{"id":53657,"date":"2018-04-30T10:37:57","date_gmt":"2018-04-30T14:37:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=53657"},"modified":"2018-04-30T10:37:57","modified_gmt":"2018-04-30T14:37:57","slug":"critics-picks-ten-concerts-you-should-absolutely-see-this-week-apr-30-may-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2018\/04\/30\/critics-picks-ten-concerts-you-should-absolutely-see-this-week-apr-30-may-6\/","title":{"rendered":"CRITIC’S PICKS | Ten Concerts You Should Absolutely See This Week (Apr. 30 \u2013 May 6)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Classical
Classical music and opera events happening in and around Toronto for the week of April 30 \u2013 May 6.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ludwig van 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\u00a0here<\/a><\/span>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Tuesday 1<\/span><\/h3>\n

Canadian Opera Company<\/strong> | Vocal Series: Love in the Time of War. 12 p.m. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre. Free. Be sure to arrive an hour early to ensure a seat.<\/p>\n

Soprano Sondra Radvanovsky was to sing a concert of Bel Canto gems, but given her heavy schedule of nine performances of Anna Bolena<\/em>, her concert has been replaced by one given by the rising young Canadian soprano Tracy Cantin, entitled \u201cLove in the Time of War\u201d with pianist Robert Kortgaard, in songs by Debussy, Strauss, Schumann, Duparc, Poulenc, Korngold, Gershwin, Frank Bridge and John Kander. Ms. Cantin sang an impressive dress rehearsal of Anna Bolena<\/em> last week.\u00a0 She is a singer to watch. | Listing<\/a><\/p>\n

Canadian Opera Company<\/strong> | The Nightingale and Other Short Fables. 7:30 p.m. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W. $50-$350<\/p>\n

A revival of the innovative and visually striking Robert Lepage production continues this week. I saw opening night and the piece remains as fresh and visually striking now as it did at its premiere in 2009. It is best to have a seat not too far from the stage, given the peculiarity of the staging. Jane Archibald (Nightingale), Owen McCausland (Fisherman), Oleg Tsibulko (Emperor). Johannes Debus conducts. | Listing<\/a><\/p>\n

Wednesday 2<\/span><\/h3>\n

Toronto Symphony Orchestra<\/strong> | Mozart & Bruckner. 8 p.m. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St. Repeats May 3 2 p.m. $40.75-$154.<\/p>\n

The great American pianist Leon Fleisher, who conducted the RCM Orchestra last month, is back in town, this time to play the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 12, K.414<\/em>, with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra conducted by Peter Oundjian. At the RCM concert, he announced that he is now suffering from advanced macula degeneration and is only able to play works he is very familiar with. We are just grateful that he is still coming back and performing in Toronto. Not to be missed. Also on the program is Bruckner (ed. Hawkshaw) Symphony No. 8<\/em>. 7:15: pre-concert chat with Tom Allen, North Lobby. | Listing<\/a><\/p>\n

Thursday 3<\/span><\/h3>\n

Canadian Opera Company<\/strong> | Vocal Series: Les Adieux \u2013 The Natural World. 12 p.m. Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre. Free. Be sure to show up an hour ahead for a seat.<\/p>\n

Can it be two years already?!\u00a0 It seems only yesterday that soprano Danika Lor\u00e8n and baritone Bruno Roy joined the COC Ensemble Studio.\u00a0 These two very talented young artists have developed admirably in their tenure at the COC and are now ready to strike out on their own. Here\u2019s one last chance to hear them in a recital of songs by Richard Strauss and Maurice Ravel, joined by pianists Rachael Kerr and St\u00e9phane Mayer.\u00a0| Listing<\/a><\/p>\n

Women\u2019s Musical Club of Toronto<\/strong> | Music in the Afternoon: Cellodrama! 1:30 p.m. Walter Hall, Edward Johnson Building, University of Toronto. $45.<\/p>\n

WMCT ends its season with a cello extravaganza, featuring not one, not two, but eight cellos! With so many cellists in the same room, what else but Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 for soprano and 8 celli<\/em> by Heitor Villa-lobos? I cut my musical teeth on an Angel LP which I still own, conducted by the composer with the great Victoria de los Angeles. Here, the soprano is Shannon Mercer. You\u2019ll also get to hear works by Barriere, Bach, Penderecki, even Freddie Mercury! | Listing<\/a><\/p>\n

Canadian Opera Company<\/strong> | Anna Bolena 7:30 p.m. Four Seasons Centre, 145 Queen St. W. Remaining tickets $50-$350.\u00a0 Repeats May 5 + six additional performances to May 26<\/p>\n

I attended opening night (Apr. 28) and can say this is arguably the biggest hit of the season, with magnificent singing by Canadian-American soprano Sondra Radvanovsky as Anna.\u00a0 The rest of the cast is also superlative – soprano Keri Alkema (Giovanna Seymour), tenor Bruce Sledge (Percy), bass-baritone Christian Van Horn (Enrico VIII), and mezzo Allyson McHardy (Smeton). Italian conductor Corrado Rovaris is at the helm. Stephen Lawless directs. If you like bel canto singing, this is a must!\u00a0| Listing<\/a><\/p>\n

Tafelmusik<\/strong> | Beethoven Pastoral Symphony 8 p.m. Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St. W. $39-$121\/$39-$109(sr)\/$26-$93(under 35). Repeats May 4, 5, 6. Check website for start time.<\/p>\n

Elisa Cittero is the violin soloist in Beethoven\u2019s Concerto for violin in D Major, op. 61<\/em>. Also on the program is Beethoven\u2019s Symphony no. 6, \u201cPastoral\u201d<\/em> with Jeanne Lamon as concertmaster and guest director Bruno Weil. | Listing<\/a><\/p>\n

Friday 4<\/span><\/h3>\n

Sinfonia Toronto<\/strong> | Pictures At An Exhibition. 8 p.m. Toronto Centre for the Arts, 5040 Yonge St., North York. $42\/$35(sr)\/$15(st)<\/p>\n

Canadian pianist Anastasia Rizikov, a former child prodigy, is now seventeen. She is as fabulous as ever, here as soloist with Sinfonia Toronto conducted by Nurhan Arman, in a program of Dvorak, Chan Ka Nin and Mussorgsky.\u00a0| Listing<\/a><\/p>\n

Sunday 6<\/span><\/h3>\n

Toronto Classical Singers<\/strong> | Music of Transcendence: Ein Deutsches Requiem.\u00a0 4 p.m. Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge St. $30<\/p>\n

One of the greatest of choral works is Brahms\u2019 German Requiem<\/em>, here performed by the Toronto Classical Singers with soloists soprano Lesley Bouza and baritone Matthew Zadow, with Jurgen Petrenko conducting the Talisker Players Orchestra.\u00a0| Details<\/a><\/p>\n

Toronto Lyric Opera Centre<\/strong> | Cosi fan tutte. 7 p.m. Trinity-St. Paul\u2019s Centre, 427 Bloor St. W. $25\/$15(sr\/under 30)<\/p>\n

The great Mozart opera Cosi fan tutte<\/em>, with soprano Gwenna Fairchild-Taylor (Fiordiligi), mezzo Danielle Nicholson (Dorabella), soprano Martina Myskohlid (Despina), tenor Jean Philippe Lazure (Ferrando), baritone Jacob Feldman (Guglielmo), and baritone Korin Thomas-Smith (Alfonso). David Bowser conducts the Toronto Mozart Players.\u00a0| Details<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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