Tag Archives: Roy Thomson Hall

Gimeno Conducts Messiaen’s Epic Turangalila

Roy Thomson Hall was quite full tonight for the first of two Toronto Symphony concerts undertaking Olivier Messiaen’s Turangalila-Symphonie. But for such an event one wants a full house. The response from the audience was as rapturous as the music … Continue reading

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Gimeno conducts Beethoven 5

Wednesday night was the latest example of the remarkable chemistry we see, hear and feel between the Toronto Symphony and their new music director Gustavo Gimeno, continuing the magic of their 100th anniversary season. Last night’s program included Madrigal: Celebration … Continue reading

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NACO Songs for Murdered Sisters

Every year at this time, the Toronto Symphony and National Arts Centre Orchestras visit one another as part of a tour. NACO and Joshua Hopkins brought the cycle Songs for Murdered Sisters by Jake Heggie and Margaret Atwood to Roy … Continue reading

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Gustavo Gimeno’s First TSO-TMC Messiah

The surest sign the city seems to be returning to something like normal, is Handel’s Messiah performed all over. I’m seeing many friends on Facebook either reporting that they’re singing it or feeling left out because so many others are … Continue reading

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Peter Oundjian warmly welcomed back to TSO

How could it be otherwise? Peter Oundjian, the Toronto Symphony’s Conductor Emeritus, was greeted with a huge ovation when he came out at Roy Thomson Hall to begin tonight’s concert. We brought his wit to the microphone, cleverly mangling Shakespeare … Continue reading

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Yuja Wang, Magnus Lindberg, Anton Bruckner and the TSO

As we tentatively poke our heads out, looking for signs that normal life has resumed after the pandemic, concerts like tonight’s from the Toronto Symphony affirm relationships & collaboration, the latest in a series of celebratory moments in the orchestra’s … Continue reading

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Gimeno prepares the taste-buds for Bronfman’s Beethoven

It was a unique Toronto Symphony concert. Conductor Gustavo Gimeno said he had never conducted six items on a program before. It was pretty radical for me too, although I was fortunate. I noticed the unorthodox program and wrote about … Continue reading

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Electrifying opener for Gimeno and TSO

Tonight’s concert by the Toronto Symphony was a fitting beginning to their centennial season, a genuinely celebratory evening. The program message from Music Director Gustavo Gimeno is very promising: “The creation of contrast is at the heart of what I … Continue reading

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Truth in our Time—NACO

It’s an ambitious package, this National Arts Centre Orchestra Tour. There’s a world premiere of a Philip Glass symphony, commissioned by the family of newsman Peter Jennings, and three other works collected around the idea of “truth in our time”, … Continue reading

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Alexander Shelley is coming to town

Before there were convoys and honking horns, it used to be said that living in Ottawa gave you advantages, because of your proximity to the seats of power. Yet maybe there’s still some truth to it when we look at … Continue reading

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