photo by Andrew Eccles
APRIL 20 Known as the “people’s diva,” operatic soprano Renée Fleming brings her grandiose voice and consummate artistry to Toronto in a recital of classic arias as well as popular songs. Roy Thomson Hall, 8p.m., $40 to $150; call 416-872-4255 or visit here to purchase tickets.
MARCH 26 The only Canadian athlete to win medals in both the summer and winter Olympics, Clara Hughes talks about overcoming obstacles as part of the Unique Lives and Experiences lecture series. Roy Thomson Hall, 7:30 p.m., $39.50 to $87.50; call 416-872-4255 or click here to buy.
Cutting through the Financial District, this street can seem like home to little more than corporate skyscrapers. But delve deeper and you’ll find fine dining, shopping and entertainment destinations, all epitomizing downtown Toronto’s polish.
Roy Thomson Hall (photo by Neill Sturgess)
MUSICAL MONOLITH A bowl of inverted glass encases Roy Thomson Hall, one of Canada’s finest performance stages. Home to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the venue also features an eclectic year-round lineup of shows—from classical and contemporary music to comedy, lectures and more—in an acoustically grand setting.
SEA AND STEAK A fixture in Ottawa and Vancouver, The Shore Club now offers its high-end surf and turf in Toronto, too. An interior that evokes the art deco ocean liners of yore sets an elegant tone for indulging in seafood staples, flawless steaks and inventive cocktails. (more…)
JANUARY 23 Spencer Wells, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and director of the Genographic Project, has spent the last seven years collecting DNA samples from people around the globe in order to create a genetically based map of human migration. See him present the project’s latest findings, and discover how scientific tools are helping to answer the question: Where did we come from? Roy Thomson Hall, 8 p.m., $39.50 to $59.50; call 416-872-4255 or click here to reserve.
Jan Lisieki
JANUARY 11 TO 22 The Toronto Symphony Orchestra continues its 90th season by commemorating an even older anniversary—that of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s birth. The ensemble’s annual series of Mozart programming this year highlights two of the composer’s late-period masterworks—his Jupiter Symphony and Requiem—in separate concerts, along with other exemplary pieces and even a “Mozart’s Magnificent Voyage” show for young listeners. Audiences at the January 18, 19 and 22 performances of Requiem are in for an additional treat, as teenage prodigy Jan Lisiecki sits in with the orchestra for Mozart’s Piano Concerto no. 20. Roy Thomson Hall (January 22 at George Weston Recital Hall), $20 to $145; call 416-598-3375 or visit here for showtimes and to buy.
Break out the bubbly. It's New Year's Eve! (photo by Anders Andermark)
Have you noticed more and more places selling calendars these days? Maybe, just maybe, it has something to do with the imminent arrival of 2012. Hang on though, your 2011 calendar can be put to use one last time to jot down your plans for December 31st. Consider the following to fill up that final square:
DECEMBER 14, 16, 17, 18 & 19 Lift your spirits with two performances of the Messiah. At Roy Thomson Hall, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra performs Handel’s oratorio with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, $38 to $107. And for one show only, join in Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir’s joyous Sing-Along Messiah at Massey Hall, $26 to $43; for both, visit here or call 416-872-4255 for a schedule and to buy.
Friday: Relive your Royal Conservatory days through Two Pianos Four Hands
Friday, December 9
Follow along with the melodies made by Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt, the actor-musicians behind the hit comedy Two Pianos Four Hands, a hilarious and poignant story about two lives transformed by piano teachers, lessons and competitions. The show’s recently extended run continues at the Panasonic Theatre.
Listen to a Latin take on holiday music at Koerner Hall in A Salsa Christmas, performed by the Spanish Harlem Orchestra under the direction of world-renowned pianist, arranger and producer Oscar Hernández.
Get a first look at The Power Plant’s two new exhibitions at their free opening reception. The gallery’s winter exhibits showcase reflections on poignant moments in cultural history by Canadian Stan Douglas and an international collective of young artists.
There’s two more days of merriment after the jump!
National Geographic photographer Mattias Klum
NOVEMBER 1 & DECEMBER 6 Photographer and filmmaker Mattias Klum guides you through some of the Earth’s natural wonders in Being There: On Expedition with National Geographic. Marvel at Klum’s still images and high-definition video from Botswana’s Okavango Delta and the rainforests of Southeast Asia. Then dive into the blue at Ocean Soul: Photographing the Underwater World for National Geographic and discover the vast, veiled world that exists beneath the waves. Brian Skerry leads you through the glacial waters of the North Atlantic and the coral reefs of the central Pacific. Roy Thomson Hall, 8 p.m., $39.50 to $59.50; visit here or call 416-872-4255 to purchase tickets.
Friday: Contemporary art overwhelms the historic Gladstone Hotel (photo by Samuel Bietenholz)
Friday, October 28
Immerse yourself in everything artistic at the Toronto International Art Fair, a.k.a. Art Toronto. See Andy Warhol’s 1979 BMW Art Car, a new site-specific installation by Kent Monkman, plus numerous other exhibiting galleries, presentations and discussions with artists, curators, and collectors. The show runs through to Monday at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
Introduce yourself to dozens of new musical and theatrical acts at the Global Cabaret Festival, a weekend-long event at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts that celebrates songs, stories, and ideas with 150 musicians taking part in 44 performances.
Explore the sometimes-chaotic interactions between nature and culture at upArt, the Gladstone Hotel’s annual contemporary art fair. The exhibition runs throughout the weekend with works by local, national, and international artists and collectives.
Saturday: OCADU Celebrates its 135 Anniversary (photo by Thomas Hawk)
Saturday, October 29
Swing by Lavish&Squalor today as the shop opens its new antiques and vintage objets d’art section, and commemorates the occasion with a store-wide sale. Cocktails, snacks and live music round out your shopping experience.
Happy 135th Birthday, OCAD University! The highly regarded school of art and design invites you to join its anniversary festivities, which today include an open house, digital game-making event and an exhibition of acclaimed works by OCADU community members.
Bright colours, spectacular dances and a musical extravaganza reveal India’s cultural diversity in Bharati, the Wonder That is India. Dancers, actors, singers, acrobats, musicians and martial artists are all part of the show at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts.
Sunday: Roy Thomson Hall welcomes The Wizard of Oz
Sunday, October 30
Take the whole family down the yellow brick road, which, strangely enough, leads to Roy Thomson Hall and Oz with Orchestra. Watch the classic film The Wizard of Oz on a giant screen with live accompaniment provided by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
The NFL moves north of the border (for a day) with the Bills in Toronto Series coming to the Rogers Centre. The Buffalo Bills look to keep their winning season going as they take on the Washington Redskins.
Rare books, maps, prints, and manuscripts from around the world are on display at the Toronto International Antiquarian Book Fair. Peruse limited edition, signed volumes, and unusual books of all kinds at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
But wait! There’s More!
As it happens, there are a slew of Halloween-centric activities happening this weekend around the city, too. Check out those bloodcurdling events here. If you dare.
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Stay, Dine, Do
