Walking tours are a great way to see the city this spring (photo by Sanjay Parekh)
Now that the weather appears to be warming, it’s a great time to get out and explore the city on foot. Whatever your pleasure, there’s likely a gregarious Torontonian offering a walking tour to your taste. Below, we present our favourites providers of five types of tours. (more…)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (photo by Cylla von Tiedemann)
Just as theatre company Mirvish Productions was announcing its upcoming schedule, so too was another of the city’s performing arts institutions, the National Ballet of Canada, presenting its own highly anticipated 2012/13 programming—a selection that promises to thrill and inspire with its diverse mix of celebrated classics and groundbreaking new works.
The fall season opens with a whimsical bang when Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland returns to the Four Seasons Centre stage from November 10 to 25, 2012. Having received rapturous reviews when it premiered at last year’s Luminato festival, this lavish co-production with England’s Royal Ballet reimagines Lewis Carroll’s most beloved work through the grace and lyricism of dance. (more…)
FEBRUARY 2 TO 22 A 12th-century love story gets a 21st-century makeover when director Daniele Finzi Pasca brings his striking visual style to Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho’s opera, Love from Afar. The Canadian Opera Company presents this story of a world-weary medieval troubadour from France who sets sail to find the Countess of Tripoli, his vision of ideal love. Baritone Russell Braun plays the troubadour Jaufré, while Erin Wall makes her COC debut as the object of his desire, Clémence. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, $12 to $318; for showtimes and tickets, call 416-363-8231 or click here.
photo by Karen Reeves
ON NOW Add some culture to your lunch break courtesy of the Canadian Opera Company’s free concert series. Every Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 1 p.m., the institution hosts a slate of exceptional performances ranging from small dance productions, piano recitals, world music, vocal jazz and more, including notable upcoming shows like East Meets West (January 19), featuring artists of the COC Orchestra performing works by Debussy and Tan Dun, and a vocal recital by COC talents Russell Braun, Erin Wall and Krisztina Szabó (February 16). Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre; call 416-363-8231 or click here for more information.
Friday: The National Ballet of Canada interprets Romeo and Juliet (photo by Bruce Zinger)
Friday, November 18
See one of the greatest dance dramas in a brand new light when the National Ballet of Canada presents Romeo and Juliet. Choreographer Alexi Ratmansky gives the classic tale with a modern edge for a fresh show at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.
One of Canada’s best-known musical voices, Steven Page, interprets the tunes of Elvis Costello, Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman and others in Songbook 6. The always innovative Art of Time Ensemble accompanies the singer at Harbourfront Centre’s Enwave Theatre.
Find unique Aboriginal arts, crafts and fashions at the Thunderbird Centre’s presentation, Very Beautiful Things. The exhibition and sale at the Gladstone Hotel will be a trove for discerning gift buyers and Aboriginal art collectors.
The National Ballet's beloved production of The Nutcracker (photo by Bruce Zinger)
The National Ballet of Canada celebrates its 60th anniversary season with a fresh version of Romeo and Juliet (November 16 to 27). Internationally celebrated choreographer Alexi Ratmansky blends the story’s timeless elegance with a modern emotional edge to create an unforgettable dance drama. Then, seasonal favourite The Nutcracker (December 10 to 31) takes centre stage with dazzling stagecraft, expert choreography and enchanting design. Tchaikovsky’s glorious music underscores the entire production. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, $25 to $234; call 416-345-9595 or visit here for showtimes and to purchase.
photo by Joan Marcus
AUGUST 16 TO 28 The spirit of Frank Sinatra inspires Come Fly Away, which melds classic melodies, a live-on-stage big band and thrilling dance numbers from Tony-winning choreographer Twyla Tharp. In this musical, Ol’ Blue Eyes’s original vocals on such songs as “Fly Me to the Moon” and “My Way” are given orchestral accompaniment to serve as the soundtrack for the story of four couples experiencing romance and heartbreak. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Tuesday to Saturday 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday 2 p.m., $42 to $180; call 416-644-3665 or click here to charge.
photo by David Leyes
AUGUST 12 & 13 He’s made a career of captivating audiences on Broadway and in London’s West End. Now acclaimed singer and theatre actor Colm Wilkinson steps charismatically back on to the Toronto stage for two nights only. The Irish-born star—who has made his home in this city since 1989, when he began a five-year stint in The Phantom of the Opera—is set to showcase his much-praised pipes with a mix of show tunes, pop songs and timeless ballads, including “The Music of the Night” and “Danny Boy.” Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 8 p.m., $52 to $215; call 416-644-3665 or visit here to buy.
photo by Joan Marcus
JULY 19 TO 31 A bold and harrowing story of psychiatric ethics and suburban life, Next to Normal is not your average Broadway musical. Brought to Toronto by Dancap Productions, this dramatic rock musical—winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, along with three 2009 Tony Awards—tells of a family struggling to care for one another while battling mental illness. Alice Ripley reprises her acclaimed lead role as a mother whose worsening bipolar disorder sends her into a tailspin. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Tuesday to Saturday 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday 2 p.m., $34 to $129; call 416-644-3665 or visit here to buy.
photo by Erik Kabik
JULY 5 TO 17 Direct from Las Vegas, famed sibling entertainers Donny and Marie Osmond offer up an exclusive engagement of their theatrical concert showcase. In Donny & Marie Live (page 48), the pair perform their greatest hits like “Paper Roses,” “Puppy Love” and “One Bad Apple” in a multimedia spectacle featuring show-stopping production numbers, a rock band and sizzling backup dancers. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Tuesday to Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m., no show July 11, $52 to $240; call 416-644-3665 or visit here to purchase.
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Stay, Dine, Do
