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Home > Elgin Theatre

Elgin Theatre

Opera Atelier’s The Magic Flute Offers Fantasy for Families

Opera Atelier The Magic Flute Toronto

Colin Ainsworth stars as Tamino in Opera Atelier’s production of The Magic Flute (photo: Bruce Zinger)

APRIL 6 TO 13  An enchanted tale of courage in the face of danger and the triumph of light over darkness, The Magic Flute ushers in spring courtesy of Opera Atelier, Toronto’s renowned producer of Baroque- and Classical-era masterpieces. Mozart’s much-loved singspiel follows Prince Tamino, who, alongside lonely bird-catcher Papageno, must rescue the Queen of the Night’s daughter from the sorcerer Sarastro. A certain charmed musical instrument, of course, helps the prince endure the trials that await him. Elgin Theatre, Tuesday to Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 3 p.m, $40 to $160; call 416-703-3767 or visit operaatelier.com for more information.  —Macrina Smart

Hot Date: Ross Petty Awakens Satire in Snow White

(photo: Bruce Zinger)

NOVEMBER 23 TO JANUARY 5  A classic fairy tale gets the song, dance and comedy treatment from Toronto’s best-known theatrical satirist, Ross Petty, in Snow White the Deliciously Dopey Family Musical. Canadian Idol winner Melissa O’Neil is the “fairest maiden of them all” in this zany pantomime filled with humorous pop culture references, while other Canadian stage stars like Stratford Festival actor Graham Abbey and Petty himself take on some rather… uh… unorthodox roles. Elgin Theatre, $27 to $85; call 1-855-599-9090 or click here for a schedule and tickets.  —Ana Taveira

Hot Date: Opera Atelier Takes Aim at the Romantic Era

photo by Bruce Zinger

OCTOBER 27 TO NOVEMBER 3  Opera Atelier aims slightly wide of its usual target to open its 26th season. Known as Canada’s premier producer of works from the Baroque era, the company presents its first foray into the Romantic period, Carl Maria von Weber’s Der Freischütz (The Marksman). A Faustian bargain is at the centre of this tale, as Max, the titular marksman, turns to supernatural forces in order to win a sharpshooting contest and the hand of his beloved. Inspired by German folklore, the opera is an ideal showcase for star tenor Krešimir Špicer, artists of the Atelier ballet and the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir. Elgin Theatre, $35 to $160; call 1-855-622-2787 or click here for more information.

Weekend Roundup: December 16 to 18

Enjoy our final set of anticipated weekend events of 2011—a mix of festive treats, seasonal shopping opportunities and other cool to-dos. Happy holidays and safe travels! We’ll see you in January 2012!

Friday: Hair gets your holidays off to a rockin' start (photo by Joan Marcus)

Friday, December 16
Release your inner rebel and relive the music and spirit of the 1960s with the rousing Tony Award-winning revival of classic rock musical Hair, on stage for a limited engagement at the Royal Alexandra Theatre.

Experience a holiday swing revival with the Blues Christmas Ball at Dovercourt House. Start your night with a beginner’s dance class then test your moves on the floor to the sounds of the Patrick Tevlin Blues Band.

The Amici Chamber Ensemble turns the tables in its Critics’ Choice concert tonight at the Canadian Broadcasting Centre’s Glenn Gould Studio. Witness what happens when musicians ask three expert critics which pieces they’d most like to hear.

The rest of your weekend is revealed after the jump!

Hot Date: Ross Petty’s Yellow Brick Road

The colourful cast of Ross Petty's reimagining of The Wizard of Oz

NOVEMBER 25 TO JANUARY 6 The Wizard of Oz gets a major overhaul courtesy of producer Ross Petty, complete with winking asides, audience participation and a man in a dress. The end result is a wonderful and wacky family musical. Petty himself steps into the role of the Wicked Witch of the West, while Elicia MacKenzie, who found success as Maria in the Toronto staging of The Sound of Music, slides into Dorothy’s crimson footwear, and Yvan Pedneault who most recently entertained audiences as an aspiring singer in Rock of Ages, is the Tin Man in search of a heart. Elgin Theatre, $27 to $85; call 1-855-599-9090 or visit here to buy tickets.

Hot Date: Opera Atelier’s Sonic Seducer

photo by Bruce Zinger

OCTOBER 29 TO NOVEMBER 5 Toronto’s renowned Opera Atelier opens its new season with a production of Don Giovanni, which tells of a series of darkly comedic mishaps that befall its rakish title character. Canadian baritone Phillip Addis takes up the mantle of the playboy nobleman in this captivating new production of a Mozart classic. Elgin Theatre, $40 to $180; call 1-855-622-2787, or visit here for showtimes and to purchase.

Weekend Roundup, April 22nd to 24th

Friday: See Measha Brueggergosman in La Clemenza di Tito (photo by Bruce Zinger)

Friday, April 22
Opening tonight at the Elgin Theatre, Opera Atelier‘s production of La Clemenza di Tito features star soprano Measha Brueggergosman, male soprano Michael Maniaci and dramatic tenor Kresimir Spicer. Known as Mozart’s “most perfect work,” this opera has everything, from unrequited love to assassination plots.

In celebration of Good Friday, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir performs “Sacred Music for a Sacred Space” at St. Paul’s Basilica this evening. The concert features sacred works by renowned Canadian choral composer, Healey Willan.

All weekend long, Easter EGGstravaganza: Toronto’s Largest Easter Egg Hunt takes place on Centre Island. From 11 a.m.  to 5 p.m., children and families can join in the Easter Bunny for activities and games like basket-making, bouncy castles, face painting, egg painting, a petting zoo and Centreville rides.

Saturday: Get a scare at Ghost Stories (photo courtesy of Mirvish Productions)

Saturday, April 23
Halloween isn’t for another six months, but that shouldn’t stop you from seeing Ghost Stories at the Panasonic Theatre. Not for the faint of heart, this is a thrilling, live horror show best suited for audiences 14 years of age or older. Are you brave enough?

Head out of the city for a day trip to Stratford, Ontario and catch the first of the Stratford Festival’s plays for the upcoming season. Previewing this weekend are Grapes of Wrath, based on the novel by John Steinbeck, and Camelot, the renowned musical about the King Arthur and his questing knights.

Free Earth Day Celebrations take place at Todmorden Mills Heritage Museum and Arts Centre, from noon to 4 p.m. today. Children and families are invited to learn what they can do to help the planet, create environmentally friendly artwork, tour the wildflower preserve, and learn about the impact of industrialization on the Don Valley’s natural landscape.

Sunday: Cheer on Adam Lind and the rest of the Blue Jays

Sunday, April 24
Catch the last of a three-game tilt between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Tampa Bay Rays at the Rogers Centre on Sunday at 1 p.m. Before filling up on cracker jacks and hot dogs, go for a casual Easter Sunday brunch at Cora Breakfast & Lunch, just steps away from the stadium.

For something a little fancier, Casa Loma hosts its annual Easter Sunday Royal Brunch, with a smorgasbord including pastries, leg of lamb, salad, pancakes and waffles, pasta, seafood and dessert. There’s even a children’s buffet. Kids can also take part in the “Egg”-citing Hunt on at 11 a.m. or 1 p.m.

Don’t miss your last chance to see In Search of Normal Rockwell’s America, which concludes its run at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection on April 25. This collection juxtaposes Rockwell’s work with that of photojournalist Kevin Rivoli, both telling the story of “everyday life.”

Hot Date: Brueggergosman’s Operatic Vengeance

Canadian soprano Measha Brueggergosman (photo by Bruce Zinger)

APRIL 22 TO MAY 1 Measha Brueggergosman, arguably Canada’s most acclaimed operatic singer, lends her pipes to Opera Atelier’s La Clemenza di Tito. In this lavish new production, the New Brunswick–born soprano portrays the daughter of an aristocrat who plots the assassination of the Roman emperor, whose role is sung by Croatian tenor Krešimir Špicer. Set to music by Mozart, the two-act opera offers a tale of ambition and intrigue—but also forgiveness and redemption. Elgin Theatre, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 3 p.m., $33 to $166; call 416-872-5555 or click here to purchase tickets.

Weekend Roundup, January 28th to 30th

Friday: Witness Christopher Plummer's tour de force in Barrymore

Friday, January 28th
Don’t miss Canadian icon Christopher Plummer in Barrymore, which celebrates its opening weekend at the Elgin Theatre. In this acclaimed one-man play, Plummer embodies the role of John Barrymore, one of the 20th century’s greatest Shakespearean actors.

Winterlicious starts today! Approximately 150 restaurants—including local favourites like Bier Markt, Bangkok Garden and the newly renovated Canoe—are participating in this popular prix-fixe dining event. It’s a great and affordable way to try some of the tasty food Toronto has on offer. (more…)

Hot Date: Christopher Plummer’s Class Act

JANUARY 27 TO MARCH 9 One of Canada’s greatest modern actors embodies one of America’s original stage legends in Barrymore. Examining the complex life and celebrated work of Shakespearian actor John Barrymore, the William Luce–penned one-man play is also a showcase for its celebrated star, Christopher Plummer, whose turn in the original 1996 Stratford Festival staging earned him a Tony Award. Don’t miss this opportunity to see this sublimely talented performer in one of his career-defining roles. Elgin Theatre, Monday to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 6:30 p.m., $55 to $150; for tickets, call 416-872-5555 or click here to buy.

Hot Shows for the Holidays

The holiday hoopla is beginning to reach fever pitch in Toronto. In the lead-up to December 25, the city offers numerous seasonal shows that are sure to enthrall the whole family.

The National Ballet's Nutcracker

SPIRIT OF THE SEASON
DECEMBER 6 TO DECEMBER 30 A classic tale is told in Soulpepper Theatre’s lauded staging of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts. The troupe’s adaptation is noted for its reverence to Dickens’ original prose, as well as strong performances by a stellar cast, including Joseph Ziegler as the tormented Ebenezer Scrooge. Performed in the round, this is a holiday treat for the traditional theatre lover.

GET CRACKIN’
DECEMBER 11 TO JANUARY 2 The Four Seasons Centre is transformed into a magical kingdom in the National Ballet of Canada’s annual production of The Nutcracker. Choreographer James Kudelka’s reworking of this classic story is an elegant take on Misha and Marie’s journey through a fairy tale land of sugar plum fairies and toy soldiers. Watching the ballerinas float across the stage in perfect coordination with Tchaikovsky’s memorable score is a delight that is sure to transport you into the blissful land of sweets and snow.

MULTIPLE MESSIAHS
DECEMBER 16 TO 21 (TSO)
DECEMBER 15 TO 19 (TAFELMUSIK) Classical music doesn’t get much more joyous than this! The renowned Toronto Symphony Orchestra offers a stirring rendition of George Frideric Handel’s Messiah at Roy Thomson Hall. Featuring more than 60 instruments and accompanied by the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, this is a performance on the grandest possible scale. If you can’t help but join in the music-making, the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir invites you to Massey Hall for its Sing-Along Messiah, a holiday tradition spanning a quarter-century. It’s a truly moving experience to be part of the hundreds of voices singing this immortal oratorio. (Tafelmusik also offers four traditional Messiah concerts at Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre.)

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas

GREEN CHRISTMAS
DECEMBER 17 TO JANUARY 2 Dr. Seuss’s world of whimsy comes to life at the Sony Centre in How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical. This acclaimed Broadway production is true to the author’s original story and illustrations, remaking the stage as an animated Whoville. Though the Grinch may start the show with a heart “three sizes too small,” he soon comes to learn the true meaning of Christmas.

MONSTROUS FUN
NOVEMBER 25 TO JANUARY 2 Popular producer Ross Petty brings his brand of zany enchantment to the Elgin Theatre in the form of Beauty and the Beast: The Savagely Silly Family Musical. Featuring stars of stage and screen, this is a unique, contemporary theatre experience for kids and families, with many laughs to be had as the characters guide you through a classic tale with a comedic twist.

AN ICE-BOUND TRIP
DECEMBER 25 TO JANUARY 2 Disney on Ice dazzles Rogers Centre spectators with Mickey and Minnie’s Magical Journey. See the beloved cartoon mice as they dive under the sea with The Little Mermaid, venture into Africa with The Lion King, fly through the skies with Peter Pan and hula dance with Lilo & Stitch. This round-the-world journey makes a great gift for both kids and parents.

Hot Date: Monstrous Fun

The cast of Ross Petty's "savagely silly" Beauty and the Beast

OPENS NOVEMBER 25 Popular producer Ross Petty is at it again. His oeuvre of family-theatre productions expands with Beauty and the Beast: The Savagely Silly Family Musical. This all-ages spectacle tweaks the traditional tale with lots of humour, courtesy of a cast pop stars including Canadian Idol winner Melissa O’Neil as Belle, and Degrassi: The Next Generation’s Jake Epstein as the Beast. Be their guest for a guaranteed good time! Elgin Theatre, various times, $27 to $85; call 416-872-5555 or click here to buy.

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