To the Aga Khan Museum last night for a program of Syrian and Western music by Lubana Al Quntar and friends; Eylam Basaidi on violin and April Centrone on oud and percussion.. It was my first time at the museum and the auditorium there is just gorgeous. In a city with some pretty spectacular performance spaces this may just be the most beautiful. It’s just a pity it’s so hard to get to on the TTC. The program was distinctly heavy on the “Syrian” side of “Syrian and Western”. There were Syriac hymns, muwasshahat, specifically waṣla of Aleppo and Syrian folk songs in a tradition sung by the women of Damascus (I believe). I’m no expert in this music but it was possible to hear developments and continuities. The hymns (in Aramaic) clearly influenced the later classical music though the former were basically modal while there was a lot more tone bending in the later pieces. I hesitate to speculate on the relationship between the waṣla and the folk songs. I know from my own experience with the folk music of the British Isles how influences go back and forth and how folk songs sung by a classically trained singer may not always reflect how they sound when performed more demotically. Still, the audience lapped this bit up with much singing along and clapping accompaniment.
Here are details on some forthcoming new and/or amended shows. November 17th – 19th Toronto Masque Theatre are performing a double bill of Handel’s Apollo and Daphne featuring Jacqueline Woodley & Geoffrey Sirett performing alongside Montreal dancer Stéphaie Brochard. Larry Beckwith will lead a period instrument orchestra. It’s coupled with Richard Strauss’ Enoch Arden for spoken voice and piano. It will be performed by actor Frank Cox-O’Connell & pianist Angela Park. That one is at the Enoch Turner Schoolhouse at 8pm. Tickets and details 
Saturday at 8pm the Aga Khan Museum there’s a concert fusing western classical and Arabic maqam music. The featured artists are opera singer (Syria’s first) Lubana Al Quntar and composer and oud virtuoso Issam Rafea. I do feel this is the sort of thing we need more of in Toronto. There have been some interesting fusions of western and Chinese classical such as The Legend of Da Ji. Let’s see what this one can offer. You may even be able to see the show for free. The organisers have offered a lucky Operaramblings reader a pair of tickets. If you would like to enter the draw, comment here with contact details. We’ll do the draw at 5pm on Thursday. If you prefer to buy a ticket, details are 
The first concert in this season’s Mazzoleni Songmasters series featured sopranos Nathalie Paulin and Monica Whicher with pianists Peter Tiefenbach and Robert Kortgaard in an eclectic program of English and fFrench songs on the theme of coming and going. First up was a set of Purcell songs which is always going to score brownie points with me. I’ve never heard Sound the Trumpet or Be Welcome, Then, Great Sir sung by female voices so that was interesting. The duet was really nice and Nathalie sang quite beautifully in the welcome ode. Monica followed up with fine versions of Dear Pretty Youth and An Evening Hymn. 
The Mazzoleni Songmasters series opens this afternoon at 2pm in, surprise, Mazzoleni Hall at the conservatory. Nathalie Paulin and Monica Whicher present Welcome and Adieu; a program of English and French songs and duets. Collaborative pianists are Robert Kortgaard and Peter Tiefenbach.
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