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A Grand Night of Singing: Report from the 2nd COC Ensemble Studio Competition
Winners Circle: (l. to r.) Gordon Bintner, Charlotte Burrage, Andrew Haji (Photo: Chris Hutcheson)COC General Director Alexander Neef congratulating winners of the Second Annual COC Ensemble Studio...
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This Week in Toronto (Dec. 3 - 9)
The big news this week is the appearance of Ukrainian pianist Valentina Lisitsa in recital at Koerner Hall, on Sunday Dec. 9 at 3 pm. She is playing works by Bach, Beethoven, Schubert (Lieder...
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Austin Symphony Takes Stravinsky's Rite of Spring "Beyond the Score"
by Paul E. RobinsonStravinsky: Le Sacre du printemps (the Rite of Spring)Gerard McBurney, narratorRobert Faires, actorRick Rowley, actorAustin Symphony/Peter Bay, conductorDell Hall,Long Center for the...
View ArticleJames Ehnes Plays Bach
Canadian violinist James Ehnes is no longer "an exciting young talent" but an international star. He plays regularly with the world's leading orchestras and conductors and his recordings invariably...
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This Week in Toronto (Dec. 10 - 23)
Well, it's that time of year again! The next two weeks can best be described as the 'home stretch' of Christmas programming when it comes to classical music. On any given year in the GTA, we can...
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Galina Vishnevskaya (Oct. 25 1926 - Dec. 11 2012)
Galina Vishnevskaya (Oct. 25 1926 - Dec, 11 2012)The great Russian soprano Galina Vishnevskaya has now joined her beloved Slava (Mstislav Rostropovich) in heaven.... Requiescat in pace.
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Lisa Della Casa ( Feb. 2, 1919 - Dec. 10 2012)
Lisa Della Casa (Feb. 2 1919 - Dec. 10 2012)These had not been a good last couple of days for the opera world. The magnificent Swiss soprano, Lisa Della Casa, the definitive Arabella, passed away on...
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Beethoven & Britten at the Movies
by Paul E. RobinsonFrom left to right: Mark Ivanir, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Walken, Catherine KeenerA Late QuartetDirector: Yaron ZilbermanCast: Philip Seymour Hoffman/Christopher...
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Bravissimo Brings 2012 to a Rousingly Operatic Close
Bravissimo soloists toasting audience in encore of "Libiamo, libiamo" from La traviata (l. to r.) tenor Ho-Yoon chung, soprano Davinia Rodriguez, conductor Graeme Jenkins, tenor Gordon Gietz, mezzo...
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This Week in Toronto (Jan. 7 - 13)
Canadian soprano Layla Claire sings Mozart with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (Photo: www.laylaclaire.com )Now that the Holidays are over, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra winter season is gearing up...
View ArticleCanadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio Welcomes Six New Voices
This Just In.....The Canadian Opera Company announces this morning that six new singers are being added to the COC Ensemble Studio for the 2013-14 roster. They are bass-baritone Gordon Bintner, tenor...
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This Week in Toronto (Jan. 14 - 20)
Mozart @257 Festival continues this week at the Toronto Symphony OrchestraFor the second and final week of Mozart@257 Festival, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra is programming his Symphony No. 40 K.550...
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Spotlight on La chauve-souris
by Joseph SoThe quintessential Viennese bon-bon, Die Fledermausis the most popular operetta in the world. Based on statistics maintained by Operabase, it received a total of 285 performances worldwide...
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Bronfman, Bay and the ASO Bring Austin to its Feet with Brahms!
by Paul E. RobinsonBrahms: Tragic Overture Op. 81Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem Op. 20Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor Op. 15Yefim Bronfman, pianoAustin Symphony (ASO)/Peter BayLong CenterAustin,...
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This Week in Toronto (Jan. 21 - 27)
This week the Toronto Symphony Orchestra is presenting two performances of Mahler's 6th paired with the Schubert String Quartet, featuring pianist Jamie Parker, violinist Jonathan Crow, and violist...
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This Week in Toronto (Jan. 28 - Feb. 3)
Canadian tenor Ben Heppner returns to the COC This is one of those weeks so jam-packed with important concerts that I wished I could clone myself! The biggest news on the local opera scene this week is...
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This Week in Toronto (Feb. 4 - 10)
This Week in Toronto (Feb. 4 - 10)- Joseph SoBen Heppner and Melanie Diener in COC's Tristan und Isolde (Photo: Michael Cooper)This past week and the upcoming couple of weeks represent true nirvana for...
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The Sacred Spirit of Russia in Texas
byPaul E. RobinsonCraig Hella Johnson and soloists of the Conspirare Company of VoicesMusic by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Gretchaninoff, Kastalsky, Martynov, Ippolitov-Ivanov and othersConspirare...
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This Week in Toronto (Feb. 11 - 17)
German bass Franz Josef Selig sings a recital of Schubert and Strauss (Photo: Anne Hoffmann)The Canadian Opera Company's winter season continues this week with Tristan und Isolde (Thurs. Feb. 14 and...
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This Week in Toronto (Feb. 18 -24)
Soprano Nathalie Paulin sings in Tafelmusik's Mozart Requiem (Photo: Sebastien Ventura)Top on my list this week is Tafelmusik's presentation of the Mozart Requiem. Acadian soprano (and now Torontonian)...
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