It is a listing of concert events we’re attending, wishing we might attend, or enthusiastic about attending between April 21 and 27, 2025. For extra of what’s occurring round Toronto, go to our calendar right here.
Soulpepper/Musical Stage Firm/Crow’s Theatre/TO Dwell: A Unusual Loop
Tuesday, April 22, 7:30 p.m, Wednesday, April 23, 7:30 p.m., Thursday, April 24, 7:30 p.m., Friday, April 25, 7:30 p.m, Saturday, April 26, 1:30 p.m. and seven:30 p.m., Sunday, April 27, 7:30 p.m; present runs until June 1, 2025
Younger Centre, $65+
A Unusual Loop is a superb reside theatre work. As recipient of the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, two Tonys — together with Greatest New Musical, two Drama Desk Awards, two Obie Awards and 7 Lucille Lortel Award nominations — ASL instigates a powerful viewers response: in favour, and in dislike. As we rigorously attempt to stay non-offensive with others on divisive points: racism, homophobia, HIV stigmatisation, self-hatred, and despair, it’s no marvel that ASL is problematic for a lot of, because it meets these points head-on. There isn’t a transparent conclusion, and there’s no simple salvation. Nevertheless, isn’t that what artwork is about — of life that’s unimaginable to find out clearly, with edges eroding with difficulties? Out of its six week run, the primary week is sort of all sold-out; don’t dally for too lengthy, get your ticket and go see what the fuss is about. Information right here.
Royal Conservatory of Music: GGS New Music Ensemble
Tuesday, April 22, 7:30 p.m.
Temerty Theatre, Royal Conservatory of Music. Free with ticket registration
It is a quick and candy program of up to date music, that includes Christina Volpini (1992), Clara Iannotta (1983), and a large of the previous: Edgard Varèse (1883-1965). As one of many early experimentalists of ‘up to date’ music, Varèse explored lots of the things-to-come, together with the theremin, digital music, and percussion ensemble. Varèse’ Offrandes, that includes a chamber orchestra — together with six percussionists, and a soprano (Daniele Carreon Herrera) — is a superb work to expertise reside, the place the composer’s genius in his use of textures and timbres turns into a visceral expertise. Come out and see one other lovely, if unusual, aspect of classical music, and marvel on the musicianship and maturity of the GGS New Music Ensemble gamers — this music calls for technical mastery and sharply tuned ears. Information right here.
Guitar Society of Toronto: Maximo Diego Pujol
Saturday, April 26, 7:30 p.m., St. Andrew’s Church
73 Simcoe St., $45+
The Guitar Society of Toronto is internet hosting Pujol, probably the greatest guitarists of our instances, as a part of the 2025 Toronto Guitar Weekend, along with his Saturday night live performance because the excessive level of the three-day occasion. Pujol, as a composer, attracts closely from his Argentinian background: his publicity to tango and milonga within the evening golf equipment of Buenos Aires, each as a soloist and as an accompanist, together with research of conventional tangos, provides him unbelievable depth as a musician. It’s an unbelievable factor, to expertise a real grasp of a style reside — and dwelling in cosmopolitan Toronto, we have now many nice alternatives to witness unbelievable magnificence. Head to the bustle of the downtown on the weekend, edging on bursting spring, and expertise the pin-drop quiet focus of the Toronto guitar viewers listening to this grasp. Information right here.
Soundstreams: Backyard of Vanished Pleasures
Friday, April 25, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 26, 2 p.m., and seven:30 p.m., Sunday, April 27, 2 p.m.
Canadian Stage, 26 Berkeley St., $46.05+
It is a huge weekend for Toronto operaheads. Together with Wozzeck, there’s a final venture by Soundstreams 24/25 season: Backyard of Vanished Pleasures. A finalist for Opera America’s 2022 Award for Excellence in Digital Opera, it takes over the CanStage for the weekend. A blended work of Cecilia Livingston and Donna McKevitt, GVP’s first run in 2021 as a digital work gathered many beneficial critiques, and it’s nice to have a second probability to see this younger work, undoubtedly modified and matured but as soon as once more, by means of its first run. Sure, music, although engraved in a static type of rating, does develop and alter with the world — particularly for works which can be conceived in our personal time, by dwelling composers. The best way we perceive, and specific, although refined, by no means stays the identical — we aren’t the identical individual we have been, even simply yesterday. So come out and see this recent offshoot from the normal opera world — in spite of everything, good storytelling is timeless. Learn out Preview right here. Information right here.
Canadian Opera Firm: Wozzeck
Friday, April 25, 7:30 p.m., Sunday, April 27, 2 p.m., with 5 extra Might 2025 performances
4 Seasons Centre, $45+
Written within the tumultuous instances of 1914-1922, surrounding the unlucky bloodbath often called WW1, Wozzeck is a real masterpiece in its commentary of as soon as regular folks, disadvantaged of their humanity by means of battle, social exploitation, and savage, livid sadism. I can’t assist however to narrate this brutal work to different present human tragedies. As we accustom ourselves to systemize and scale back precise human struggling right into a easy political and industrial transaction in faraway lands — a easy headline that we don’t click on on, as a result of — oh, it’s bit an excessive amount of for a weekday morning — maybe going through this artwork, blood-stained and twisted with violence, generally is a solution to re-humanize the nice ache of ‘others.’ As soon as we really feel their pains, maybe the subsequent logical query might come to our coronary heart: who’re these others? How can we relate? What blood do we have now on our personal fingers? Wozzeck, typical of Alban Berg’s work, is succinct; in its 90-minute course with no intermission, it expresses a lot — please do come out and expertise it. These human expressions should not for historical past papers. These are for the dwelling. For us. For all of us. See the place it could take you, away from the comfortable, security of YYZ. Information right here.
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Cecilia tumbled into ‘critical’ music research when she determined to keep away from attending medical college. At present working within the area of classical music, recording, and Korean-English interpretation, she tends to get her nostril soiled in many alternative issues within the metropolis. Cecilia holds a DMA in Piano Efficiency from the College of Nebraska-Lincoln.
