{"id":125328,"date":"2026-06-22T11:20:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T15:20:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=125328"},"modified":"2026-06-22T11:20:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T15:20:12","slug":"critics-picks-classical-music-events-absolutely-need-see-week-june-22-june-28-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2026\/06\/22\/critics-picks-classical-music-events-absolutely-need-see-week-june-22-june-28-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"CRITIC\u2019S PICKS | Classical Music Events You Absolutely Need To See This Week: June 22 \u2013 June 28 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"L-R
L-R (clockwise): The Toronto Children\u2019s Chorus (Photo courtesy of TCC); Singer Cassandra Wilson (Photo: Mark Seliger); The Canadian Chamber Orchestra (Photo courtesy of CCO)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is a list of concerts we are attending, wishing we could attend, or thinking about attending between June 22 and 28, 2026. For more of what\u2019s happening around Toronto, visit our calendar here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Royal Conservatory of Music & Toronto Jazz Festival: Cassandra Wilson<\/h3>\n

Wednesday, June 24, 7 p.m.
\nKoerner Hall, $95+<\/p>\n

The amazing Cassandra Wilson takes over Koerner Hall in celebration of jazz and Americana. The building of national identity, or a musical style, takes the dedication of lifetimes of many talented individuals, and Wilson, with all kinds of awards \u2014 the two GRAMMYs, Django d\u2019Or Award, the Edition Award, featured vocalist for Wynton Marsalis\u2019s Blood on the fields, the first jazz album to win a Pulitzer (2022) \u2014 is a major figure of our time. New Moon Daughter, released 30 years ago, was a beautiful album \u2014 I was so glad that I had a CD of it, that unlike cassettes, I would not have to worry about it wearing out, repeat after repeat. This tour, commemorating the New Moon Daughter, is a great chance to hear her at peak maturity and experience. The edge between classical North American music and jazz are crumbling in places, and this is a good thing; things that evolve never become necrotic. Come out to Koerner and be taken away in the mix of blues, country, and folk \u2014 the spine of the American song book. Info here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Canadian Chamber Orchestra: Living Room Listening Party III: Guilty Pleasures Playlist<\/h3>\n

Thursday, June 25, 7:30 p.m.
\nEglinton St. George\u2019s United Church, 35 Lytton Blvd., admission by donations: 2 lbs of non-perishable food, or monetary donation at the door<\/p>\n

For this summer gathering, this quirky chamber group brings members\u2019 favourite selections arranged for strings. Centred around a classic, Verkl\u00e4rte Nacht by Arnold Schoenberg, no emotion will be deemed too big or too rich. Schoenberg has unfortunately (and unfairly) been marked as the leader of modern music \u2014 difficult, dissonant, and unpleasant \u2014 this couldn\u2019t be further from the truth! Verkl\u00e4rte Nacht is one of the most expressive Romantic works of the era, and it deserves heartfelt performances, rather than dry, boring textbook history and theory lessons. As this concert is generously open to the public, CCO is gently asking the audience to bring something to share with the community of Eglinton St. George\u2019s United Church. Please consider dropping a few $20s, and save the labour of carrying 2 lbs of canned tomatoes, as there is ever more need for our neighbours and friends in the community nowadays. Info here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Toronto Children\u2019s Chorus: Canada to the World<\/h3>\n

Saturday, June 27, 2 p.m.
\nEglinton St. George\u2019s United Church, 35 Lytton Blvd., $30<\/p>\n

As school hits pause for the summer, the young TCC singers, ages 12 to 17, are getting ready to fly big distances to join other great singers from the world. This summer, they will be in Hong Kong, and Singapore! Though they might still contemplate what to pack right up to the night before, their musical works will be ready \u2014 an a cappella program, with additional costuming and choreography. Join these spirited singers as they present the program at home base, as the last check-up for the international experience, in beautiful Eglinton St. George\u2019s. Just like summer, the young energy, carefully nurtured by dedicated TCC team and parents, feels boundless and beautiful \u2014 to experience their hard work and love for music will be a great experience for the whole community. Info here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Toronto City Opera: Orpheus in the Underworld<\/h3>\n

Saturday, June 27, 7 p.m., Sunday, June 28, 3 p.m.
\nTrinity St. Paul\u2019s United Church, 427 Bloor St. W., $25+<\/p>\n

Celebrating 80 years, TCO has invited North York Concert Orchestra for a full-hoorah production of Orpheus in the Underworld for this weekend. Offenbach\u2019s most beloved work, and impressively, his first full opera from 1858, Orpheus in the Underworld is hilarious and catchy; his intention of turning the classic Greek tragedy of Orpheus and Eurydice into a total farce is brilliantly expressed in Offenbach\u2019s music, with words by Hector Cr\u00e9mieux and Ludovic Hal\u00e9vy. Although it did test some members of the serious arts circle initially, the work is constantly on the stage, now into its 3rd century, and we would be hard pressed to find anyone who has not heard the famous Galop infernal \u2014 simply known as the Can-Can \u2014 thanks to the famed shows of Moulin Rouge and Folies Berg\u00e8re. TCO\u2019s dedication in creating performance opportunities for upcoming local talents is a great asset to the community; it is the smaller, nimble houses that can really nurture young talents, and for this production, the cast: Teresa Tucci (Eurydice), Christian Matta (Pluto), Matthew Black (Jupiter), Jada Alexiou (Public Opinion), Jeffrey Liu (Orpheus), Alice MacGregor (Cupid), Daniela Agostino (Diana), and Aemelia Moser (Minerva), will be singing their hearts out. Come and join in the fun! After all, it\u2019s sarcasm and humour, among many things, that make the world an interesting place. Read our Preview of the show here<\/a>. Info here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Classical music and opera events in Toronto for the week of June 22 to 28, 2026. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":62,"featured_media":125329,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[42533,41392,11,76,19,3895,32,43,63],"tags":[41530,43022,3342,39757],"yst_prominent_words":[7171,9357],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/06\/Copy-of-CRITICS-PICKS-2026-06-22T111426.688.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-wBq","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125328"}],"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=125328"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125328\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":125330,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125328\/revisions\/125330"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/125329"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=125328"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=125328"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=125328"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=125328"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}