Diapente and COMTESSA join forces again in this program dedicated to the music of 14th century composer Guillaume de Machaut. Presented in partnership with Friends of Music at St. Thomas.
First performed in Denmark in 2023, Brendan Fernandes’ The Calls (2023) was composed in collaboration with Niels Rosing-Schow. It was conceived during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and it remarks on moments of civil unrest and state violence through the enduring sounds of police and ambulance sirens. Developed amidst the anxieties of that moment, the performance resonates to this day. Toronto Biennial of Art 2026 curator Allison Glenn invited Brendan to consider Lake Ontario as a location for the second iteration of this work, resulting in The Calls (Toronto), which emphasizes the idea of an embodied journey or encounter. To experience this performance, situated on the Kajama Tall Ship on Lake Ontario, attendees will board the ship and sail around the harbour for one hour. The Modern Sound Collective Choir of 18 voices is accompanied by two dancers who act as guides; together, they combine abstract sounds and vocal sirens as the ship moves across the lake.
Co-presented by the Toronto Biennial of Art and TO Live.
Sailing 1 schedule: Boarding: 12 pm Departure: 12:30 pm Return: 1:30 pm Disembark: 1:45 pm
Sailing 2 schedule: Boarding: 2:15 pm Departure: 2:45 pm Return: 3:45 pm Disembark: 4 pm
Free admission, register online
It was Frederick the Great who first referred to one of his greyhounds as his ‘best friend,’ and Voltaire who later praised the dog as the most faithful of all the animals. Join us as we begin the 2026-27 season with a musical and mixed-media celebration of the dog, with effervescent music by Charpentier, Vivaldi, Monteverdi, Purcell, Rameau, Sweelinck and Bull. You’ll enjoy it even if you’re a cat person. =>
Louise Hung, harpsichord; Cristina Zacharias & Patricia Ahern, violins; Matt Antal, viola; Felix Deák, cello; Jonathan Stuchbery, theorbo.
Two tenors, theorbos, and baroque guitars!
The Rock on Locke - St. John the Evangelist, 320 Charlton Ave West, Hamilton, ON
Bud Roach and Jonathan Stuchbery present a programme of Northern Italian love songs, with guest soprano Sheila Dietrich.
An encore performance of Diapente's program celebrating the life and music of John Dowland 400 years since his death. This will be the opening show of the Toronto Lachrimae Festival and presented by Friends of Music at St. Thomas.