So what do the first couple of weeks of 2020 hold.  First up Toronto Operetta Theatre their traditional Mew Year run.  his year it’s Johann Strauss’ The Gypsy Baron and there are five shows between December 28th and January 5th. The cast includes Michael Barrett, Meghan Lindsey and Beste Kalender.  It plays at the St. Lawrence Centre.

If you can even contemplate the thought of another late night drinking Against the Grain’s Opera Pub is on at 9pm on January 2nd at the Amsterdam Bicycle Club.  The following night tenor Zach Rioux has a free recital of mostly Italian rep in Mazzoleni Hall at 7.30pm (ETA CANCELLED).

Jan 8th, 9th and 11th Sir Andrew Davis is conducting the TSO in an all Beethoven programme including the 7th Symphony at Roy Thomson Hall at 8pm.

The 11th is a busy day.  The HD broadcast from the Met is Berg’s Wozzeck.  It’s a William Kentridge production and it’s a COC copro so we may see it in Toronto one day (maybe). Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts.  At 8pm at Koerner Hall as part of 21C Against the Grain are presenting a staged programme of works by Osvaldo Golijov featuring Miriam Khalil’s rather extraordinary take on his Ayre.

From the 15th to the 18th there’s more Andrew Davis and the TSO with a programme that includes Mozart’s Requiem.  Roy Thomson Hall of course.  Closing out the first half of January there’s another 21C concert at Koerner Hall on the 17th.  Philippe Sly and Le Chimera Project present a staged version of Schubert’s Winterreise in an arrangement for violin, clarinet, trombone, and accordion.

A busy start to the year!