Toronto Mendelssohn Choir: St. Matthew Passion Speaks Across Boundaries
It is hard to imagine that even a composer as great as J.S. Bach endured decades of obscurity after his death in 1750. It was…
Denise Lai
Denise Lai
Denise Lai is a Physiotherapist and College Professor. She is an alumnus of the McGill Choral Society and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, and a rusty piano player.
From this author
Review | Canadian Opera Company’s Rigoletto Dazzles with Spectacular Singing
Rigoletto, Giuseppe Verdi’s masterpiece and one of opera’s most tragic stories, opened Canadian Opera Company’s winter season on Jan. 24 to a full house on…
Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s Messiah: Conductor Michael Francis on the Greatest Work of Art
For the past 90 years, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Toronto Mendelssohn Choir have performed Handel’s Messiah together. Like the Nutcracker ballet, Messiah is an…
Review | Renée Fleming Enchants at Toronto’s Koerner Hall
On Nov. 1, a night when downtown Toronto was all abuzz about the final decisive game of the World Series, Koerner Hall was filled with…
Review | Soprano Nikan Ingabire Kanate wins COC Ensemble Studio Competition
Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio Competition is one of the most anticipated events in Canada’s opera world. Now in its 12th year, the competition is…
Review | COC’s Orfeo ed Euridice Radiates Simple Beauty with Perfectly-Matched Vocals
How do you make a 90-minute opera with only three characters, staged against a black, white and grey backdrop interesting? That is a challenge the…
Jean-Sébastien Vallée: Five More Years at the Helm of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir
The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir (TMC) has just announced the renewal of Jean-Sébastien Vallée’s contract for five years, beginning in the 2026-27 season, through to 2030-31.…
Midori Marsh: The Fast-Rising Soprano Explores Sisterhood & Animal Rights
Ever since American-Canadian soprano Midori Marsh won First Prize and the Audience Choice Award at the 2019 Canadian Opera Company Centre Stage competition, her career…
Review | COC’s Madama Butterfly a Profound Emotional Journey
With its epic music and heartbreaking story, it is no surprise that Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly remains one of the most popular and beloved operas…
Review | TSO Delights with Dvořák and Mozart Crowd-Pleasers
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) heralded the new year with two audience favourites: Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K. 622 and Dvořák’s Symphony No.…
