Orchestra Toronto Presents
Theatrical Operatic Fusion
Featuring
Karoline Podolak
Scott Rumble
James Westman
Date & Time
Sunday, April 6, 2025, 3:00 p.m.
pre-concert chat at 2:15
two hours & 30 minutes with intermission
Venue
The George Weston Recital Hall at the Meridian Arts Centre, 5040 Yonge St.
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Donizetti: Sinfonia “Don Pasquale”
orchestra
Verdi: Prelude to Rigoletto
Verdi: Pari siamo (Act I: Rigoletto)
Figlia!…Mio padre!…..Ah! veglia, o donna
soprano, baritone
Verdi: Overture to “I vespri siciliani”
orchestra
Verdi: O magnanima e prima - La pia materna mano (Act I: La battaglia di Legnano)
tenor
Verdi: Sì, vendetta (Rigoletto)
soprano, baritone
Wagner: Prelude to “Die Meistersinger”
orchestra
Wagner: Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond (Walküre)
tenor
Wagner: Ride of the Valkyries (Die Walküre) (arr Hutschenruyter)
orchestra
Delibes: Bell song (Lakmé)
soprano
Bizet: Au fond du temple saint (Act I Les pêcheurs du perles)
tenor, baritone
Bernstein: Glitter and Be Gay (Act I Candide)
soprano
Puccini: Nessun dorma (Act III Turandot)
tenor
Verdi: Libiamo (Act I La traviata) -
Karoline Podolak
Scott Rumble
James Westman
Alongside these operatic highlights, the program features Verdi’s O magnanima e prima from La battaglia di Legnano, a rousing call to arms infused with patriotic fervor, and the exhilarating Bell Song from Lakmé, a showcase of dazzling vocal acrobatics. Bizet’s Au fond du temple saint offers one of opera’s most hauntingly beautiful duets, while Wagner’s Winterstürme wichen dem Wonnemond from Die Walküre captures a rare moment of tenderness in a stormy saga. Whether it’s the sweeping grandeur of I vespri siciliani or the unbreakable spirit of Libiamo from La Traviata, this concert brings together opera’s most unforgettable moments in one thrilling evening.
With soprano Karoline Podolak, tenor Scott Rumble, and baritone James Westman at the helm, this is a concert packed with drama, virtuosity, and passion.
Orchestra Toronto presents an evening of opera’s most celebrated orchestral and vocal works, featuring music by Verdi, Wagner, Puccini, and more. This concert brings together powerful overtures, iconic arias, and captivating duets, showcasing the depth and brilliance of the operatic repertoire.
Experience the raw intensity of Verdi’s Sì, vendetta, a fierce showdown of betrayal and revenge from Rigoletto. Feel the unstoppable energy of Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries, a piece so bold and electrifying it became a symbol of cinematic and musical power. Revel in the shimmering coloratura of Glitter and Be Gay, Bernstein’s playful and virtuosic showpiece, and the unrelenting passion of Puccini’s Nessun dorma, one of opera’s most triumphant moments.