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8 years ago

Volume 4 Issue 4 - December 1998/January 1999

  • Text
  • Toronto
  • December
  • Theatre
  • Choir
  • January
  • Arts
  • Symphony
  • Orchestra
  • Choral
  • Jazz

ONCERT NOTES CONTINUED

ONCERT NOTES CONTINUED EliZABETH RAUM Elizabeth Raum is a Canadian composer (she lives in Saskatchewan) whose works are being heard more frequently of late. On December 5 two of her compositions can be heard, the King Lear Suite for alto trombone and woodwind quartet, performed by Belladonna and The Legend of Heimdall, performed by the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra. VOCAL RECITALS There is probably no musical communication between performer and audience more exquisite and more intimate than the vocal recital. The time may yet come when there is at least one vocal recital every day. The reality right now is that ther.e will be some very good recitals spread over the next two months, but certainly not many. The Aldeburgh Connection begins the month with two, however, Catherine Robbin on December 1 ·and a Young Artists Recital on December 4. The Off Centre series will present soprano Janet Obermeyer on n r December 5, the same night as the High Park Reeital Series presents soprano, . Diane da Camara. The High Park series also has a recital by soprano Alexa Wing on· January 30. 'J'he Lakeshore Arts Chamber Music Series, which specializes in presenting artists who live ' in Etobicoke, presents Moira Nelson (Voice, Gothic Harp, Classical Guitar), Elena Jubinville (cello & alto voice), · Douglas Hicton (tenor), and James King · (bass) in a recital of original, traditional, Celtic & classical music on December 11. There will be two opportunities to hear George Gershwin~s music in recital in January: January 9 proVoce Studios presents a recital, "The Man I Love", and on January 21 the Royal Conservatory presents singers Joel Katz, Jean MacPhail and Roxolana Rosiak performing Gershwin songs. · BIG "ACTS" With the demise of Livent there may be less to choose from in the area of high profile, international performers. There are four of these that have caught our collective eye: December 15 The Baltimore Consort at the Glenn Gould Studio, December 21, Richard Margison at Hamilton Place, with the New Hamilton Orchestra conducted by Mario Bernardi, and the same night, the CaiUldian Brass Annual Christmas Concert I 3' '99 .at Roy Thomson Hall. On January 21 soprano Renee Fleming will give her long- 1 awaited recital at Roy Thomson Hall. SANDERSON CENTRE How many Torontonians know .that there is an 1100-seat concert hall with superb acoustics in Brantford? Brantford's Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts was built in 1919, was recently completely renovated and is only an hour's drive away from Toronto (except at "rush" hour!). Revitalized by the imminent opening of a Wilfrid Laurier University satellite campus more or less .next door, the Sanderson and WLU will be co-presenting Lully's rarely performed opera, Thesee, on January 23. A collaboration of the composer, Jean­ Baptiste Lully and the poet/librettist, Philippe Quinault,. Thesee was first performed in 1675, it was immensely popular throughout much of the 18th century. But times change, and it received its last public performance in _1779. (It is believed that this is the work's Canadian premiere.) · Drawing on the impressive resources of Wilfrid Laurier's highly regarded music program with dance by Toronto's La Belle Danse and costumes from the Stratford Festival, this production of Thesee promises to be of genuine artistic as well as historical interest.

DIE FLEDERMAUS/ SALUTE TO VIENNA There is startlingly little live concert music here right around Christmas and New Year. And what there is all seems related to Vienna! Toronto Operetta Theatre's production of Johann Strauss Jr.'s Die Fledermaus opens on December 23 and continues throughout the holidays. Attila Glatz Concert · Productions' Salute to · Vienna offers an upbeat way to start 1999, the afternoon of January 1. A LITTLE MORE ABOUT CHOIRS We rarely get the opportunity to hear that magnificent. crowning achievement of Ralph Vaughan Williams' mature years, Hodie, a cantata for choir, soloists and orchestra, first performed in 1954 under the direction of the composer. The Orpheus Choir gives us that chance, December 12 at St. James' Cathedral. From rare to everywhere, lots of people have been listening to the Elora Festival Singers' CD, The Mystery of Christmas, which is approaching sales of 50,000 copies. You will be able to hear many of the selections on this fine recording live in the Elora Festival Singers concert on December 12. CONCERTS Benjamin Butterfield joins the CCOC December 5 and 6 at the Glenn Gould INVOLVING YOUTH. A sure indication of the health of music in any · community is the extent to which children are involved in the making of music. Thanks to. the many excellent' musicians involved as musical directors, accompanists and teachers our state of health is pretty .good. Consider the following: December 5 & 6 the Canadian Children's Opera Chorus (joined by }Jenjamin Butterfield) puts their main chorus and two apprentice choruses on show. Also on December 5 the Scarborough Philharmonic welcomes the Timmins Youth Singers; December 6 the Mooredale Youth Orchestra and the Oakville Children's Choir both have concerts; · December 7 it's the Toronto Youth Wind . Orchestra; December 11, St. Michael's · Choir School; December 12 the Cathedral Bluffs . Symphony Orchestra with the East York · Youth and Gordon A. Brown Middle,School Choirs. December 12 is an embarassment of riches: the Etobicoke Youth Choir; the Amadeus Choir with the Bach Children's Chorus; the Royal Conservatory of Music's Young Artists Peiformance Academy; and the Toronto Sinfonia of Nations. And the heartening list goes on: December 13 the Mississauga Youth Orchestra; and the Penthelia Singers young women's choir; December 16, the Bach Children's Chorus again; December 16, the Nathaniel Dett Chorale; December 19, the Toronto Mendelssohn Youth Choir; December 20, the Toronto Children's Chorus by themselves; January 6 the TCC with the TSO; January 16, the Scarborough Youth Choir with the Xiao Ping Singers and the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra; and January 17, the RCM Performing Arts Ensemble and Children's Choir. ~~ tlie sound post Canada's String Shop violfus, violas, cellos & bows expert :repairs &. rehairs strings & accessories at guaranteed lowest prices Canada's largest stock of string music fast mail order service all prices in CDN $-Not a 'us$ price in the store! 93 Grenville St., Toronto M5S 1B4 tel (416) 971-6990 fax (416) 597-9923

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