{"id":42008,"date":"2017-01-23T08:56:25","date_gmt":"2017-01-23T13:56:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/?p=42008"},"modified":"2017-01-23T08:57:06","modified_gmt":"2017-01-23T13:57:06","slug":"critics-picks-jan-23-29","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2017\/01\/23\/critics-picks-jan-23-29\/","title":{"rendered":"CRITIC’S PICKS | 11 Classical Music Shows You Should Absolutely See This Week"},"content":{"rendered":"

For the week of \u00a0Jan. 23 \u2013 29<\/h3>\n
\"Critic\u2019s
Critic\u2019s Picks for classical music and opera events happening in and around Toronto for the week of Jan. 23\u201329.<\/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: <\/b>Musical Toronto Datebook<\/b><\/u><\/a>.<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n

The classical music scene is in full swing this week \u2014 whatever your taste, be it opera, symphony, chamber, choral, art song, or pop, there\u2019s something for you. The Canadian Opera Company<\/strong>\u2019s The Magic Flute<\/em> opened last Thursday to uniform praise. It continues this week for two performances (Jan. 28, 29<\/a>). At the opera house\u2019s Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre are two noon-hour recitals \u2014 Croatian bass Goran Juric<\/strong>, Sarastro in Flute<\/em>, sings Russian songs (Jan. 24<\/a>), and members of the COC Orchestra Academy<\/strong> performing a chamber concert alongside their mentors (Jan. 26<\/a>). The Toronto Symphony Orchestra<\/strong> presents a program of Dvo\u0159\u00e1k and Tchaikovsky, the latter with Canadian pianist Stewart Goodyear<\/strong> as soloist (Jan. 28<\/a>).\u00a0 An unusual event this week is the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir<\/strong>\u2019s Choral Conductors\u2019 Symposium. They are giving a free concert, featuring the TMC and Elora Festival Singers, under the baton of the five emerging conductors (Jan. 28<\/a>).\u00a0 St. Lawrence String Quartet<\/strong> returns to Toronto for a recital of Haydn, Janacek, and Jonathan Berger (Jan. 26<\/a>). Czech-Canadian composer Oskar Morawetz<\/strong> was born a hundred years ago this month, and the U of T Faculty of Music is putting on a centenary celebration (Jan. 23<\/a>). I have a soft spot for Talisker Players<\/strong>\u2019 concerts of pop songs \u2014 after all, that\u2019s only so much opera one can take \u2014 just kiddin\u2019! This time it\u2019s the George and Ira Gershwin Songbook (Jan. 29<\/a>). There\u2019s a lot more, be sure to consult the full listing.<\/p>\n

Monday 23<\/h3>\n

University of Toronto Faculty of Music<\/span> | Oskar Morawetz Centenary Celebration. Walter Hall. 7:30 p.m. Admission by donation, proceeds going to Oskar Morawetz Entrance Scholarship in Music.<\/p>\n

This concert celebrates the centenary of the birth of Czech-Canadian composer Oskar Morawetz (Jan 17, 1917). The composer\u2019s daughter, Claudia Morawetz, is the presenter. Soloists include pianists Radka Hanakova, Steven Philcox and Gary Kulesha; violinists Annalee Patipatanakoon and Timothy Ying; violist Ethan Filner, bassoonist Fraser Jackson, cellist Emmanuelle Beaulieu, and soprano Monica Whicher. Full details here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Associates of Toronto Symphony Orchestra<\/span> | Happy Birthday\/Happy Anniversary. Trinity St. Paul\u2019s Centre. 7:30 p.m. $22<\/p>\n

ATSO presents The Small Concerts<\/em>, featuring Toronto Symphony Orchestra musicians in a program of Wallenberg, Ivanovici, Heidrich, and Elgar.\u00a0Info here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tuesday 24<\/h3>\n

Canadian Opera Company<\/span> | Vocal Series: Lost in a Russian Forest. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre. 12 p.m. Free.<\/p>\n

Croatian bass Goran Juric, currently in town as Sarastro in The Magic Flute<\/em>, sings songs by Tchaikovsky and Sviridov. Former COC Ensemble pianist Anne Larlee, now based in Berlin, is the collaborative pianist. Be sure to show up an hour early for a place. Details\u00a0found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Thursday 26<\/h3>\n

Canadian Opera Company<\/span> | Chamber Music Series: Meet the Academy \u2013 Brilliant Baroque. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre. 12 p.m. Free<\/p>\n

The COC Orchestra Academy, led by Music Director Johannes Debus, in partnership with the RCM\u2019s Glenn Gould School and the U of T Faculty of Music, was established a couple of seasons ago. It aims to nurture and develop young orchestral musicians. In this concert, the Academy members perform alongside their mentors. Also appearing is soprano Jacqueline Woodley and harpsichordist St\u00e9phane Mayer, in a program of Handel and Corelli.\u00a0 Be sure to arrive an hour early to secure a spot. Full listing info found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Music Toronto<\/span> | St. Lawrence String Quartet. Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre. 8 p.m. $55<\/p>\n

The St. Lawrence String Quartet returns to Toronto for a chamber concert of Haydn, Janacek and Jonathan Berger. Info here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Friday 27<\/h3>\n

Sinfonia Toronto<\/span> | Mozart and Schumann. Glenn Gould Studio 8 p.m. $42<\/p>\n

Conductor Nurhan Arman leads Sinfonia Toronto in Schumann Piano Concerto in A Minor<\/em> with pianist Karine Poghosyan, and Mozart\u2019s String Quart No. 17 K 458<\/em>. \u00a0Listing here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Saturday 28<\/h3>\n

Toronto Mendelssohn Choir<\/span> | Choral Conductor Symposium Concert. Yorkminster Park Baptist Church. 3 p.m. Free. The concert will be webcast live.<\/p>\n

The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the Elora Singers will be conducted by the five aspiring conductors participating in the TMC\u2019s Choral Conductor\u2019s Symposium. If you can\u2019t be there in person, you can catch the live webcast<\/a>. For program details, visit here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Canadian Opera Company<\/span> | The Magic Flute. Four Seasons Centre. 7:30 p.m. $35 – $235 (Repeats on Jan. 29 2 p.m.)<\/p>\n

The COC winter season continues this week with Mozart\u2019s The Magic Flute<\/em>. I saw opening night, and it was a big hit \u2014 terrific singing, great production, and excellent orchestral playing under the baton of Quebec conductor Bernard Labadie who is making his COC debut.\u00a0 Several of the principals are double cast: Andrew Haji\/Owen McCausland* (Tamino); Elena Tsallagova\/Kirsten MacKinnon* (Pamina); Joshua Hopkins\/Phillip Addis* (Papageno); Goran Juric\/Matt Boehler* (Sarastro). (*) denotes cast for Jan. 29. Info, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Toronto Symphony Orchestra<\/span> | Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1. Roy Thomson Hall. 8 p.m. $33.75 – $148<\/p>\n

Canadian pianist Stewart Goodyear plays Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1<\/em>, conducted by Peter Oundjian. Also on the program is Dvo\u0159\u00e1k Symphony No. 7<\/em>. There\u2019s also a World Premiere of a TSO Commission, Eruption<\/em> by Edward Top. \u00a0Full details here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Sunday 29<\/h3>\n

Ontario Philharmonic<\/span> | Masters Series: Dvo\u0159\u00e1k Cello Concerto with William Molina Cestari. Koerner Hall 8 p.m. $45 – $56<\/p>\n

As part of Canada 150 celebrations, Ontario Philharmonic presents a piece co-commissioned with Toronto Symphony Orchestra – \u201cLaunch!\u201d by Canadian composer Vivian Fung. This concert also includes works by Liszt and Dvorak. Cellist William Molina-Cestari is the soloist in Dvorak Cello Concerto<\/em>. Program details here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Talisker Players<\/span> | \u2018S Wonderful: The Best of the Gershwin Songbook. Trinity-St. Paul\u2019s Centre. 3:30 p.m. $45 Repeats Jan. 31 8 p.m. Pre-concert talks at 3 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.<\/p>\n

A chamber ensemble dedicated to collaborating with singers, Talisker Players is presenting a concert of some of the most popular and enduring songs by George and Ira Gershwin. Soloists are soprano Erin Bardua and baritone Aaron Durand. If you are a Gershwin fan like I am, you wouldn\u2019t want to miss this. Info here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For more events, visit our <\/b>DATEBOOK\u00a0CALENDAR<\/b><\/u><\/a><\/span>.
\n<\/b><\/h3>\n

#LUDWIGVAN<\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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