{"id":112525,"date":"2025-03-10T11:04:41","date_gmt":"2025-03-10T15:04:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=112525"},"modified":"2025-03-10T15:54:01","modified_gmt":"2025-03-10T19:54:01","slug":"critics-picks-classical-music-events-absolutely-need-see-week-march-10-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/03\/10\/critics-picks-classical-music-events-absolutely-need-see-week-march-10-16\/","title":{"rendered":"CRITIC\u2019S PICKS | Classical Music Events You Absolutely Need To See This Week: March 10 \u2013 16"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"L-R
L-R (clockwise): Pianist, vocal coach, and pedagogue, Music Director of the Canadian Opera Company’s\u00a0Ensemble\u00a0Studio Liz Upchurch (Photo: Chris Hutcheson); Vancouver Symphony Orchestra conductor Otto Tausk (Photo courtesy of the artist); The Marmen Quartet (from the cover of: Ligeti: String Quartets Nos 1 & 2; Bart\u00f3k: String Quartet No 4 (courtesy of BIS Records))<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is a list of concerts we are attending, wishing we could attend, or thinking about attending between March 10 and 16, 2025. For more of what\u2019s happening around Toronto, visit our calendar here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Faculty of Music, University of Toronto: Vocalise I \u2014 An Evening of Chamber Music & Operatic Arias<\/h3>\n

Tuesday, March 11, 7:30 p.m.
\nTrinity St. Paul\u2019s United Church, Free<\/p>\n

Liz Upchurch, one of the very best vocal coaches in North America, has collaborated with the Faculty of Music for this lush evening of vocal music. Upchurch, the Head of Music of the COC Ensemble program, has been nurturing generations of young singers as a mentor, collaborative artist and genuine inspiration for over 25 years. As we see the results of her leadership in the real world \u2014 including the recent sighting of Emily D\u2019Angelo, a COC Ensemble alumna who sang the main role for the MET 24\/25 opening with Jeanine Tesori\u2019s new work Grounded, it is quite exciting to see what the faculty\u2019s young musicians will present this evening. The voice program at the University of Toronto has been nurturing some serious talents for decades, and this may be the time to see the next generation superstars in person in their training stage. Come out and listen through this varied program of art songs and operatic arias, and be ready to be dazzled. Bring the young\u2019uns who would be on the March Break, and show them what live arts feel like without the heavy strain on the wallet, as this is a public free event. Info here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Canadian Opera Company: COC March Break: Stories of Opera through Art Song<\/h3>\n

Wednesday, March 12, Noon
\nRichard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre, Free<\/p>\n

Geared toward precocious youngsters and curious adults alike, COC\u2019s Community Partnership program presents an exploratory noon concert about songs. How we communicate stories, histories, feelings, and thoughts through songs and what does that mean \u2014 when we take others\u2019 words and music, how do we make it a \u2018my own\u2019 experience? How are songs created, and how does opera form incorporate the tradition of songs into a larger fabric? The best explanations are always the simplest and the most clear, and I trust the insight and knowledge of the COC team to create a beautiful and accessible experience for all members of the audience for this Wednesday noon concert. Bring everyone you know who sings \u2014 and remind yourself that if you speak, you sing. The heart speaks through words and their inflections, and it is a beautiful thing: it\u2019s often surprising and beautiful to take a closer look at what we do so naturally. Info here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

U of T Opera: Mozart\u2019s Cos\u00ec fan tutte<\/h3>\n

Thursday, March 13, 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 14, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 15, 7:30 p.m., Sunday, March 16, 2:30 p.m.
\nHarbourfront Centre Theatre, $10+<\/p>\n

Faculty of Music presents Mozart\u2019s Cosi for their spring production. A well-loved classic, this opera is jam-packed with favourite arias and humour \u2014 if a bit questionable by today\u2019s standard. The opera\u2019s full title \u2018Cos\u00ec fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti\u2019 means \u2018They all do it, or The School for Lovers,\u2019 exploring the subject of love, and its consequent jealousy \u2014 fascinating all humans for centuries. See how the characters interact when traps are set deliberately to test their love, and how we as society have changed in our understanding of such complex emotional interactions, while basking in Mozart\u2019s glorious vocal writing. There\u2019s the coloratura firework in Fiordiligi\u2019s \u2018Come Scoglio,\u2019 the beautiful vocal ensemble singing of \u2018Di scrivermi ogni giorno\u2019, and \u2018Soave sia il vento\u2019, anguish in \u2018Smanie implacabili\u2019 for Dorabella, and so much more \u2014 at fraction of a big house production. Info here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Royal Canadian College of Organists Toronto Centre: Pipes, Pedals and Pizza<\/h3>\n

Friday, March 14, 10-noon, 1-3 p.m., with pizza break at noon
\nYorkminster Park Baptist Church, free<\/p>\n

Ever wanted to see how a great pipe organ works? This is your chance! The amazing people at the RCCO, who are usually invisible, as they sit in a faraway loft, or a side spot away from the massive sets of pipes they operate with grace and intellect, have organized an interactive event for youngsters and young-at-hearts, to come and experience the organ in all manners possible. Along with superb musical demo playing, there\u2019s a tour of the pipe chamber, and you can even build a mini-organ and bring it home! The 10-noon session will be open for kindergarteners up to Grade 6, and the 1-3 p.m. session will be open for Grade 7 and up, with a pizza lunch for everyone in the middle. The best way to learn things is hands-on, and RCCO is inviting people to even bring their favourite piano pieces, if they want to have a \u2018go\u2019 \u2014 a fantastic way to spend a Friday. Be a kind guardian and bring the youngsters in, or come with friends and have a wander about the organ. Info here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Toronto Symphony Orchestra: Brahms & Shostakovich with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra<\/h3>\n

Sunday, March 16, 3 p.m.
\nRoy Thomson Hall, $78+<\/p>\n

Ever wondered how other major Canadian orchestras play? TSO hosts friends from the West this Sunday. The Vancouver Symphony, with conductor Otto Tausk and soloists Vadim Gluzman (violin) and Marion Newman (mezzo soprano), steps onto the Roy Thomson Hall stage with two bangers: Brahms Violin Concerto and Shostakovich Symphony 5, along with a brand new shiny commission work by Marcus Goddard. The Canadian landscape is beautiful and vast, which makes it very difficult to see other ensembles without some careful logistical planning. Until they come by for a visit! Come and welcome the VSO in this rare visit, and fill your Sunday afternoon with a rousing crowd pleasing program. Info here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Classical music and opera events in Toronto for the week of March 10 to 16, 2025. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":62,"featured_media":112527,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[41660,74,76,19,3895,38,43,63],"tags":[41804,5677,30867,9443,4484],"yst_prominent_words":[7173,15843,9143,17442,17439,16237,6616,6804,6674,7677,12773,6826,7549,19911,19910],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/03\/Copy-of-CRITICS-PICKS-2025-03-10T110306.584.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-tgV","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112525"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/62"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=112525"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112525\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":112546,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112525\/revisions\/112546"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/112527"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=112525"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=112525"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=112525"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=112525"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}