Category Archives: Toronto opera news and views

A few announcements

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danikaSo there’s another new approach to art song in Toronto.  Collectìf is a new group “dedicated to exploring and expanding the world of art song performance and presenting innovative, song-based theatre”.  The people behind this one, Danikà Loren, Whitney O’Hearne and Jennifer Krabbe, are young and very talented.  They have a show on December 14th and 15th at Loft404’s B-Lounge.  It’s called Le Rossignol et la Rose.  We are promised Oscar Wilde and the underground nightlife of 1930s Paris.  I shall go with a seriously depressed student and try not to pin my hand to a table with a knife.

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First week of December

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There’s not a lot in the calendar this week but what there is is high quality.  Adam Scime’s L’Homme et le Ciel premiers at The Music Gallery on Thursday with a second performance on Friday.  It’s a FAWN Chamber Creative production with Amanda Smith directing.  It has already been extensively written about with contributions from Lydia Perovic, Jenna Douglas and myself so there shouldn’t be too many surprises, though with a new work there are bound to be some!

 

Then on Friday there’s a rare chance to see Sondra Radvanovsky in recital at Koerner Hall.  The program is here.  She has an unusual voice with a timbre unlike any other soprano I know and, of course, incredible technique rooted in the demands of the bel canto repertoire.  Definitely worth checking out.

ETA:  This just in.  Pax Christi Chorale are doing Berlioz’ L’Enfance du Christ at Grace Church on the Hill on Saturday at 7.30pm and Sunday at 3pm.  It’s an impressive line up of soloists; Olivier Laquerre, Nathalie Paulin, Alain Coulombe, Sean Clark and Matthew Zadow.  It also appears to be choreographed.  Curious about that.  Anyway full details, ticket info and so on is here.

Lull before the storm?

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This week’s listings post is exceedingly dull.  Though the season of mince pies and Messiahs will soon be upon us, next week is really quiet.  The only event I’m aware off at this point is a concert next Sunday afternoon by the Canadian Children’s Opera Company.  It’s at 2pm at Grace Church on the Hill.  It will be their first public performance since Dean Burry took over a musical director.

A busy week

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Next week is a bit crazy.  Tomorrow is the Elizabeth Krehm memorial concert in aid of St. Mike’s ICU.  They are playing Mahler 2 and it’s PWYC with a tax receipt.  8pm at Metropolitan United Church.  Tueday sees the opening of Philippe Boesmann’s Julie at 8pm at the Bluma Appel.  It’s an important, if bleak, contemporary piece and for the first time here, in a Soundstreams/CanStage presentation, it will be sung in English.  It runs until the 29th so plenty of chance to catch it.

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Second week of November

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stimpyA bit of a lull this week with the COC fall season over and Yaksmas festivities still, mercifully, some time away.  Still there are a couple of events of note.  Simone Osborne is singing with the TSO at Roy Thomson Hall on Thursday and Saturday in a program of Mahler, Dvoràk, Charpentier and Strauss.  There’s also the fall production from the Glenn Gould School.  It’s a double bill of Xavier Montsalvatge’s Puss in Boots and Luciano Berio’s Folk Songs.  Friday and Saturday at 7.30pm in Mazzoleni Hall.

Radvanovsky at Koerner

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sondraI don’t think the program for Sondra’s Koerner Hall recital program was available when I posted about it last month so here it is:

  • Antonio Vivaldi: Sposa son disprezzata, from Bajazet
  • Vincenzo Bellini: Three songs (Per pieta, bell’idol moi; La Ricordanza; Ma rendi pur contento)
  • Richard Strauss: Four songs (Allerseelen, Befreit, Morgen, Heimliche Aufforderung)
  • Antonin Dvořák: Song to the Moon, from Rusalka
  • Franz Liszt: Three songs (S’il est un charmant gazon; Enfant, si j’étais roi; Oh! Quand je dors)
  • Samuel Barber: Selections from Hermit Songs (At Saint Patrick’s Purgatory, St. Ita’s Vision, The Crucifixion, The Monk and His Cat, The Desire for Hermitage)
  • Umberto Giordano: La Mamma Morta, from Andrea Chénier

Quite a mix!  I don’t think I’ve ever heard her sing in German and there is virtually no overlap with her Zoomerplex recital last year.

Get your Messiah here

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life-of-brian-movieAs Brian Cohen discovered picking a Messiah is a tricky business.  So is picking a Messiah.  As usual the winter solstice season in Toronto offers multiple options.  The nearest thing to the John Barbirolli approach is the TSO at Roy Thomson Hall.  This is your big, grand Messiah with famous soloists, modern instruments and a big chorus.  This year, besides the perennial Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, there are soloists Erin Wall, Liz DeShong, Andrew Staples and John Relyea and, best of all, Andrew Davis conducts.  This one is on December 15th, 16th, 18th and 19th at 8pm with a 3pm matinee on the 20th.

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Upcoming shows

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There are a few new interesting shows coming up.  Fawn Chamber Creative have announced a fully staged production of Adam Scime’s L’homme et le ciel.  This has been in the works for a while.  I missed last year’s workshop performance but caught an excerpt from Bicycle Opera Project.  It made me want to see the whole thing.  The piece takes its story from the 2nd century Christian literary text The Shepherd of Hermas, and depicts the journey of a male slave named Hermas as he struggles to accept his humanity within the parameters of his faith. Hermas, a pious man, has spent his life striving to live a righteous life, only to discover that there are elements of human instinct that cannot be denied. Hermas’ break in self-concept leads him down a path of discovery through a series of out of body interactions and revelations, which slowly bring him closer to understanding.  Music by Adam Scime, libretto by Ian Koiter.  Amanda Smith directs and the singers are Alexander Dobson, Larissa Koniuk and Adanya Dunn.  It’s playing at The Music Gallery on December 3rd and 4th at 8pm.  Tickets here.

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Music at the AGO

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London National Gallery Top 20 13 JMW Turner - The fighting TemeraireThe Art Gallery of Ontario is starting a new Friday night music initiative.  Each Friday night in November (6th, 13th, 20th, 27th), the inaugural month of AGO Friday Nights, will celebrate the opening of J.M.W. Turner: Painting Set Free, a major exhibition featuring the works of Joseph Mallord William Turner. The AGO is partnering with Tapestry to present Music Set Free, a special performance featuring pianist/composer Adam Sherkin and mezzo-soprano Marion Newman.  Capturing a selection of music from Turner’s time in addition to pieces inspired by his influences, subjects and artistic practice, the concert will feature works ranging from Beethoven to Britten, as well as a special world premiere of an original work by Adam Sherkin, commissioned by Tapestry for the occasion. Music Set Free is curated by Michael Mori, Artistic Director of Tapestry Opera.  The performances will be from 7.30pm to 8.30 pm and are included in the admission price to the exhibition.  There will be a bar and food and stuff too.

First week of November

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1.sevenA few notable events this coming fall week.  Tuesday sees the COC’s annual gala competition for young singers, Centre Stage.  Prizes and possible places in the Ensemble Studio for next year are up for grabs.  The public part of the event starts at 5.30pm at The Four Seasons Centre with a cocktail reception followed by the final round of the competition.  Unusually this competition feature the full COC orchestra, not just piano.

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