This Week in Toronto (May 30 - June 5)

Now that the opera season in Toronto has more or less come to an end - the COC Ensemble's Cosi fan tutte excepted, there is still the symphony and ballet, thankfully! The Toronto Symphony has Mahler Symphony No. 6, with the return of former TS conductor Gunther Herbig. Opening night was last Thursday, and tonight at 8 pm is the second and last performance. Also on the program is Haydn's Cello Concerto, a rather unusual combination, I must say! The cellist is Johannes Moser.

Tomorrow, Sunday 2pm in Massey Hall is the second performance of Haydn's oratorio The Creation by Tafelmusik, conducted by Bruno Weil. Soloists include Canadian soprano Nancy Argenta making one of her comparatively rare appearances in Toronto. Also featured are tenor Jan Kobow and baritone Locky Chung. This concert is part of Tafelmusik's Baroque Summer Festival.

Next week marks the return of violinist extraordinaire, Gil Shaham, playing the Canadian premiere of William Bolcom's Violin Concerto. Also on the program is Brahms Symphony No. 1. The conductor is Leonard Slatkin, Music Director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. On Saturday June 6 (8 pm), American violinist Joshua Bell returns for a single performance of Lalo's Symphonie espagnole with the Toronto Symphony, also under the baton of Slatkin.

If you are into ballet, the National Ballet of Canada's spring season is in full swing. The big news is the farewell performance of Chinese-Canadian ballerina Chan Hong Goh, as Giselle on Sunday 2 pm. She will be partnered by Zdenek Konvalina. This show is completely sold out. However, there are two performances today, a matinee at 2 pm (danced by Xiao Nan Yu) and an evening performance at 7:30 pm, with Sonia Rodriguez as Giselle.