{"id":125941,"date":"2026-07-17T10:01:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T14:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=125941"},"modified":"2026-07-17T10:01:05","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T14:01:05","slug":"preview-mandle-philharmonic-offers-mahlers-resurrection-stars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2026\/07\/17\/preview-mandle-philharmonic-offers-mahlers-resurrection-stars\/","title":{"rendered":"PREVIEW | The Mandle Philharmonic Offers Mahler\u2019s Resurrection Under The Stars"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Mandle
Mandle Cheung conducts the Mandle Philharmonic (Photo courtesy of Mandle Philharmonic)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mandle Cheung will conduct the Mandle Philharmonic in Mahler\u2019s epic Symphony No. 2, \u201cResurrection\u201d in an outdoor concert. It takes place at the RBC Amphitheatre on Lakeshore Blvd. on July 24, 2026<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

More than 200 professional musicians and singers will perform the work, known for the grandeur of its emotional landscape on the shores of Lake Ontario. Along with the orchestra and the MandlePhil Choir<\/strong>, the performance features soloists Lesley Bouza<\/strong>, soprano, and Alex Hetherington<\/strong>, mezzo-soprano.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis concert is about bringing great symphonic music to the widest possible audience in an unforgettable setting,\u201d says Mandle Cheung<\/strong> in a statement.\u00a0\u201cMahler\u2019s Second Symphony is one of the most overwhelming and transformative musical experiences ever written, and hearing it outdoors under the night sky will be truly extraordinary.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"L:
L: Lesley Bouza, soprano; R: Alex Hetherington, mezzo-soprano (Photos courtesy of the artists)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Performers<\/h2>\n

Mandle Cheung, conductor<\/h3>\n

Entrepreneur Mandle Cheung made his career and fortune in computer science and technology, but his heart was always in music. He studied harmonica in school as a child, and played in the school band. Later, he took various courses in music, and eventually included conducting, which he studied with Arthur Polson. He conducted Beethoven\u2019s Piano Concerto No. 3 for his graduation concert, and has never looked back. Mandle was invited to perform the Arthur Benjamin\u2019s Harmonica Concerto with the CBC Winnipeg Orchestra, led by conductor Eric Wilde.<\/p>\n

While his business career took precedence for many years, in 2015, he decided to set out to make his dream of conducting come true. He founded the Mandle Philharmonic in 2017, and began programming and performing music, with the goal of making classical music accessible to all.<\/p>\n

Lesley Bouza, soprano<\/h3>\n

Lesley Bouza is a versatile soprano whose repertoire includes opera and classical, Broadway show tune, jazz, and pop music. She was studying saxophone performance at the University of Guelph when she first discovered her voice, and made the switch. She went on to advanced vocal training at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, with a dual focus on education and outreach.<\/p>\n

Career highlights include a Joni Mitchell tribute concert titled Lesley Sings Joni, performing at the Steve Reich at 80 concert with Soundstreams, Dido and Aeneas at Carnegie Hall with Les Violons du Roy, and touring Taiwan as a member of the Swingle Singers. She has performed as a soloist with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, The Elora Singers, The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, the Winnipeg Symphony, and the Calgary Philharmonic.<\/p>\n

Alongside her performing career, Lesley is an accredited music therapist.<\/p>\n

Alex Hetherington, mezzo-soprano<\/h3>\n

Alex Hetherington is a graduate of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio, and she has returned to the COC to perform in Faust, Rom\u00e9o et Juliette, Carmen, and Salome. She has performed with Toronto City Opera, Toronto Lyric Opera, Vancouver Opera, and in the cast recording of Tapestry Opera\u2019s Rocking Horse Winner.<\/p>\n

She studied Voice Performance and Opera Performance at the University of Toronto, where she earned both a Bachelor\u2019s and Master\u2019s degree.<\/p>\n

Alex premiered the role of [Riley] in\u00a0R.U.R. A Torrent of Light\u00a0with Tapestry Opera, and took home a Dora Mavor Moore Award for in 2022 as part of the outstanding ensemble performance.<\/p>\n

She has appeared with the National Arts Centre Orchestra on several occasions, including as the alto soloist in Mozart\u2019s Requiem, and performing in Ana Sokolovi\u0107\u2019s Golden Slumbers Kiss Your Eyes and the premiere of Cecilia Livingston\u2019s orchestral arrangements of lieder selections by Clara Schumann. Alex has also performed as a soloist with the Victoria Symphony, Ottawa Chamberfest, the Amadeus Choir, and Chorus Niagara.<\/p>\n

The Details<\/h2>\n

The Mandle Philharmonic\u2019s goal is to make large scale orchestral performance accessible and community driven. Tickets are available starting at just $24.<\/p>\n

The Sound of Resurrection Under the Stars! takes place at the RBC Amphitheatre<\/strong> on July 24, 2026<\/strong>.<\/p>\n