A couple more streams

rhwTapestry has a teaser for Rocking Horse Winner up on their Youtube channel.  It’s still not clear what the end game here is but I;ll keep a weather eye on it.

Against the Grain have a “virtual salon” tomorrow evening from 7.30pm to 8.30pm via Zoom.  It features Matthew Dalen and Holly Kroeker with as yet unannounced repertoire.  This is a ticketed event ($60) and more details including how to buy tickets are here.

Songmasters line up for next season

The line up for next season’s Songmasters series in Mazzoleni Hall has been announced.

November 22nd 2020 sees baritone Elliot Madore and pianist Rachel Andrist in a program called Troubled Times with music by Adams, Britten, Higdon and Musto.  It really is about time Mississauga boy Elliot was heard in Toronto.  he must have sung just about everywhere else by now!

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Soundstreams 2020/21

Soundstreams2021promo-photobyDahliaKatz-0960_back-cover-1-380x260Soundstreams have announced their 2020/21 season and hopefully we will get to see some of it!  As ever there’s loads of good stuff starting with Steve Reich being in Toronto for his 85th birthday in April 2021.  Other stuff that gets me excited includes:

  • Huang Ruo’s The Book of Mountain and Seas as part of 21C at Koerner in January 2021.  This features the vocal ensemble Ars Nova Copenhagen and puppets!
  • Chan Ka Nin’s A Dragon’s Tale.  It’s a co-pro with Tapestry and promises a waterfront extravaganza of western and eastern musical traditions.  That’s coming in June next year.
  • May 2021 sees a line up of Toronto’s finest performing works by Claude Vivier plus a new commission from Christopher Mayo.  That’s going to be in the very intimate Temerty Theatre at the RCM

Plus Electric Messiah, Encounters and more.  Full details here.

More cancellations

summer-has-been-cancelled-sorryThe Toronto Summer Music Festival is off.  Not a surprise but it’s the furthest forward I’ve yet seen for cancellations.  I think it indicates that there will be a fair amount of lead time required before anybody can schedule anything for sure which likely doesn’t bode well for the Fall seasons.  Also off is Tapestry’s Rocking Horse Winner; at least as far as live performances with audience are concerned.  Rehearsals are going ahead remotely so we’ll see what Michael Mori and co. manage to pull out of the hat this time!

Tapestry redux

If you missed the livestream of Tapestry Songbook X it’s on again tonight.  And it appears there is going to be a virtual party.  Here’s what’s up…. (according to Tapestry):

Two weeks ago, we livestreamed Songbook X, a concert featuring Krisztina Szabó, mezzo-soprano, and Chris Foley, collaborative pianist. This reimagined concert united us in community at a time when we needed it most.  We heard from folks who had a candle-light dinner as they watched and others who recognized friends in the livechat who they hadn’t heard from in a while. Join us for the show and get social! Invite a friend, plan your snacks and drinks, and join us for a night of beautiful piano and vocal music.

To attend, click here and select ‘Get Reminder’ – the streaming party will start on Facebook this Saturday at 8PM EST/5PM PST.

Be well, and see you online!

Concert Programme – Songbook X Livestream

7:00pm – Chill your refreshments
7:15pm – Break out the snacks
7:30pm – Home system sound check (make sure your speakers work!)
7:45pm – Start your video chat party
7:50pm – Pour libations
7:55pm – Pre-show toast with Artistic Director Michael Mori…everybody raise your glasses!
8:00pm – Concert time!

 

If you want to know what to expect you could always read my review.

Good and not so good news

Arts Anyway Episode 2 featuring some musical theatre performances and an interview with the the amazing Teiya Kasahara is up on their YouTube channel.

And, this year’s Toronto Bach Festival has been cancelled.  Since that was scheduled for the last weekend in May that’s the furthest out cancelation yet.

Cancellation update

Here’s a summary of what’s been cancelled as I understand it at time of writing:

  • The Canadian Opera Company (including the free concert series), Tafelmusik, Opera Atelier, Soundstreams and the Toronto Symphony have all cancelled the remainder of their 2019/20 seasons.
  • The Women’s Musical Club of Toronto has cancelled through May 7th.
  • Voicebox’ Adriana Lecouvreur and Against the Grain’s Bound have been postponed until further notice.
  • Opera Pub April and May editions are off.
  • Most RCM/Koerner Hall events have been cancelled but last I heard they were still discussing some future events.
  • UoT Music cancelled through April 3rd but I imagine that will be extended.

At this point I haven’t heard anything definite about TOT’s Northern Lights or Tapestry’s Rocking Horse Winner.

tumbleweed

Another “live stream”

CYMERA_20200322_100712Mezzo-soprano Beste Kalender and pianist Rachel Andrist are performing on line on Tuesday evening (March 24th) at 8.30pm (Toronto time).  The recital is titled A Spring Recital: From Venice to Constantinople and will feature music by F. Santoliquido, R. Hahn, G. Faure, H. Berlioz, Komitas and various Turkish composers.  Recording will be by Ryan Harper Recordings.

The stream will be posted on Beste’s channel on YouTube at 8.30pm and should be up for a week or so for people in other time zones.

Arts Anyway

Here’s another chance to hear some “live” music by local artists.  Tongue in Cheek Productions are starting a series of webstreamed shows called Arts Anyway in support of artists impacted by the current Covid 19 situation.  The first show will go up at 7pm on Sunday evening (tomorrow) with further shows planned to be twice weekly.  The initial offering will feature performances by tenor Jaques Arsenault, soprano Jennifer Routhier and pianist Natasha Fransblow as well as interviews and news items.  The show will be uploaded to their YouTube channel.

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