Tag Archives: Toronto Symphony Orchestra

O Fortuna bless Toronto Symphony to start the season

Forgive me that my headline sounds like a prayer to the Goddess Fortuna. But so far she seems to be smiling upon our fair city and our Toronto Symphony. I feel lucky to live in this city. Toronto Symphony started … Continue reading

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Holly Chaplin and Ryan Hofman talk about their upcoming La Boheme On Tap

La Boheme is being presented at the Redwood Theatre on Friday September19th 8:00 p.m., a co-production with The Redwood Theatre including a silent auction in support of Daily Bread Food Bank. I talked to Holly Chaplin who sings the starring … Continue reading

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Discovering Mandle Philharmonic via YouTube

I’ve been watching the passionate responses to the concert at Roy Thomson Hall last week when Mandle Cheung conducted the Toronto Symphony in Mahler’s 2nd Symphony. The Globe & Mail contacted me the day before, asking me if I’d be … Continue reading

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Gimeno Conducts the Best of Brahms

I would not dispute the title of tonight’s Toronto Symphony concert: “Gimeno Conducts the Best of Brahms”. Among the many wonderful pieces Johannes Brahms composed, his first piano concerto and fourth symphony are not just popular but arguably among his … Continue reading

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Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique from the Toronto Symphony

Tonight was entirely an orchestral night for the Toronto Symphony. No concerti, no soloists, just the virtuoso players of the TSO in two big works, one a world premiere. As Gustavo Gimeno suggested in his program note, tonight’s pieces “examine … Continue reading

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Celebración hispana from Gimeno, Gomyo & TSO

Tonight is the first of three voyages into the heart of the hispanic as imagined in music, guided by Toronto Symphony Music Director Gustavo Gimeno, a program to be repeated Saturday and Sunday that feels like a genuine celebration. While … Continue reading

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TSO, Angela Hewitt & Marta Gardolińska

I went home satisfied from tonight’s Toronto Symphony concert, a program including some items exactly as expected plus a few surprises. For an evening titled “Angela Hewitt Plays Mozart” it was a very solid collaboration between the famous pianist and … Continue reading

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Gustavo Gimeno wears his heart on his sleeve in Mahler’s Fourth with Toronto Symphony and Anna Prohaska

Last night the Toronto Symphony celebrated an honour to their music director Gustavo Gimeno from his homeland, while affirming connections to Toronto, his new home. Gimeno was appointed Commander of the Order of Civil Merit (Encomienda de la Orden del … Continue reading

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Thomas Adès leads Toronto Symphony on interplanetary voyages

The program for tonight’s Toronto Symphony concert conducted by Thomas Adès was a fascinating mix. In a concert bearing the title “Holst’s The Planets”, for the well-known work that would conclude our evening, we heard two of Adès’s big recent … Continue reading

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Auspicious beginning to (unofficial) TSO Beethoven festival

This week the Toronto Symphony offer the first in a series of concerts featuring the music of Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the most popular and best loved of all classical composers. Wednesday night’s performances were a brilliant start. No … Continue reading

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