For those of you who won’t be glued to the underwater cycling at the Pan-Am games there is actually music on in Toronto over the summer.  The tenth Toronto Summer Music Festival features a wide range of events in many genres.  The ones likely to be of most interest to AR readers follow.

Thursday, July 16 at 7:30 pm at Koerner Hall – Americans In Paris – Opening Night – features soprano Measha Brueggergosman, pianist John Novacek, and clarinetist Yao Guang Zhai plus the TSM Festival Ensemble in a program that includes excerpts from Porgy and Bess, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, and Copland’s Appalachian Spring and Clarinet Concerto.

Friday, July 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Walter Hall – The Hollywood Connection

Music by Erich Wolfgang Korngold and George Antheil, who wrote music for movies, and Antonin Dvořák, whose music has been used extensively on film soundtracks (including Driving Miss Daisy and The Departed).  Besides assorted chamber pieces Peter McGillivray will sing Barber’s Dover Beach.

Friday, August 7 at 7:30 p.m. at Koerner Hall – Karita Mattila in Recital

My favourite Finnish soprano (sorry Carla) in her TSM Festival debut.

There’s loads more of course.  Information on everything plus tickets can be found at www.torontosummermusic.com.

In a very different vein Loose TEA Music Theatre and FAWN Chamber Creative are collaborating on a production of Charpentier’s Médée to be staged late October.  Alaina Viau conducts with Amanda Smith directing.  Jon Russell MacArthur is acting as Baroque Advisor and, presumably, will sing Jason.  They are holding auditions for the other roles on May 5th.  Details on the roles to cast and the process can be found here.