Vancouver Opera’s 2018/2019 season and festival bring us a lush new production of Puccini’s La Bohème that is quite literally designed as an enormous vintage postcard of Paris. The curtain rises on a modern-day flea market, with tourists taking selfies, sellers touting their wares and an accordion duo entertaining the crowd. Amid the bustle, a lone visitor puts a record on a vintage gramophone from which plays the opening bars of Giacomo Puccini’s famous opera, transporting the audience back in time. Canadian designer and director duo André Barbe and…

Flutist Mark Takeshi McGregor has been praised for his “mind blowing” performances and clarinetist Liam Hockley is emerging as a musical talent to watch. For this concert, the two will collaborate to perform a selection of recent works for flute, clarinet and electronics by Mark Andre (France), Luigi Nono (Italy), Salvatore Sciarrino (Italy) and Jane Stanley (Australia), plus the world premieres of works by Yota Kobayashi (Canada) and Kimia K. Yazdi (Iran).

The Duo Fortin-Poirier is a “piano four hands” ensemble with two pianists, Amélie Fortin, and Marie-Christine Poirier, on one piano. Their passionate interpretations are enriched by their acute sensitivity and the remarkable affinity they share as musicians. Since the ensemble was created in 2005, the Duo Fortin-Poirier has been acclaimed both in Canada and internationally, with many distinctions, scholarships and awards including 1st prize at the Canadian Music Competition, 2nd prize at the Concorso Pianistico Internazionale Roma in 2013, selection…

To wrap up its 30th touring season, the Arts Club presents the Firehall Arts Centre’s production of Circle Game: Reimagining the Music of Joni Mitchell. One of the most influential recording artists of the late 20th century, Joni Mitchell has often reflected on social and environmental ideals through her music. Circle Game reinterprets Mitchell’s iconic songs such as “Big Yellow Taxi,” “River,” “California,” and “A Case of You” through the ears and eyes of a new generation, connecting to the politics and world we know…