Nearly 180 years after their symphonies first shared the stage, Beethoven and Farrenc reunite as celebrated conductor Jakob Lehmann makes his Tafelmusik debut
Toronto, ON (August 25, 2026) — Tafelmusik launches its 48th concert season with Beethoven & Farrenc, September 25–27 at Koerner Hall, bringing together three composers who challenged the musical conventions of their time, led by celebrated conductor Jakob Lehmann in his Tafelmusik debut.
Performed by Tafelmusik on period instruments, the program features Sophie Gail’s Overture to La Sérénade, Louise Farrenc’s Symphony no. 3 and Beethoven’s Symphony no. 7.
At the heart of the program is a remarkable musical reunion nearly two centuries in the making.
Opening the program is Sophie Gail’s Overture to La Sérénade, heard for the first time by Tafelmusik audiences. Paris-born Gail was a pianist, singer and published composer who turned to music to support herself and her four children after her family lost its fortune during the French Revolution. Her 1818 opera La Sérénade marked a return to success at Paris’ Opéra-Comique.
Next comes Louise Farrenc’s Symphony no. 3, another Tafelmusik premiere. When the symphony premiered in Paris in 1849, it shared the program with Beethoven’s already-famous Symphony no. 5. The comparison was daunting, yet Farrenc’s work emerged to critical acclaim. Critic Hortense Wild wrote that before half the work had been played, she had forgotten her anxieties and “the composer’s gender,” describing the piece as “magnificent.”
A celebrated pianist, composer and pedagogue, Farrenc became Professor of Piano at the Paris Conservatory in 1842 and was the only woman in the 19th century to hold a permanent position there of such high rank. Her Symphony no. 3, completed in 1847, would be her final orchestral work.
Taking its cue from history, Tafelmusik places Farrenc alongside Beethoven once again, this time culminating with Beethoven’s revered Symphony no. 7, famed for its haunting Allegretto, one of classical music’s most recognizable movements, heard everywhere from the fall of the Berlin Wall to The King’s Speech and Westworld.
“A new Tafelmusik season is here, and we’re starting with a bang,” says Cristina Zacharias, Artistic Co-Director of Tafelmusik. “Beethoven’s Seventh is thrilling live, Farrenc’s music is a revelation, and we’re so excited to welcome Jakob Lehmann for his Tafelmusik debut. Come experience it with us at Koerner Hall and help us kick off what promises to be an incredible season.”
Beethoven & Farrenc launches Tafelmusik’s 48th season and marks a new earlier curtain time, with all 2026/27 evening concerts beginning at 7:30pm.
BEETHOVEN & FARRENC
- Friday, September 25, 2026 at 7:30pm
- Saturday, September 26, 2026 at 7:30pm
- Sunday, September 27, 2026 at 3:00pm
Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning
Featuring:
Tafelmusik Orchestra, on period instruments
Jakob Lehmann, guest director
Program
- Sophie Gail
Overture to La Sérénade — Tafelmusik premiere
- Louise Farrenc
Symphony no. 3 in G Minor, op. 36 — Tafelmusik premiere
- Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony no. 7 in A Major, op. 92
Running Time: 120 minutes
Style of Music: Classical orchestra
Tickets are now on sale starting at $49, with $20 tickets available for Tafelscene members age 35 and under. Season subscription packages start at $168 and offer savings of up to 25%.
For complete program details and updates: tafelmusik.org.
For media images, visit HERE.
Tafelmusik gratefully acknowledges the support of the Azrieli Foundation and BMO. We are also grateful to our government partners the Government of Canada, Canada Council for the Arts, OCAF, Ontario Arts Foundation, Ontario Arts Council, Government of Ontario, and Toronto Arts Council.
This program has been generously underwritten by Caroline, Sharon and Janet Walker, Founders of the Artistic Innovation Fund.
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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