Stage Door News

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

Sunday, November 1, 2020

What's happening in November along the Bloor St. Culture Corridor?

Bata Shoe Museum

From virtual events to behind the scenes content, the BSM has so much to offer this month! Their annual Founder's Lecture event will be online this year and will feature award-winning costume designer Marci Rodgers on November 10. Culture writer, film critic and columnist, Nathalie Atkinson will discuss the story of Cinderella in film in the third installment of their Salon Series on November 25.  And audiences can also check out Off the Shelf, a new Reels and Tiktok series every Wednesday and Saturday to learn more about the collection in 30 seconds or less. Those wanting a jump on holiday shopping can also visit their online Shop - with new products added every week, unique shoe-inspired gift ideas are aplenty!  Visit their website to keep up with all the #BSMFromHome content.

Native Canadian Centre of Toronto

Happening at the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto: the 2020 Toronto Indigenous Artisan Marketplace, online!Shop Local with 100% authentic, handmade, Canadian Indigenous Artisan Jewelry, moccasins, paintings, bead work, Dream Catchers, clothing, arts, crafts & more! Taking place November 13-22, and accessed through the NCCT website and on their Facebook event page.

Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)

The Royal Ontario Museum continues its Curator Conversations with two events in the month of November. Dino Cancer is free and takes place November 11 at 4pm - join the ROM's David Evans & Mark Crowther of McMaster University as they discuss their recently published research that establishes a clear link between human disease and diseases of the past, and opens the doors to a greater understanding of the genetics and evolution of animal diseases. And then on November 18 at 4pm is Egyptian Art - Ancient Culture, Contemporary Expression - join ROM's Fahmida Suleiman as she explores contemporary Egyptian art with Habiba El-Sayed, Toronto-based artist whose performance, temporal and sculptural works centre around themes of identity, perception and resistance. And finally, all-new photographs from around the world reveal striking wildlife, breathtaking landscapes, and the remarkable beauty of our natural world in the annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year, November 21-May 2. Learn more on their website.

Museum of Estonians Abroad (VEMU)

In November the Museum of Estonians Abroad/VEMU will host interesting online lectures. On November 18 at 7pm U of T Professor emeritus Peeter Põldre will give a talk on COVID-19: Past, Present, Future - a great opportunity to ask questions from an eminent medical doctor. On November 25 at 7pm filmmaker and human rights activist Marcus Kolga will give a talk Tallinn Calling: Jazz, Punk, Rock n' Roll and Youth Culture in The Soviet Union. Both lectures are in English and on Zoom. Find more info at the VEMU FB page. If you want to learn to cook Estonian dishes, check out VEMU's Youtube Channel on November 11 at 7pm when they'll be "Cooking with Käbi". On November 15 at noon VEMU and the Estonian Summer University in Muskoka will screen the Estonian documentary Fred Jüssi - the Beauty of Being about a well-know Estonian environmentalist followed by a discussion with the film director Jaan Tootsen. At VEMU Youtube Channel in the Estonian language.

Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir

Tafelmusik offers two online concerts this month. Many baroque composers experimented with re-pitching some of the strings to draw different sounds and possibilities from the violin, a technique called scordatura. On November 12 at 8pm EST, Close Encounters: Re-tuned, part of their chamber series, explores one of the most popular of these re-tunings (AEAE), which offers a very open, resonant sound - evoking trumpets and vielles (medieval string instruments). Tafelmusik also says a quick hello to their fiddler cousins, who still turn to this tuning for some of their traditional tunes. On November 26 at 8pm EST, Passions of the Soul is a microcosm of their season theme, "Passions of the Soul." In their quest to awe and inspire, 18th-century composers strove to describe the desires of the soul and touch the hearts of listeners with poignant and captivating music. (This event was originally scheduled for October 22.) Join Tafelmusik from the comfort of your home, and visit their website for more details. 

Toronto Reference Library

Toronto Reference Library continues offering high-quality programming you can enjoy at home with TPL's Live & Online series. TPL's signature literary series, The Appel Salon, hosts live broadcasts with local and international authors in conversation about their latest books and big ideas. Tune in on November 6 for a conversation with Janet Evanovich talking about her highly anticipated 27th book in her Stephanie Plum series. On November 9 at noon, beloved broadcaster Marci Ien will be chatting with her former Social co-host Cynthia Loyst about her new memoir, Off Script. And on November 13, Susie Yang, Alexandra Chang and Steph Cha discuss their latest novels, each of which explore adapting to a new and changing world. Explore these and more - all of TPL's Live & Online programs online at tpl.ca.

The Music Gallery

In an aim to spur the kind of creative interactions improvisers & video artists often manifest in the live realm in a safe and engaging way, The Music Gallery and The Departures Series has embarked on a new adaptation of an age old game, Exquisite Corpse. Pioneered and popularised by French surrealists in the 20's & 30's, the game typically involves either illustration or text. One artist starts an image and passes it along to a second, who only seeing a small portion of the previous collaborator's contribution continues the illustration, then passes it on to a third artist, so on and so forth. For Exquisite Departures they've invited 15 Toronto based improvisers and 6 video artists to play an audio/visual version of this game over 15 recorded tracks. Exquisite Departures takes place on November 20, 2020 at 7pm EST. For full lineup and stream link, please visit them via their site.

Randolph Centre for the Arts

The RCPA is proud to present Wonderful Town, November 24-29! This Tony Award-winning 1953 musical follows sisters Ruth and Eileen Sherwood as they trade rural Ohio for the bright lights and excitement of New York City, finding frustration, career hopes and romance in the city of their dreams.  Book by Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov (Based upon the play "My Sister Eileen" by Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov and the stories by Ruth McKenney). Music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and sketches for "What A Waste" by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The production is directed by Thom Allison, choreographed by David Ball, and Digital Media and Set Design by Brandon Kleiman with Musical Direction by Jeannie Wyse. The event is Powered by Stream Stage, and you can find out more here.

Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre

November arts and culture at the Miles Nadal JCC launches with series of four literary classes with New York Times religion columnist and host of Tablet magazine's podcast Unorthodox, Mark Oppenheimer. Short Story, Long Life: Bernard Malamud, Philip Roth, Cynthia Ozick, and David Bezmozgis; November 4 - 23. On November 5, for Holocaust Education Week, learn about Circus Jews Under National Socialism with stage artist Stav Meishar, a lecture with excerpts from her one woman show, The Escape Artist. Cook online with the Jewish& Cookbook on November 8: Pizza Napoletana with Kat Romanow of The Wandering Chew. Design Movements in the 19th and 20th Centuries with Peter Harris begins at MNjcc On Demand on November 16. On November 26, our free book club will discuss Sue Monk Kidd's, The Invention of Wings. We close November with The Gender Lady: The Fabulous Dr. May Cohen, presented by the Toronto Jewish Film Society, streaming November 28-29. Visit their website and on-demand site.

Alliance Française de Toronto

What's going on at Alliance Française in November? Join them online on Saturday, November 7 and listen to the unique music of Blaise La Bamba and Kotakoli. On Saturday, November 14, discover Impressionist artist Berthe Morisot with a virtual guided tour by Ophélie Delacour in collaboration with the Toronto Public Library! Jazz up your world online, on Saturday, November 21 with renowned guitarist Stéphane Wrembel, and later that week, on Wednesday November 25, discover Slimane Zeghidour's online talk. Finally, on Sunday, November 29, discover the magical world of The Old Man and the River, a play for children by Lynda Hill and Thomas Morgan Jones. All month long, discover their Thursday movie nights with Portrait of a Lady on Fire on November 5, and Insyriated on November 19. For all of our events check out their website

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library

Have you always wanted to know more about the Fisher Library's vast and diverse holdings? Or maybe you're curious about their staff? Well, here's your chance! The Fisher has launched a brand-new video podcast series titled Between the Pillars. Every second Friday, at 12:30pm, they'll be livestreaming via the Fisher's YouTube Channel a short conversation - around 15 or 20 minutes - between a staff member from the Fisher and John Shoesmith, the library's Outreach Librarian. The conversations, which will be filmed in the library's Maclean Hunter Room - between their large pillars, naturally - will be casual and relaxed, and based around a particular theme that will showcase many of the library's treasures. November's line up will cover collecting science and medicine at the Fisher on November 6 as well as U of T and the Wars on November 20. More information about the Fisher can be found here.

The Japan Foundation, Toronto

Considering the current changing circumstances, with everyone's safety in mind, The Japan Foundation, Toronto has decided to temporarily close their centre to the public. All of the online programs will continue as announced. Interested in speaking Japanese? Take a look at Irodori, the new free online resource to learn how to communicate in Japanese for daily life. Many options for learning Japanese are available in their Japanese language resources. The Japan Foundation 2021 fiscal year Program Guidelines are now available! Each year, the Japan Foundation conducts grants and programs that provide project support to individuals and organizations in the three major areas of Arts and Cultural Exchange, Japanese-Language Education Overseas, Japanese Studies and Intellectual Exchange. The guidelines for fiscal year 2021's programs are now available, and applications are officially open. More details are available at their website.

University of Toronto Faculty of Music

The University of Toronto Faculty of Music kicks off the 2020-21 season of signature series Thursdays at Noon with a concert from U of T Opera Nov 5 at 12 pm. Spotlight on our Singers will introduce the student artists of U of T Opera and highlights from this year's Opera season including its Fall 2020 production A Little Night Music: From Mozart to Sondheim, Nov 27 & 28. The Faculty's Historical Performance area continues a wonderful line up of virtual master classes with guests from across North America and Europe including Michael Chance, Suzie Leblanc and Emma Kirby. All events are online only. Please visit their website for details!

Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema

Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema is here to help you relax into winter. This November on Hot Docs at Home, enjoy the premieres of new documentaries on climate activist Greta Thunberg and former US President, Jimmy Carter. Speaking of Presidents, there's still time to experience Hot Docs' America Votes series, wrapping up November 10 with a post-election debrief featuring The New Yorker's Susan Glassman and Harvard's Lawrence Lessig. Stay curious with new online lecture series on world-changing women throughout history and the houses of cultural icons. Hot Docs Members get free access to a new slate of curated programming, including a portrait of Emily Carr, introduced by former Governor General of Canada Adrienne Clarkson; the digital launch of a new collection by beloved former CBC anchor Peter Mansbridge, and the latest installment of Music on Film: Beethoven's Hair, featuring a performance by pianist Alexander Malikov and Q&A with the film's director, Larry Weinstein. For more information, visit their website.

Istituto Italiano di Cultura

For the month of November, the Istituto Italiano di Cultura, with the Institutes of Montreal and the USA, presents the art webinar Raphael in the Vatican: A special year for the Vatican museums, as part of the schedule of events commemorating the 500th anniversary of the passing of master painter, Raffaello. 2020 marks the 16th edition of the European Film Festival, which will be held online this year. Italy's feature presentation is The Goddess of Fortune by award-winning director, Ferzan Ozpetek.  Check the IIC website regularly for updates on more events, including Italian Design Day 2020. 

Gardiner Museum

Don't miss your chance to see the special exhibition RAW, closing on November 8. Featuring installations by four artists who are pushing boundaries with raw clay, the exhibition explores themes of memory, trans visibility, and environmental sustainability. The works have been evolving over the course of the exhibition. Come see the final transformation! Don't forget that admission is free on weekends for the rest of 2020. There's never been a better time to visit! These free Community Building Weekends, which include family art activities from 11 am-3 pm, are a chance for visitors to reconnect and enjoy a safe and inspiring art experience. Visit the Gardiner Museum website to plan your visit.

Women’s Art Association of Canada

The Women's Art Association of Canada is open and welcoming visitors Monday to Thursday 9am-4pm! On until November 3 is FOUR CORNERS with works by Kathleen Gabriel, Ulla Djelweh, and Ted Scott. Also on until November 17 is Works on Paper and Vellum, a solo exhibition from WAAC member Pi Israelsson. Finally, be sure to tune in November 18 at 1pm for a Zoom lecture by renowned photography gallerist Stephen Bulger. Visit their website for more information!

The Royal Conservatory

This November, The Royal Conservatory kicks off the Beethoven 250 Festival and offers a range of online concerts from Koerner Hall. Kuné - Canada's Global Orchestra and Moskitto Bar will perform a free public livestream live from Koerner Hall on November 14. Similarly, the Glenn Gould School Fall Opera double bill of Kurt Weill's The Seven Deadly Sins and William Bolcom's Lucrezia will be presented online for free on November 20. The Conservatory's Beethoven 250 Festival starts on November 22, as Canadian pianist Charles Richard-Hamelin joins the Rolston Quartet for in an all-Beethoven program of String Quartet No. 7 in F Major, op. 59, no. 1 ("Razumovsky" 1) and Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat Major, op. 73 ("Emperor"). Also joining them is Toronto Symphony Orchestra bassist Jeffrey Beecher. NEW! Concert livestreams are now being offered for purchase for many upcoming concerts. Click here for more information about upcoming concerts and livestreams.

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