{"id":36738,"date":"2016-05-09T13:47:15","date_gmt":"2016-05-09T17:47:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/?p=36738"},"modified":"2016-05-09T13:47:15","modified_gmt":"2016-05-09T17:47:15","slug":"critics-picks-eight-shows-you-should-absolutely-see-this-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2016\/05\/09\/critics-picks-eight-shows-you-should-absolutely-see-this-week\/","title":{"rendered":"CRITIC’S PICKS | Eight Shows You Should Absolutely See This Week"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the week of\u00a0May 9 to 15.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"Critic's
Critic’s Picks for classical music and opera events in Toronto for the Week of May 9 \u2013 15, 2016.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Musical Toronto\u2019s weekly Critic\u2019s Picks are a fully curated list of some of the best concerts happening now through the end of the week. Of course, this is not to say we are the provocateurs of taste, but simply seek to provide a good weekly summary. For a look at the full breadth of what\u2019s available in and around Toronto, check out our concert listings in the\u00a0Musical Toronto Datebook<\/a><\/span>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Tops on my list this week are two interesting events. One is the Toronto Symphony Orchestra\u2019s Shostakovich Symphony No. 13, \u201cBabi Yar.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>I understand this will be a TSO premiere. Interestingly, the Buffalo Philharmonic beat us to it by performing it back in 2012 with conductor JoAnn Falletta. A real coup was the presence of poet Yevtushenko, whose poems inspired this Symphony, for readings of his work. It\u2019s good that the work is finally receiving its TSO debut. The other is the radical re-imagining of Mozart\u2019s Cosi fan tutte<\/em> by Against the Grain Theatre, into A Little Too Cozy <\/em>to take place May 12 to 21. Meanwhile in the opera house, Maometto II<\/em> and Carmen<\/em> continue their respective runs, and there\u2019s also Les Adieux: Let Beauty Awake,<\/em> where Aviva Fortunata and Iain MacNeil make their farewell.<\/p>\n

Tuesday 10<\/h3>\n

COC<\/span>\u00a0| Vocal Series:\u00a0Les Adieux: Let Beauty Awake<\/em> at The Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre. 12 Noon. Free!<\/p>\n

Soprano Aviva Fortunata and bass-baritone Iain MacNeil, two stalwart members of the COC Ensemble Studio, make their farewell in this noon hour recital. They are joined by members of the COC Orchestra to perform John Greer\u2019s arrangement of Richard Strauss\u2019 Four Last Songs<\/em> and Vaughan Williams\u2019 Songs of Travel<\/em>, two of my very favourite song cycles. Not to be missed if you can get away in the middle of the day. Details at www.coc.ca<\/a><\/p>\n

COC<\/span>\u00a0|\u00a0Georges Bizet\u2019s Carmen<\/em> at The Four Seasons Centre. 7:30 p.m. $50\u2013435 (Repeats through May 15. Start times vary)<\/p>\n

Performances of Carmen<\/em> with two fabulous mezzo-sopranos, Anita Rachvelishvili and Cl\u00e9mentine Margaine. Paolo Carignani conducts. More info found, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Wednesday 11<\/h3>\n

COC<\/span>\u00a0| Rossini’s,\u00a0Maometto II<\/span><\/i>\u00a0at The Four Seasons Centre. 7:30 p.m. $50\u2013355. (Repeats through May 14. Start times vary)<\/p>\n

Last two chances to catch superlative singing in Maometto II, starring Luca Pisaroni in the title role, Leah Crocetto (Anna), Elizabeth DeShong (Calbo) and Bruce Sledge (Erisso). Harry Bicket conducts the COC Orchestra. Info found right, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Thursday 12<\/h3>\n

AGAINST THE GRAIN<\/span>\u00a0THEATRE<\/span> |\u00a0A Little Too Cozy <\/em>at Studio 42 CBC, 25 John Street. 8 p.m. $35-95 (Repeats through May 14)<\/p>\n

A Little Too Cozy<\/em>, Against the Grain Theatre\u2019s radical re-imagining of Mozart\u2019s Cosi fan tutte<\/em>, had a successful run at Banff last summer. Now Toronto audience will get to see what all the buzz was about. A youthful and attractive cast featuring sopranos Shantelle Przybylo and Caitlin Wood, mezzo Rihab Chaieb, tenor Aaron Sheppard, baritone Clarence Frazer, and baritone Cairan Ryan. Cosi as a game show?\u00a0 This I\u2019ve got to see!!! \u00a0Full details, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Friday 13<\/h3>\n

TSO<\/span>\u00a0| Shostakovich\u2019s Symphony No. 13, \u201cBabi Yar<\/em>\u201d at Roy Thomson Hall. 7:30 p.m. $44.25-100.50 (Repeats May 15 at\u00a0George Weston Recital Hall, matinee)<\/p>\n

Toronto Symphony Orchestra presents Shostakovich\u2019s Symphony No. 13, \u201cBabi Yar<\/em>.\u201d It was composed in 1962 during the brief period of Nikita Khrushchev\u2019s \u201cThaw\u201d when Soviet citizens were allowed to speak freely about previously forbidden subjects. Inspired by poems of Yvegeny Yevtushenko, the Symphony, lasting approximately one hour, tells of the slaughter of 30,000 (disputed figure which could number up to 100,000) Jews by the Nazis in Babi Yar, a place outside Kiev. Shostakovich chose four more poems by Yevtushenko for the five-movement symphony, for bass solo, male chorus, and orchestra. The work premiered in December 18, 1962 to great acclaim, but it was subsequently banned from further performances, and the text was altered due to political pressure. The TSO performances use the original text. Andrey Boreyko conducts; the bass soloist is Petr Migunov. Also on the program is violinist Julian Rachlin to play Mozart\u2019s Violin Concerto No. 5, K 219<\/em>. \u00a0Full details found, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

ART OF TIME ENSEMBLE<\/span> |\u00a0Hawksley Workman: A Postmodern Cabaret<\/em> at\u00a0Harbourfront Centre Theatre.\u00a08 p.m. $25-59 (Repeats May 14)<\/span><\/p>\n

For something a little different, try Art of Time Ensemble\u2019s show by Hawksley Workman, who \u201cblurs the lines between rock music, cabaret and theatre.\u201d\u00a0 The singer presents a Songbook program on the discography of Bruce Cockburn. Info, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Saturday 14<\/h3>\n

TSO<\/span>\u00a0|\u00a0Peter and The Wolf<\/em> at Roy Thomson Hall. 2:00 p.m. $20.50-32.75 (Repeats at 4 p.m.)<\/p>\n

The TSO balances the heavy Shostakovich with a family show, Prokofiev\u2019s perennial favourite, Peter and The Wolf<\/em>, featuring the Magic Circle Mime Company, conducted by Maestra Dina Gilbert, who\u2019s the Assistant Conductor of the Orchestre symphonique de Montreal. Info and tickets, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sunday 15<\/h3>\n

TORONTO CLASSICAL SINGERS<\/span> |\u00a0Puccini\u2019s Messa di Gloria <\/em>at Christ Church Deer Park 4 p.m.\u00a0$25-30<\/p>\n

Toronto Classical Singers presents Puccini\u2019s Messa di Gloria<\/em>, with soprano Lesley Bouza, mezzo Danielle MacMillan, tenor Christopher Mayell, and baritone Michael Nyby. Talisker Players Orchestra conducted by Jurgen Petrenko. Details, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

#LUDWIGVAN<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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