Musical Toronto’s weekly Critic’s Picks are a fully curated list of some of the best concerts happening now through the end of the week. Of course this is not to say we are the provocateurs of taste, but simply seek to provide a good weekly summary. For a look at the full breadth of what’s available in and around Toronto, check out the comprehensive concert listings from our friends at Wholenote Magazine.
Tuesday 20
Barbara Pritchard at the Jane Mallett Theatre. 8:00 p.m. $10-55
Halifax-based pianist and contemporary music celebrant, Barbara Pritchard will be in town tonight to perform a program of mostly Canadian composers. The event provides a who’s who of Atlantic Canadian voices, and should be on the radar of anyone interested in the here and now. Info here.
Gidon Kremer and Daniil Trifonov at Koerner Hall. 8:00 p.m. $35-85
Herbert von Karajan famously called Gidon Kremer the greatest violinist in the world. Hear him tonight along with 23 year-old Russian pianist, Daniil Trifonov in a program of Mozart, Weinberg, Schubert, and Rachmaninov. Last week, Mark Swed of the Los Angeles Times described the concert as, “a performance of a lifetime.” High praise. More info here.
Wednesday 21
Afiara String Quartet at the Mazzoleni Concert Hall. 7:30 p.m. $32
A quartet for the 21st century, the Afiara Quartet have been getting a lot of attention for their intensity and commitment over the years. Tonight they will be executing a traditional program of Haydn’s String Quartet in C Op.50 No.2 and Schumann’s String Quartet in a Op.41 No.1. Come out and support these fine young musicians. Details here.
Thursday 22
Canadian Opera Company – Artists of the COC Ensemble Studio at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Noon. Free!
It’s no secret Musical Toronto is a big fan of the COC’s free noon hour concerts. They are a wonderful opportunity to get in some quality music during your lunch hour. Artists of the COC Ensemble Studio will be performing a special concert of music commemorating WWI and WWII, as well as the fall of the Berlin Wall. Seats fill up fast, so make sure to come early. More info here.
Tafelmusik at Koerner Hall. 8:00 p.m. $25-107
The big news last month was that Tafelmusik will be bringing in MSO conductor Kent Nagano to lead Beethoven’s 5th, and Mass in C, with soprano Nathalie Paulin, mezzo Laura Pudwell, tenor Lawrence Wiliford, and baritone Sumner Thompson. The wait is over and tickets are selling fast. Show repeats January 23, 24, and 25 (matinée). Details here.
Toronto Symphony Orchestra Mozart@259 – Mass in C minor at Roy Thomson Hall. 8:00 p.m. $38.75–169
The TSO concludes the annual Mozart Festival this week with the moving C minor mass including with the Elmer Iseler Singers and Amadeus Choir. Judging by the strength of the opening Paris Symphony and Family Ties concerts, this finale performance will be a sure bet. Also includes selections from Lo sposo deluso K.430 and Zaide, K.344 sung by Hélène Guilmette, Julie Boulianne, John Tessier, Jean-Phillipe Fortier-Lazure, and Gordon Bintner. Former soloist, and now conductor Paul Goodwin will be at the podium. Show repeats January 24-25. More info here.
Friday 23
Sinfonia Toronto at the Glenn Gould Studio. 8:00 p.m. $12-39
Touching upon “Mozart fever” this week, Sinfonia presents Mozart’s String Quartet No.23 in F K590 (arr. Arman) and Shostakovich’s Viola Sonata for Viola and Orchestra (arr.Levkovich). The work was Shostakovich’s last composition and also one of his most bleak and mortality-obsessed. Highly recommended. Details here.
Saturday 24
Canadian Opera Company – Mozart’s Don Giovanni at Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. 4:30 p.m. $22-424
The COC shake off 2014 with Mozart’s Don Giovanni. The production offers a strong cast with Jane Archibald, soprano as Donna Anna; Jennifer Holloway, mezzo as Donna Elvira; Michael Schade, tenor as Don Ottavio; Russell Braun, baritone as Don Giovanni; Kyle Ketelsen, bass-baritone as Leporello; COC Orchestra and Chorus and Michael Hofstetter, conductor. Runs through February 21 (start times vary for each performance). Info here.
Tapestry Opera – Songbook 5 at the Ernest Balmer Studio. 8:00 p.m. $25
Join Toronto’s favourite indie opera company for Songbook 5 – the annual score launch party of Tapestry’s collection of Canadian opera developed thorough LibLab, Opera Briefs, Opera2Go, and others. Includes baritone Peter McGillivray and singers from Tapestry’s Opera 101. Should be amazing. More details here.
Toy Piano Composers at Heliconian Hall. 8:00 p.m. $15-20
Besides having the amazing concert posters, the TPC are also one of the most cutting edge composer’s collectives in the country. Tonight they tackle “Grit” which includes works by Brophy, Labadie, Pearce, Puello, Tam, and others. Come out and support these fearless composers. Info here.
Monday 26
Associates of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre. 7:30 p.m. $17-20
Mondays are always slow nights for concerts in Toronto, but tonight, (thankfully) we are happy to recommend a first-class concert by the Associates of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Though they have possibly the worst name in the history of classical music, (don’t hold that against them) they will be playing a compelling program including Ravel’s Sonata for violin and Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time. More details here.
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