In The City is my way of sharing some of the many arts and cultural events happening in central Toronto. Winter often sets in around this time; making some of us want to stay indoors. To entice you to forget the comfy couch, I give you a curated list of events that I would like to attend, and in turn, hope you attend as well.
MUSIC / DANCE
The Musicians In Ordinary
The Cure Of Religious Melancholy
January 30, 8:00PM
Fr. Madden Auditorium, Carr Hall
St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto
Tickets $30, $20 for students and seniors, are available at the door
The music by England’s famed Renaissance era songwriter and lutenist John Dowland (1563-1626), a convert to Catholicism, will be performed by soprano Hallie Fishel, baroque violinist Christopher Verrette, lutenist John Edwards, and other members of The Musicians In Ordinary Sing Praise Upon the Lute and Viol.
As St. Michael’s ensemble-in-residence, The Musicians In Ordinary combine John Dowland’s Lachrimæ or seaven teares figured in seaven passionate pavans, for violins and lute, with lute airs from his songbooks, consort songs and his psalm settings on the death of his friend Sir Henry Noel.
Rev. Lisa Wang puts the music in context in a pre-concert talk at 7:30 p.m. Further information is available by calling 416-535-9956 or visiting musiciansinordinary.ca.
Alliance Française Toronto offers several music-related events this month as well.
Tickets: 416.922.2014 ext. 37
Europe et Opéra
January 23, 8:00PM
Singers from the COC Ensemble Studio offer extracts from operas in four Europeans languages.
The Opera/Ballet series will broadcast from the Paris National Opera House, Celebrate Dance with the Paris Opera Ballet. The performance will feature the Étoiles, Premiers danseurs, Corps de Ballet and pupils of the School of Dance in an important ritual, the Défilé that brings together 154 dancers and Nutcracker experts on January 30 at 1:30pm.
Vincent Mantsoe
January 29-31, 8:00PM
Harbourfront Centre
Tickets $28 – $37 Adult; $15 CultureBreak (Students under 25); and $5 Hiptix.
Box Office 416-973-4000 OR online danceworks.ca
World-renown soloist, Vincent Sekwati Mantsoe performs his ground-breaking solo works NTU (Nothing) and Skwatta as part of Harbourfront Centre’s NextSteps series.
Mantsoe is on tour with the Canadian premiere of these works. Both works embodyi the limitless spirituality and realities of his South African homeland, brought to life through his forceful, sinewy and tense performance. They are also politically and socially charged; Mantsoe finds hope and salvation in the human spirit – often fragile and tortured, but capable of great dignity and pride.
Journey
group 27
Trinty St. Paul’s Centre
January 30, 8PM
PWYC
Tickets available online
Group of 27 (g27) is a chamber orchestra comprised of some of Canada’s top musicians, dedicated to exploring the classical repertoire in vibrant, world-class performances. Led by Eric Paetkau, the performances present fresh interpretations of well-known masterworks and challenge listeners with new contemporary music, often commissioned specifically for this unique orchestra.
Featured Program For This Night:
- Beethoven’s 12 Contredanses
- Andrew Staniland’s Voyageur
- Dvorak’s Romance (Etsuko Kimura, solo)
- Mozart’s Symphony 35 – Haffner
How great is it that g27 offer PWYC admission? Absolutely great! I also really like the line-up for the night. A treat for classical music fans indeed.
FILM
Cineplex Entertainment’s Front Row Centre Events brings back its sixth annual Great Digital Film Festival, returning to select Cineplex theatres across the country from January 30 to February 5, 2015.
The festival brings a week of Hollywood’s greatest classics and fan favourites to the big screen, often for the first time in digital format.
Some of the titles part of the 2015 Great Digital Film Festival Lineup include:
- An all-day screening of the X-Men franchise: X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), X-Men: First Class (2011), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X2: X-Men United (2003), X-Men (2000)
- Blade Runner: The Final Cut (2007)
- Kill Bill Vol 1 (2003) and Kill Bill Vol 2 (2004)
- Alien (1979)
- Aliens (1986)
- Hellboy (2004)
- Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Tickets for the Great Digital Film Festival cost $6.99, with additional discounts available on the purchase of tickets to multiple films. Great price and great list of films, too. The X-Men fan in me is hoping to attend the all-day marathon.
For a complete list of participating theatres, showtimes or purchase tickets, visit Cineplex.com/DigitalFilmFest.
Documentary Films at The Bloor Cinema
Revenge of the Mekons
DJ Moe Berg will play a set prior to the screening on January 24, at 9:30 p.m., and band members from the Mekons will participate in a post-screening Skype Q&A.
Music on Film: Let’s Get Lost
Jazz musician Pat LaBarbera will participate in a post-screening Q&A on January 27, at 6:30 p.m.
These two special events are pat of the monthly line-up at the Bloor Cinema. For full cinema listings, screening times, and box office info, please visit bloorcinema.com.
At The Royal Cinema
Royal Retro – Taxi Driver
Starts Friday Jan 23 for 5 screenings
“All the animals come out at night” — and one of them is a cabby about to snap. In Martin Scorsese‘s classic 1970s drama, insomniac ex-Marine Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) works the nightshift, driving his cab throughout decaying mid-’70s New York City, wishing for a “real rain” to wash the “scum” off the neon-lit streets. A film that is a must-see on the silver screen.
Family Matinee! The Fantastic Mr. Fox
Sun Jan 25 – 2PM
Sat Jan 31 – 2PM
Kids Under 14 $5 / Adults $8 / Students & Seniors $6
Mr. and Mrs. Fox live an idyllic home life with their son Ash and visiting young nephew Kristopherson. But after 12 years, the bucolic existence proves too much for Mr Fox’s wild animal instincts. Soon he slips back into his old ways as a sneaky chicken thief and in doing so, endangers not only his beloved family, but the whole animal community. Wes Anderson enchants us again with this animated film; fun for the entire family.
Two of my favourite films, at my neighbourhood cinema… bonus! Take the streetcar to the Little Italy neighbourhood, have a coffee, and stay for a film… or two.
VISUAL ARTS
Art Battle Canada is having two dedicated gallery exhibitions at #Hashtag Gallery this month. These shows feature studio paintings selected from artists who have competed with ABC in live events across the country.
Selected – Studio Works by Art Battle Painters / Part 1 runs from January 22nd – January 29th
Selected – Studio Works by Art Battle Painters / Part 2 runs from January 29 – February 1st
I have yet to attend an Art Battle event but I am familiar with #Hashtag Gallery, and their various events. They showcase art that is not always ‘conventional’. If you have yet to visit this space, I encourage you make your way down for one of these shows.
Cloud Cell
By Xiaojing Yan
The Red Head Gallery
401 Richmond Street West
Until January 31
Xiaojing Yan’s artworks explore transformative spaces between nature, culture and the making of identity. She takes familiar objects and, through subtle material shifts, pries open their layers of meaning to reveal complex states of being in suspended possibility.
I am unfamiliar with Yan’s works, but that is part of the exploration of art… discovering new artists. This could be an opportunity to find a new local artist whose work you may like.
Last Wednesdays
401 Richmond
January 28, 5:00 – 8:00 PM
FREE Admission
Stop by after work to check out the latest shows at our galleries and artist-run centres, buy local at our independent shops, and grab a snack. You can take it all in on your own, or join William Huffman for a guided tour of the current exhibitions.
I have attended a Last Wednesdays event before, and I learned quite a bit about this great building. 401 Richmond is not only a great architectural space, but it houses several galleries and other artistic offices and venues as well. A very lovely space to sit and contemplate as well.
Thus I say, forget the winter blahs. Come out and play!
