Stage Door News

Toronto: What’s happening on the Bloor Street Culture Corridor in November

Friday, November 1, 2019

November is the perfect time to start thinking about gifts for friends and family for the holidays, and the Bloor St. Culture Corridor is the perfect place to get your shopping done! Many (in fact most!) of our partners have options, whether it's through their gift shops, or tickets and passes available year-round. And in the meantime, check out some of our select events coming up in November 2019.

The Royal Conservatory of Music

While most of the November concerts at Koerner Hall are already sold out, tickets still remain for select concerts. Canadian soprano Karina Gauvin is joined by the Pacific Baroque Orchestra in a concert titled Russian White Nights: Opera arias from 18th century St. Petersburg on November 1. Two powerhouse singers share an unforgettable night of Portuguese fado and Italian cabaret November 9: platinum-selling Portuguese artist Carminho and Italian singer, lyricist, and actress, Pilar, backed up by a Toronto all-star band featuring Michael and Roberto Occhipinti. To honour Memphis and her roots, three-time Grammy and Tony Award winner Dee Dee Bridgewater recaptures the magic and history of the classic songs originally made in Memphis on November 28, in a concert titled Memphis ... Yes, I'm Ready! Called "gospel titans" by Rolling Stone, the Blind Boys of Alabama have risen to fame with their thrilling vocal harmonies and roof-raising live shows. Their November 29 concert features Christmas songs Gospel classics.

Women's Art Association of Canada  

f8 Photography Collective presents Magical Perceptions- Dignam Gallery - Oct 28 to Nov 3, 2019 (FREE). Members of this Collective direct their gaze to find the magical in the everyday and the monumental. If Paintings Could Talk - Dignam Gallery - Nov 4-9 (FREE). Marilyn Brookspresents a retrospective of her art created the past 16 years. Works depict a broad range of women as characters with charm, and whimsy. Also Anita Thomas-Maillé (spent 7 years as Design Director and Pattern Drafter for Marilyn Brooks) now a photographer and artist presents a collection of works exploring a range of styles and mediums. LUMINANCE Foto Group Inaugural Exhibition - Dignam Gallery - Nov 11-16 (FREE). This new group of photographers comes with a personal touch, unique photographic vision exhibiting high-quality images. WAAC Benchmark EVENT: Holiday Gala Cocktail Party and Member Small Gems Exhibition. Raffles, silent auction, members Art Works, and terrific finds. Nov 22, 5:30pm (RSVP $35).  Luncheon and Lecture Nov 27, 12:30 pm - Dignam Gallery - (RSVP $30) Author Carol Bishop Gwyn presents a new book Art and Rivalry: The Marriage of Mary and Christopher Pratt.

Gardiner Museum

Journey from the gardens at Versailles to the steamy kitchens of cooks who advocated light, flavourful cuisine centuries before our times with the exhibition Savour: Food Culture in the Age of Enlightenment. Explore the radical changes that swept food and dining culture in France from 1650 until the French Revolution in 1789, and how these changes have had a lasting impact on today's food trends. Dive deeper into the delectable exhibition with a Curator Tour that includes light morning fare on November 3 and a Curator Talk on November 4. On November 21, the International Ceramic Art Fair launches with a Preview Gala celebrating women-identified artists at the forefront of contemporary ceramics. Be the first to experience a curated selection of extraordinary new artworks while surrounded by a vibrant party atmosphere complete with delectable cuisine, a DJ, and more. Tickets are now on sale!

Alliance Francaise de Toronto

What's up in November at Alliance Française Toronto? Exciting events as usual! Meet Anne Sila on November 2 for an acoustic session and a Q&A, in partnership with Live Nation. Until December 11 discover The Montréaler, an exhibition of drawings exploring the multicultural Montreal. The curators invite you for a talk on November 6. Think about The Fall by Albert Camus at the book club on November 7 and enjoy the play interpreted on stage on November 9. Travel with Grooz on November 16 on the sounds of electric guitars and Gnawa instruments, in partnership with Batuki. On November 20 a talk about Les 9 vies de Marie-Angélique le Blanc explores the life of a woman deserving to be known. As always our weekly rendez-vous are Thursday-movies: come see Ziva Postec, the editor behind the movie Shoah on November 07, Persepolis on November 14, on November 21, and Tomboy on November 28.

918 Bathurst Centre

November brings more excitement at 918 Bathurst. Start the month with the return of the Comedy Brawl Finals on November 2, where one of 8 finalists will leave with the title of 2019 Toronto Comedy Brawl champion. RISE Thursday returns for their monthly residency on November 7. Jazz pianist Ron Davis, fresh from a successful run of shows at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, presents SymphRONica on November 9. The Music Gallery presents three eclectic concerts, including a Continuum 35th Anniversary Celebration on November 3, A Celebration of Casey Sokol on November 17, and their signature Emergents Series feature the Baker-Hess Duo on November 24. Capping off the month and entering its sixth sinister year, HORROR-RAMA 2019 returns and is Toronto's only all-horror and cult movie convention and celebration, happening November 30 and December 1.

Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre

This November the Miles Nadal JCC is hosting Holocaust Education Week events with a lecture, a gallery exhibit and a film. In their Gallery, On the Doorposts: Making New Jewish Art from Traces of Jewish Past in Poland with artists/designers, Helena Czernek and Aleksander Pruga, closes on November 27. The Toronto Jewish Film Society presents the German/Russian elegant drama Paradise on November 3 in the Al Green Theatre. On November 7, join Alan Simons in a daytime lecture: Why Was the 20th Century the Century of Genocide? Later in November, learn about Ruth Bader Ginsberg with educator Hana Werner on November 15. On November 21 enjoy the songs of Sophie Tucker - The Last of the Red Hot Mamas with singer Honey Novick, accompanied by Neil Gardiner. Shlomo Schwartzberg hosts The Best of Screwball Comedies and Rom-Coms on November 28. Also on November 28, Cathy Crowe details her life as a nurse and social justice activist at a book reading: A Knapsack Full of Dreams.

Bata Shoe Museum

November is Wizard of Oz month at the BSM!  Every weekend this month, visitors can enjoy continuous screenings of the classic film The Wizard of Oz, while kids can also try on costumes inspired by the film and make a Wizard of Oz themed craft.  On November 5, the museum welcomes curator Ryan Lintelman and conservator Dawn Wallace from the Smithsonian Institution for the Annual Founder's Lecture for a conversation about their ambitious project to conserve and display the world's most famous footwear - the Ruby Slippers - tickets on sale now.  Other November events include making shoe origami on November 3, sketching in the galleries on November 8 and a stroller tour for parents and kids on November 27.  Throughout the month, the BSM is holding its annual Warm the Sole Sock Drive in support of a local charity.  Visitors are asked to bring along a new pair of socks to donate to the drive - free admission with a donation every weekend!

Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema

Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema brings your favourite audio storytellers from the studio to the stage at Hot Docs Podcast Festival from November 6-11. Featuring over 12 chart-topping podcasts performed live, including The Splendid Table, Still Processing, and The Allusionist - plus, an expanded Creators Forum conference for podcast makers and industry pros. Get to know celebrated author Margaret Atwood through stories of her early years as a poet, and the process of finishing the anticipated follow-up to The Handmaid's Tale. RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars superstar Trixie Mattel provides an all-access pass to her rollicking one-woman show tour in a Hot Docs '19 favourite. Award-winning columnist Lauren Duca discusses her new book, How to Start a Revolution, a razor-sharp guide for empowering youth and challenging the political status quo. Pay tribute to late verité master D.A. Pennebaker with five must-see films that defined the documentary giant's ground-breaking career.

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library

This month at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, they will be hosting their bi-annual Open House, featuring recently purchased and donated materials. Held on November 7 between noon and 5pm, it is an excellent opportunity to see some of the treasures that have entered their collections, along with meeting and chatting with the staff that acquire them. On display for the entire month of November will be an exhibition highlighting our collection of comics, graphic novels and "wordless narratives," with a special emphasis on Canadian content. Also continuing is the exhibition The Lumiere Press Archives: Photography and the Fine Press, which features archival material from the only fine press in the world devoted exclusively to photography and photographers. It runs until December 20. A downloadable audio guide for the exhibition is available on SoundCloud and iTunes.

The Japan Foundation

The Japan Foundation, Toronto is bringing back Cinema Kabuki to the big screen in high definition this November 2019. The program on November 9 features Kumagai's Camp at 11:30am and A Lover's Duet at 2pm. Don't miss the Canadian premiere of Akoya on November 10 at 11amfollowed by Three Thieves Named Kichisa at 1:30pm. Kabuki Theatre, with origins dating back to the 1600s, has remained steeped in tradition while constantly innovating itself. Live productions, featuring some of today's greatest Kabuki stars, are now being filmed with high resolution cameras for screening in cinemas on state-of-the-art digital projection systems and six-channel sound.  The new exhibition in the gallery, Fans Onstage: Handheld Splendors of the Japanese Traditional Arts will be displaying close to 60 handcrafted, stunning, folding fans that are used in Kabuki and Noh theatre.

Museum of Estonians Abroad (VEMU) 

In November the Museum of Estonians Abroad/VEMU is organizing two major events: Estonian Music Week and Latitude44. The Latitude44 tech conference will be held on November 14-15 at the WE Global Learning Centre and the concerts take place in various events in Toronto. On Sunday, November 17 at 4pm the Estonian Music Week closing party will take place in Tartu College with a concert by Vaiko Eplik (Estonia) and other performers. There will also be the opening of Laani Heinar's exhibit of her works for the EMW/L44 2019 social media campaign. As part of the music week special program, VEMU will organize a special concert with Laila Biali and Kadri Voorand, both award-winning female vocalists, on Saturday, November 30 at 7pm at Royal Cinema on College St. Tickets available at Eventbrite. VEMU also organizes different lectures in Tartu College in November. On Sunday, November 3 at 3pm the Estonian authors Kai Aareleid and Rein Raud will talk about their recent works. VEMU is supporting their participation in TIFA (Toronto International Festival of Authors). On Wednesday, November 6 at 7pm Prof. Andres Kasekamp will give a lecture about a historical period in Estonia, called The Silent Era. Both events will be in Estonian.

Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir 

Quench a thirst you didn't even know you had in Bloodsuckers: Legends to Leeches, a new ROM-original exhibition where nature and culture truly collide. Opening November 16, Bloodsuckers will explore the intricacies, evolution, and interconnected world of blood-feeding organisms, and the folklore, legends and pop culture they have influenced around the world and across time. Dance, drink, and discover the ROM like never before at Friday Night Live. Events continue every Friday night throughout November, with live music, performances, gallery experiences and special exhibition access. Visit the ROM website for details and tickets. On November 5, celebrate the centenary of the famed Bauhaus school with Regina Bittner, senior scholar at the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation, at the ROM Speaks lecture Bauhaus 100th Anniversary: Women of Modernism - Expanding the Bauhaus Canon. Regina will explore the lives and works of prominent female alumnae who made their careers in London during the 1930s, including Edith Tudor-Hardt and Margaret Leischner.

Royal Ontario Museum

Quench a thirst you didn't even know you had in Bloodsuckers: Legends to Leeches, a new ROM-original exhibition where nature and culture truly collide. Opening November 16, Bloodsuckers will explore the intricacies, evolution, and interconnected world of blood-feeding organisms, and the folklore, legends and pop culture they have influenced around the world and across time. Dance, drink, and discover the ROM like never before at Friday Night Live. Events continue every Friday night throughout November, with live music, performances, gallery experiences and special exhibition access. Visit the ROM website for details and tickets. On November 5, celebrate the centenary of the famed Bauhaus school with Regina Bittner, senior scholar at the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation, at the ROM Speaks lecture Bauhaus 100th Anniversary: Women of Modernism - Expanding the Bauhaus Canon. Regina will explore the lives and works of prominent female alumnae who made their careers in London during the 1930s, including Edith Tudor-Hardt and Margaret Leischner.

Toronto Reference Library

Toronto Public Library presents its annual family-focused exhibit, "You, Me, Us: Outstanding Books For and About Young People with Disabilities" from November 16 to January 26, 2020 in the TD Gallery of Toronto Reference Library. This exhibit includes highlights from The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Collection for Young People with Disabilities, and features books published around the world that are recognized for their exceptional content and design. Enjoy free guided tours of the exhibit on Tuesdays at 2pm (except Dec 23 & 30). Book a customized visit or storytime by emailing ibby@tpl.ca. Don't miss an exciting and engaging evening with Michael McCreary, author of Funny, You Don't Look Autistic: A Comedian's Guide to Life on the Spectrum on December 16.

University of Toronto Faculty of Music

The University of Toronto Faculty of Music presents U of T Opera's production of The Marriage of Figaro for four performances only November 21-24. As one of the most beloved operas in the entire repertory, The Marriage of Figaro remains the benchmark against which all other comic operas are measured. On November 11, soprano Monica Whicher and pianist Steven Philcox, joined by violinist Marie Bérard, present Of War and Peace, a program of remembrance represented by centuries of song. November 13, conductor Rob Kapilow, this year's Wilma and Clifford Smith Visitor in Music, presents The Great Bands of the Swing Era with the U of T Jazz Orchestra as part of his What Makes It Great?® series. Thursdays at Noon continues November 28 with U of T Jazz and Strings faculty performing David Braid's Juno Award-winning Lele's Tune scored for jazz and string quartet.

The Music Gallery

Continuum Contemporary Music and the Music Gallery present
Continuum's 35th Anniversary Celebration Concert on Nov 3! Continuum began in 1985 as a collective of young rebel composers and performers who were disenchanted by the mainstream programming of the time. Since then, they have grown to become one of Canada's major producers and collaborators of new works of music with an international reputation for excellence in performance and innovation in programming. With this concert, they celebrate the Music Gallery's unique mandate and their 35-year legacy of collaboration, performance, and creation within contemporary chamber music. With new works by Jason Doell, Emilie LeBel, and more.

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