Voices Lifted

The final concert of this year’s Toronto Bach Festival was Voices Lifted; a presentation of four of Bach’s chorale cantatas at Eastminster United. These pieces typically use the classic Lutheran chorale text sung quite simply to bookend material reworked from biblical sources into a mixture of arias, recitatives and duets. The chorale parts were sung here with two singers to each part. Accompaniment was a small period instrument ensemble anchored by Christopher Bagan on organ and conducted by John Abberger.

Continue reading

Satisfying Cendrillon from UoT Opera

UoT Opera’s spring production; Massenet’s 1899 opera Cendrillon, has been transferred to the Elgin Theatre with the MacMillan currently out of commission.  They have made some sensible accommodations to the rather unfriendly Elgin acoustic.  The orchestra is reduced to about thirty players and placed at floor level in front of the stage.  Almost all the stage action takes place right at the front which helped significantly with voice projection.

Pandolfe & Servants

Pandolfe & Servants

Continue reading