{"id":40841,"date":"2016-12-19T11:00:56","date_gmt":"2016-12-19T16:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/?p=40841"},"modified":"2016-12-21T09:37:30","modified_gmt":"2016-12-21T14:37:30","slug":"critics-picks-seven-classical-music-shows-you-should-absolutely-see-over-the-holidays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2016\/12\/19\/critics-picks-seven-classical-music-shows-you-should-absolutely-see-over-the-holidays\/","title":{"rendered":"CRITIC’S PICKS | Seven Classical Music Shows You Should Absolutely See Over The Holidays"},"content":{"rendered":"

Toronto Classical Music Critic\u2019s Picks\u00a0between Dec. 19 \u2013 Jan. 1<\/h3>\n
\"Toronto
Toronto Classical Music Critic\u2019s Picks between Dec. 19 \u2013 Jan. 1<\/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. 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 curated concert listings here: Musical Toronto Datebook<\/a><\/span>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Every December, like clockwork, it\u2019s slim pickings the last ten days or so of the month when it comes to classical music events. This year, Holiday programming has come to an end except for the tail end of the TSO Messiah<\/em><\/a> (Dec. 20, 21, 23), as Christmas is a time reserved for family and friends. There is, however, an old standby \u2014 the Nutcracker<\/em><\/a> put on by the National Ballet of Canada. It runs daily except Christmas Day, to New Year\u2019s Eve. Another good bet this year is the musical theatre version of Sleeping Beauty<\/em><\/a> put on by Ross Petty Productions. It opened on November 25th<\/sup> and continues to Jan. 7tht\u00a0<\/sup>at the Elgin Theatre. Opera fans can count on Guillermo Silva-Marin and the Toronto Operetta Theatre to put on something frothy and fun, in this case a G&S favourite, Pirates of Penzance<\/em><\/a>. Thanks to impresario Attila Glatz, there\u2019s even an opera gala! \u00a0Bravissimo! Opera\u2019s Greatest Hits<\/em><\/a> returns to Roy Thomson Hall on New Year\u2019s Eve, followed by an afternoon of Viennese bon-bons in Salute to Vienna<\/em><\/a> on January 1st.<\/p>\n

Let me take this opportunity to send my warm Seasons Greetings to all Musical Toronto readers, and may 2017 brings you the three \u201cH\u2019s\u201d \u2014 Health, Happiness, and of course, Heavenly Music.<\/p>\n

Monday 19<\/h3>\n

TSO<\/span> | Messiah<\/em> at Roy Thomson Hall.\u00a0 8 p.m. $44.75+ (Repeats 20, 21, 23)<\/p>\n

Opened on Sunday 18th<\/span>, TSO\u2019s fabulous Messiah<\/em> continues this week, with guest maestro and Baroque specialist Nicholas McGegan, leading a quartet of soloists (Yulia Van Doren, soprano; Abigail Lewis, mezzo; Isaiah Bell, tenor; Daniel Okulitch, bass-baritone), joined by the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Details, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tuesday 20<\/h3>\n

National Ballet of Canada<\/span> | The Nutcracker<\/em>, at the Four Seasons Centre. 7 p.m. $39 \u2013175. (Repeats daily except Christmas Day through Dec. 31)<\/p>\n

Opened last Tuesday Dec. 13, the National\u2019s iconic show is a must if you\u2019ve never seen it before. Check for time and casting. Choreography by James Kudelka, set to the divine score by Tchaikovsky. Full listing, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Wednesday 21<\/h3>\n

Ross Petty Productions<\/span> | Sleeping Beauty<\/em>, at the Elgin Theatre. 7 p.m. $27\u201399. (Repeats daily except Christmas Day through December 31)<\/p>\n

The musical theatre version of Sleeping Beauty<\/em>, written by Jeremy Diamond and directed by Tracey Flye, with choreography by Julie Tomaino. Check rosspetty.com<\/a>\u00a0for details.<\/p>\n

Tuesday 27<\/h3>\n

Toronto Operetta Theatre<\/span> | Pirates of Penzance<\/em> at Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre. 8 p.m. $49 – $95 (Repeats Dec. 30, 31, Jan. 6, 7, 8)<\/p>\n

One of the most popular and enduring of works by Gilbert & Sullivan \u2013 G&S for short to their fans \u2013 it stars Colin Ainsworth, tenor (Frederic); Vania Chan, soprano (Mabel); Curtis Sullivan, baritone (Major General); and Elizabeth Beeler, alto (Ruth). Derek Bate conducts and TOT\u2019s Guillermo Silva-Marin is the stage director. Info, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Thursday 29<\/h3>\n

Sony Centre\/Attila Glatz Concert Productions<\/span> | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Live in Concert<\/em> at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts. 7:30 p.m. Pre-show talk at 6:30 p.m. $49\u201399 (Repeats Dec. 30)<\/p>\n

A good choice if you have young children who need to be entertained over the holidays. This immensely popular Steven Spielberg movie is here accompanied by the Motion Picture Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Evan Mitchell. Full details, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Saturday 31<\/h3>\n

Attila Glatz Concert Productions\/Roy Thomson Hall<\/span> | Bravissimo! Opera\u2019s Greatest Hits<\/em>, at Roy Thomson Hall. 7 p.m. $55 – $145<\/p>\n

The New Year\u2019s Eve opera concert is back, and this time with Italian maestro Marco Guidarini at the helm. He is well known to COC audiences, having conducted here on several occasions. Soloists are Donata D\u2019Annunzio Lombardi, soprano; Diletta Rizzo Marin, mezzo; Leonardo Caimi, tenor; and Lucio Gallo, baritone, in selections from Cos\u00ec fan tutte, Madama Butterfly, Rigoletto, Pagliacci, <\/em>and Tosca<\/em>. Opera Canada Symphony and Opera Canada Chorus. More details found, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sunday 1<\/h3>\n

Attila Glatz Concert Productions\/Roy Thomson Hall<\/span> | Salute to Vienna New Year’s Concert<\/em> at Roy Thomson Hall 2:30 p.m. $65\u2013115<\/p>\n

This is the 22nd\u00a0<\/span>annual New Year\u2019s Concert in Toronto presented by Attila Glatz. Strauss waltzes and melodies from operettas with full orchestra and dancers. Strauss Symphony of Canada conducted by Matthias Fletzberger. Soloists are Polina Pasztircs\u00e1k, soprano, Alexander Kaimbacher, tenor, and dancers from Kiev City Ballet. More info, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

#LUDWIGVAN<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Want more updates on Toronto-centric classical music news and reviews before anyone else finds out? F<\/em>ollow us on\u00a0<\/em>Facebook<\/a><\/span>\u00a0or Twitter<\/a><\/span> for all the latest.<\/em><\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Your guide to Toronto Classical Music events happening between Dec. 19 \u2013 Jan. 1.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":40853,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5723,3895],"tags":[5205,6712,5166,6718,5204,6717,5737],"yst_prominent_words":[6691,6681,6672,6715,6719,6679,6671,6678,6680,6673,6714,6675,6692,6682,6677,6674,6693,6676,6716,6713],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/12\/CP-DEC19-JAN1.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-aCJ","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40841"}],"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\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40841"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40841\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40903,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40841\/revisions\/40903"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/40853"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40841"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40841"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40841"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=40841"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}