Category Archives: Uncategorized

DAVID FALLIS: WITH MONTEVERDI’S MASTERPIECE ORFEO, UPCOMING IN CONCERT FROM MAY 25-27, TORONTO CONSORT’S ARTISTIC DIRECTOR DAVID FALLIS STATES “FOR MY MONEY, MONTEVERDI IS ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY COMPOSERS, AS DARING TODAY AS HE MUST HAVE SOUNDED IN THE 17TH CENTURY. I GET GREAT PLEASURE OUT OF WORKING ON HIS MUSIC” …A REVIEWER’S INTERVIEW WITH PEOPLE IN THE ARTS

Posted on May 22, 2018 by strecker

Photo by Paul Orenstein, digital work by Ross Duffin, background by Gerrit Dou (17th century, Dutch) The Toronto Consort presents Monteverdi’s masterpiece Orfeo, in concert, as David Fallis’ final production in his role of Artistic Director. Running for three shows: … Continue reading →

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DANIELA NARDI: SINGER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, WHO TACKLES MYTHS SURROUNDING ITALIAN-CANADIAN WOMEN WITH BEYOND BELLA, EXPLAINS “THE MANDATE OF SALONE DI CULTURA IS TO SHINE A LIGHT ON ITALIAN CONTEMPORARY CULTURE IN CANADA WHILE LOOKING BEYOND AND/OR SHATTERING STEREOTYPES. ITS GOAL IS TO EXPLORE AND EXPRESS ITALIAN CULTURE, BRING TRADITIONS FORWARD INTO THE PRESENT, AND ALLOW THEM TO MINGLE AND EVOLVE, WHILE NURTURING CROSS-CULTURAL DIALOGUE.” … A REVIEWER’S INTERVIEW WITH PEOPLE IN THE ARTS

Posted on May 11, 2018 by strecker

Beyond Bella, the seventh edition of the Salone di Cultura. Celebrating Italian-Canadian women artists and creators, takes place at 7 PM on Friday June 8 at Toronto’s 918 Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts, Media & Education. Tickets, at https://salonedicultura.eventbrite.ca include … Continue reading →

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NJO KONG KIE: COMPOSER OF PICNIC IN THE CEMETERY AT CANADIAN STAGE BERKELEY STREET THEATRE UNTIL MAY 6TH EXPLAINS “WITH PICNIC IN THE CEMETERY, WHERE THE PREMISE IS ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM, THE PIECE IS BUILT LIKE WE WERE CHILDREN PLAYING IN OUR TENTS, WITH INSTINCTS AND IMAGINATION MORE SO THAN LOGIC AND REASONING, SO IT IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO NOT OVERTHINK THE WORK DURING THE PERFORMANCE. YOU CAN ANALYZE WHAT YOU EXPERIENCE AFTERWARDS IF YOU WANT.” … A REVIEWER’S INTERVIEW WITH PEOPLE IN THE ARTS

Posted on May 3, 2018 by strecker

JAMES STRECKER: If you were asked for 50 words for an encyclopedia to summarize what you do, or have done, in the arts, what would you say? NJO KONG KIE: A picnic and ping-pong enthusiast, Njo Kong Kie is also … Continue reading →

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KATARZYNA SĄDEJ: POLISH-CANADIAN MEZZO-SOPRANO HAS PRESENTED OPERA IN LIMOUSINES THROUGHOUT LOS ANGELES, SUNG FOR GABRIEL GARCIA MARQUEZ, SUNG FOR BONOBOS, AND MADE IMPORTANT DEBUTS AT LA OPERA AND CARNEGIE HALL, NOW DECLARES “EACH MAJOR DEBUT IS LIKE A GIANT, GIANT, GIANT GLASS OF WINE CELEBRATING ALL THOSE HOURS IN THE PRACTICE ROOM, AND COACHING, AND STUDYING YOUR WORDS, AND MEMORIZING, AND THEN MEMORIZING SOME MORE…. AND THEN RE-MEMORIZING!” … A REVIEWER’S INTERVIEW WITH PEOPLE IN THE ARTS

Posted on May 1, 2018 by strecker

Photo portrait by Carlos Botero, Colombia JAMES STRECKER: If you were asked for 50 words for an encyclopedia to summarize what you do, or have done, in the arts, what would you say? KATARZYNA SĄDEJ: Polish-Canadian Mezzo-soprano Katarzyna Sadej has … Continue reading →

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JEANNE LAMON: BAROQUE VIOLINIST, CONCERTMASTER, CHAMBER MUSICIAN, TEACHER, AND MUSIC DIRECTOR EMERITA WHOSE LEADERSHIP TOOK TAFELMUSIK TO INTERNATIONAL STATURE AS ONE OF THE BEST ENSEMBLES IN ITS FIELD, EXPLAINS “CREATIVE WORK IS EXTREMELY PERSONAL AND EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN WAY OF DOING IT. SO, YOU CAN’T REALLY POLICE MUSIC MAKING. EVERY MUSICIAN WORTH HIS OR HER SALT HAS A LOT INVESTED IN THEIR CREATIVE WORK. OTHERWISE WE’D ALL BE BANKERS!” A REVIEWER’S INTERVIEW WITH PEOPLE IN THE ARTS

Posted on April 26, 2018 by strecker

Photo credit Sian Richards. Music Director Emerita Jeanne Lamon joins Tafelmusik as concertmaster for the final all-Beethoven program of the 2017/18 season featuring Bruno Weil as conductor, and Music Director Elisa Citterio as violin soloist. May 3 to 6, 2018 … Continue reading →

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CATHERINE THOMPSON: CANADIAN LONG RIDER, INSTRUMENT MAKER, MUSICIAN, COMPOSER, PERFORMER, VISUAL AND MATERIAL ARTIST, NOW IN THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHERN THAILAND, DECLARES “IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOT GET TOO TOO COMFORTABLE AND, IN THAT, WHENEVER POSSIBLE, IT IS VALUABLE TO REMEMBER WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE DIMINISHED, TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE, TO BE IN DANGER.” … A REVIEWER’S INTERVIEW WITH PEOPLE IN THE ARTS

Posted on April 22, 2018 by strecker

JAMES STRECKER: If you were asked for 50 words for an encyclopedia to summarize what you do, or have done, in the arts, what would you say? CATHERINE THOMPSON: Catherine Thompson was a Canadian long rider, instrument maker, musician, composer, … Continue reading →

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AMANDA SMITH: DIRECTOR OF HAUS MUSIK (ON APRIL 26) – TAFELMUSIK’S EXPERIMENTAL, IMMERSIVE SERIES AT TORONTO’S LONGBOAT HALL (1087 QUEEN STREET WEST) – EXPLAINS “IT’S IMPORTANT TO SHOW THAT PEOPLE’S LIVES ARE NOT ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM TO BE.”… A REVIEWER’S INTERVIEW WITH PEOPLE IN THE ARTS

Posted on April 18, 2018 by strecker

Photo: Dahlia Katz The April 26 edition of Haus Musik, Tafelmusik’s experimental, immersive series is at Longboat Hall, The Great Hall, 1087 Queen Street West. Doors and electronic set at 8pm | Live music at 8:30pm. General admission, limited seating. … Continue reading →

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ISAIAH BELL: TENOR CURRENTLY IN MONTEVERDI’S RETURN OF ULYSSES (OPERA ATELIER), OCTOBER 2018 IN RUFUS WAINWRIGHT’S HADRIAN (COC), AND LATER IN HIS OWN CREATION THE BOOK OF MY SHAMES (TAPESTRY OPERA), DECLARES “ALTHOUGH THE INTERNET MAY HAVE SHORTENED OUR ATTENTION SPANS, I DON’T BELIEVE IT HAS DIMINISHED OUR BASIC DESIRE FOR QUALITY COMMUNICATION… THINGS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY OBSCURED BEHIND VEILS OF HIGH CULTURE CAN (NOW) BE SEEN UP CLOSE” … A REVIEWER’S INTERVIEW WITH PEOPLE IN THE ARTS

Posted on April 16, 2018 by strecker

JAMES STRECKER: If you were asked for 50 words for an encyclopedia to summarize what you do, or have done, in the arts, what would you say? ISAIAH BELL: I’m a tenor working in the Classical tradition. Currently I sing … Continue reading →

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RISING OUT OF THE ASHES WITH MUSIC AND WORDS: CDS THAT GOT ME THROUGH TRAUMA AFTER THE HOUSE FIRE

Posted on April 15, 2018 by strecker

It was about a year ago, five months after the fire that kept us out of our home for eight months, that this happened: I was driving down King Street in Hamilton and playing, back to back, the Hungarian String … Continue reading →

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BRUCE DOW: AFTER BROADWAY, STRATFORD, AND BUDDIES IN BAD TIMES, THE AWARD-WINNING ACTOR DECLARES, “I LOVE STUDENT AUDIENCES. THEY ARE THE FIRST ONES TO PRAISE YOU FOR GOOD WORK, AND/OR TO CALL YOU OUT ON YOUR PRETENTIOUS BULLS*T” … A REVIEWER’S INTERVIEW WITH PEOPLE IN THE ARTS

Posted on April 14, 2018 by strecker

JAMES STRECKER: If you were asked for 50 words for an encyclopedia to summarize what you do, or have done, in the arts, what would you say? BRUCE DOW: Bruce Dow is an award-winning theatre artist and educator, best known … Continue reading →

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