{"id":70051,"date":"2020-12-28T09:38:51","date_gmt":"2020-12-28T14:38:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=70051"},"modified":"2020-12-28T09:40:44","modified_gmt":"2020-12-28T14:40:44","slug":"critics-picks-classical-opera-streams-absolutely-need-see-week-dec-28-jan-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2020\/12\/28\/critics-picks-classical-opera-streams-absolutely-need-see-week-dec-28-jan-3\/","title":{"rendered":"CRITIC’S PICKS | Classical And Opera Streams You Absolutely Need To See This Week:\u00a0 Dec. 28 \u2013 Jan. 3"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Classical
Classical music and opera events streaming on the web for the week of December 28 \u2013 January 3.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Critic\u2019s Picks (December 28 \u2013 January 3)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cWe live in an extraordinary Age\u201d \u2013 Carl Sagan<\/em>. Now that the Holiday Season is almost history, it\u2019s time to reflect on 2020. Sadly the verdict isn\u2019t good, especially in the music world. COVID-19 continues to shut down our musical lives, at least in person. Thankfully we can console ourselves by turning to cyberspace, in the form of various types of streams, live or on demand. Let\u2019s hope for a better 2021, when we can once again gather together to experience the joy of music.<\/p>\n

The week between Christmas and New Year is typically quiet musically, except for shows like the National\u2019s Nutcracker<\/em>, or Massey Hall\u2019s New Year\u2019s Eve blockbuster. Now on the internet, we have the Met\u2019s nightly livestream, this week is devoted to the great Luciano Pavarotti. Of the seven performances, the most memorable was the 1977 La Boheme<\/em>, which marked the start of the modern era of Met opera telecasts, which evolved into the current Met Live in HD series shown in cinemas around the world. The Met streams start at 7:30 p.m. ET and available for 23 hours. A high profile show this week is the Met\u2019s New Year\u2019s Eve Gala, to take place in the Parktheater in Augsburg, Germany, starring Angel Blue, Pretty Yende, Javier Camarena and Matthew Polenzani. It hardly replaces the originally announced Met re-opening Gala, but it\u2019ll have to do.<\/p>\n

Lots of online performances to choose from. Do note that many of the shows from last week\u2019s Critic\u2019s Picks remain available throughout the holiday season, often with different performances. Against the Grain Theatre\u2019s Messiah\/Complex<\/em> has been receiving critical acclaim and is worth watching. If you love the music of Beethoven, this is your week! There are many enticing performances and documentaries to choose from, in celebration of 250th anniversary of the composer\u2019s birth.<\/p>\n

Monday 28<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Met | Puccini\u2019s La Boh\u00e8me (Classic Telecast)<\/strong>. Starring Renata Scotto, Maralin Niska, Luciano Pavarotti, Ingvar Wixell, and Paul Plishka, conducted by James Levine. From March 15, 1977. This performance marks the start of the Met\u2019s modern-era telecasts, which evolved into the current Met Live in HD seen in cinemas around the world. Not to be missed. | Details<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Tuesday 29<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Met | Puccini\u2019s Tosca (Classic Telecast)<\/strong>. Starring Shirley Verrett, Luciano Pavarotti, and Cornell MacNeil, conducted by James Conlon. From December 19, 1978. | Details<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Wednesday 30<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Oper K\u00f6ln | Die tote Stadt \u2014\u00a01:30 p.m. ET<\/strong>. Korngold\u2019s masterpiece premiered in Cologne and Hamburg on Dec. 4 1920, and Oper K\u00f6ln streamed it on Dec. 4, 2020, with additional performances on Dec. 30 and Jan 3. Burkhard Fritz is Paul and Ausrine Stundyte is Marietta\/Marie. Gabriel Feltz conducts. | Details<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Met | Verdi\u2019s Rigoletto (Classic Telecast)<\/strong> Starring Christiane Eda-Pierre, Isola Jones, Luciano Pavarotti, Louis Quilico, and Ara Berberian, conducted by James Levine. From December 15, 1981. | Details<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Thursday 31<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Metropolitan Opera | New Year\u2019s Eve Gala \u2014\u00a04 p.m. ET<\/strong>. The Met rings in 2021 with a gala starring sopranos Angel Blue and Pretty Yende, and tenors Javier Camarena and Matthew Polenzani, live from the Parktheater im Kurhaus G\u00f6ggingen, in Augsburg, Germany. The program includes arias, duets, and ensembles from Donizetti to Puccini, as well as arrangements of operetta and Neapolitan songs. Tickets are $20 USD, and it replaces the originally scheduled concert by Yende and Camarena. | Details<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Met | Verdi\u2019s Ernani (Classic Telecast)<\/strong>. Starring Leona Mitchell, Luciano Pavarotti, Sherrill Milnes, and Ruggero Raimondi, conducted by James Levine. From December 17, 1983. | Details<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Friday 1<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Met | Verdi\u2019s Il Trovatore (Classic Telecast)<\/strong>. Starring Eva Marton, Dolora Zajick, Luciano Pavarotti, Sherrill Milnes, and Jeffrey Wells, conducted by James Levine. From October 15, 1988. | Details<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Saturday 2<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Met | Verdi\u2019s Un Ballo in Maschera (Classic Telecast).<\/strong> Starring Aprile Millo, Harolyn Blackwell, Florence Quivar, Luciano Pavarotti, and Leo Nucci, conducted by James Levine. From January 26, 1991. | Details<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Sunday 3<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Met | Donizetti\u2019s L\u2019Elisir d\u2019Amore (Classic Telecast)<\/strong> Starring Kathleen Battle, Luciano Pavarotti, Juan Pons, and Enzo Dara, conducted by James Levine. From November 16, 1991. | Details<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Video-on-demand performances:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

1) Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg | Weihnachtskonzert aus der Hauptkirche St. Michaelis<\/strong>. Live-streamed on Dec. 26 and available on demand, this Christmas Concert features Kent Nagano conducting the Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg, with soprano Dorothea R\u00f6schmann, in a program of Bach, Bruckner and Faure.<\/p>\n