{"id":114962,"date":"2025-06-09T09:45:07","date_gmt":"2025-06-09T13:45:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=114962"},"modified":"2025-06-09T09:45:07","modified_gmt":"2025-06-09T13:45:07","slug":"critics-picks-classical-music-events-absolutely-need-see-week-june-9-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2025\/06\/09\/critics-picks-classical-music-events-absolutely-need-see-week-june-9-15\/","title":{"rendered":"CRITIC\u2019S PICKS | Classical Music Events You Absolutely Need To See This Week: June 9 \u2013 15"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"R-L
R-L (clockwise): Icelandic pianist V\u00edkingur \u00d3lafsson (Photo: Markus Jans); Opera 5 Artistic Director Rachel Krehm (Photo courtesy of the artist); Composer Thierry Tidrow (Photo: Sonja Palade)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is a list of concerts we are attending, wishing we could attend, or thinking about attending between June 9 and 15, 2025. For more of what\u2019s happening around Toronto, visit our calendar here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

New Music Concerts: Glimmer: A Personal and Shared Exploration of Queerness<\/h3>\n

Wednesday June 11, 8 p.m.
\nBuddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander St. $20+<\/p>\n

NMC\u2019s brand new commission to Thierry Tidrow: Glimmer, will be performed at the Buddies, with great singers: Anika Venkatesh, Danika Lor\u00e8n, and Ryan McDonal, along with the slightly unusual instrumental ensemble of: clarinets (Brad Cherwin), flutes (Terry Lim), and viola (Hee-Soo Yoon). Tidrow, currently composer-in-residence at Oper Dortmund, has much experience writing for the voice, and this concert, focused on Glimmer, would be a lovely chance to soak into contemporary vocal richness. There will be a pre-show talk with Tidrow, followed by the Young Artist Overture for this program with Kailan Fournier, performing Saariaho\u2019s \u2018Duft\u2019 for solo clarinet at 7: 45 p.m, before the main event at 8 p.m. Come and see what it is like for an individual to understand, construct, and live with an identity that clashes, and challenges the world. Read our Interview with Thierry Tidrow here<\/a>. Info here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Opera 5: Toronto Opera Festival: Gala \u2014 A Night of Opera and Musical Theatre<\/h3>\n

Thursday, June 12, 7:30 p.m.
\nFactory Theatre, 125 Bathurst St., $22+<\/p>\n

Opera 5, a young company, has been working very hard, and their hard work is creating lovely opportunities for us to expand on the super-traditional operatic world. Recently chosen as the newest Company-in-Residence at the Canadian Opera Company<\/a>, Opera 5\u2019s inaugural Toronto Opera Festival involves three events: Gala, premiere of Come Closer by Ryan Trew and Rachel Krehm, and William Finn\u2019s Elegies: A Song Cycle. It is important to remember that music exists in many different forms and spaces, and that unless we go, it is hard to realize the importance of plurality in life \u2014 especially in arts. There\u2019s always something infectious and contagious in true vitality and energy \u2014 come and share that joy with Opera 5, in their first year of festivus! Info here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Toronto Symphony Orchestra: Gimeno Conducts the Best of Brahms<\/h3>\n

Thursday, June 12, 8 p.m., Saturday, June 14, 8 p.m., Sunday, June 15, 3 p.m.
\nRoy Thomson Hall, $30+<\/p>\n

The Icelandic superstar, V\u00edkingur \u00d3lafsson, steps onto the Roy Thomson stage to play a perennial favourite: Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1. Begun as a work for two-pianos, Brahms soon realized that his ideas needed something larger \u2014 and after much deliberation (first conception around 1854, to public premiere in 1859), the work initially failed to win the hearts of the audience. However, this early Brahms composition is full of drama, and \u00d3lafsson, considered one of the best of his generation, would be the soloist to explore the extraordinary depth of this work. Brahms\u2019 4th symphony pairs to complete the program, and for each night, a new work will be premiered: Amy Branson (June 12), Andrew James Clark (Jun 14), Sonny-Ray Day Rider (Jun 15). Something new, something old, and all very good: a great way to sink into a night full of pathos, and to create an emotional journey through one of the most beloved masters. Info here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Trinity Bach Project: Bach & Honour<\/h3>\n

Friday, June 13, 8 p.m.
\nKnox Presbyterian Church, 630 Spadina Ave., $10+<\/p>\n

TBP\u2019s third season closes with lovely music of Bach (Cantata BWV 107, 117, and motet BWV 230), and a cappella works by William Byrd, Arvo P\u00e4rt, and Charles Villiers Stanford. TBP\u2019s chamber singing has been top notch, and their instrumental ensemble, which varies from program to program, has been rich in variety and expression. It is so good to see a high calibre performance that is truly accessible to all, so come out, and end the bustle of the workweek with Bach\u2019s carefully crafted masterpieces in glory \u2014 glory of something that is larger than us, life that pulses beyond the little we can see as individuals. There will be two more performances of Bach & Honour in June (June 18: St John\u2019s Yorkmills Anglican, June 21: little Trinity Anglican Church). Spread the word, as good arts can elevate the day from mundane to something special. Info here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Sign up for the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! \u2014 local classical music and opera news straight to your inbox <\/em>HERE<\/a>.<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Classical music and opera events in Toronto for the week of June 9 To 15, 2024. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":62,"featured_media":114964,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[41660,74,76,19,3895,41496,38,43,63],"tags":[2493,40999,5064],"yst_prominent_words":[8345,14047,6886,19174,10287,6843,14186,17125],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Copy-of-CRITICS-PICKS-2025-06-09T093407.649.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-tUe","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114962"}],"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=114962"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114962\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":114965,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114962\/revisions\/114965"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/114964"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=114962"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=114962"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=114962"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=114962"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}