The first program of the season in Tafelmusik’s home venue, Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre includes a new Thursday night performance
Toronto, ON, (September 16, 2025) – This October, Tafelmusik launches its home season at Jeanne Lamon Hall with a program that bridges 18th-century drama and modern pop culture. Vivaldi’s World running October 23–26 showcases Vivaldi as one of music’s greatest sonic storytellers. The program is guest directed by acclaimed Spanish violinist Lina Tur Bonet, who returns to Tafelmusik after her sensational debut in 2024. For the first time, Tafelmusik adds Thursday evening performances to its home season at Jeanne Lamon Hall, Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, an exciting expansion that offers audiences even more opportunities to experience the orchestra live. Following its Toronto run, the program travels to the National Arts Centre in Ottawa on October 27, 2025.
Anchored in the brilliance of Vivaldi and his contemporaries, Vivaldi’s World showcases the virtuosity, invention, and sheer theatricality of baroque music. Paired with works by Scarlatti, Albicastro, and Zelenka, the concert promises high drama, breathtaking virtuosity, and unexpected cultural connections. The program culminates in Geminiani’s Concerto “La Follia” variations on one of the most famous bass lines in history, heard across centuries of music from the baroque to Beethoven, Brittney Spears and the soundtrack from Succession.
“Vivaldi was one of music’s greatest storytellers,” says Lina Tur Bonet, Tafelmusik’s Guest Director for Vivaldi’s World. “Each concerto is like a miniature play, full of colour, character, and emotion. With Vivaldi’s World, we invite audiences to step into these sonic dramas, from virtuosic fireworks to the familiar strains of La Follia, which continues to echo today in popular culture.”
“Lina’s charismatic brilliance was a great match for Tafelmusik’s virtuosity during her first visit in 2024,” says Cristina Zacharias, Artistic Co-Director. “Vivaldi’s World promises more fireworks and more passion, all delivered with the joyful inventiveness that each performer brings to the stage.”
Full Program:
● Albicastro: Concerto in C Minor, op. 7, no. 4
● Vivaldi: Concerto for violin “Il Grosso Mogul,” RV 208
● Vivaldi: Concerto for two oboes in D Minor, RV 535
● Scarlatti: Sinfonia No. 5 in A Minor
● Zelenka: Sinfonia in A Minor, ZWV 189
● Geminiani: Concerto XII after Corelli in D Minor “Follia”
The concert also shines a spotlight on remarkable soloists:
Violinist Lina Tur Bonet returns to Tafelmusik in Vivaldi’s spectacular Il Grosso Mogul, a concerto so virtuosic it was considered almost unplayable in its day. (watch her perform it here)
Oboist Daniel Ramírez Escudero steps into the spotlight in his first featured appearance with Tafelmusik since joining the orchestra this season, paired with longtime oboist Marco Cera.
Jan Dismas Zelenka’s Sinfonia in A Minor brings several Tafelmusik members forward as soloists in a high-octane, rarely performed masterpiece.
Performance Details
Tafelmusik presents: Vivaldi’s World
Directed by Lina Tur Bonet
October 23*, 7:30 pm
October 24 & 25 8:00 pm
October 26, 3:00 pm
*New
Running Time: 120 minutes
Style of Music: Baroque orchestral
Tickets: tafelmusik.org
Media Images, click HERE.
Accessible Tickets for 35 & Under Audiences
Tafelmusik is committed to making world-class music accessible to the next generation of concertgoers through Tafelscene, its program for audience members aged 19 to 35. Tafelscene members can purchase tickets to most concerts for just $20 (plus fees) and enjoy a complimentary drink during intermission. It’s an unbeatable way to experience the orchestra—no formal wear required, just great music and a welcoming community of young music lovers.
Subscriptions Now Available for the 2025/26 Season
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About Tafelmusik
Brandon Chui, Dominic Teresi, Cristina Zacharias, Artistic Co-Directors
Glenn Hodgins, Executive Director
Every now and then a group of musicians comes along and changes the way we think about music. For over four decades, Tafelmusik has been synonymous worldwide with dynamic, engaging, and soulful performances informed by scholarship, passion and artistic excellence. Performing on instruments and in styles appropriate to the era, Tafelmusik has performed in more than 350 cities in 32 countries. Its extensive discography on the Sony, CBC Records, Analekta and Tafelmusik Media labels have garnered ten JUNOs and numerous international recording prizes. From a vibrant home season in Toronto, to international tours, award-winning recordings, innovative collaborations, and inspiring education programs, Tafelmusik is a musical powerhouse with a reputation for thrilling and delighting audiences. www.tafelmusik.org
Website: tafelmusik.org
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Season Presenting Sponsor for the 2025-26 concert season
Tafelmusik gratefully acknowledges the support of BMO, Presenting Sponsor of the 2025/26 concert season, as well as support from the Azrieli Foundation, Brookfield, Power Corporation of Canada, and RBC. We are also grateful to our government partners Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
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