
Canadian Opera Company | Free Concert Series : Prayers, Hopes, and Letters
COC Ensemble Studio sopranos Charlotte Siegel and Ariane Cossette present a program of arias and duets, centered on two of the most remarkable scenes from the opera repertoire: Desdemona's Willow Song and prayer from Verdi’s Otello, and Tatiana’s letter scene from Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin.
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