These live performances and performing arts festivals justify a weekend trip (or several!) to Toronto.
Dive into Toronto’s arts scene with unmissable live shows by Indigenous, Canadian and international performers.
Whether you’re a fan of live music, dance, theatre or comedy, you’ll find an event or festival to plan a weekend getaway or family trip around. Here’s what’s coming in hot.
UpFRONT Festival of Indigenous Arts, Music & Culture
Global Indigenous arts and culture comes alive at the UpFRONT Festival (September 13–15, 2024), a celebration of talent from Turtle Island and beyond.
Catch performances by Juno Award nominees William Prince, Shawnee Kish and Cris Derksen. One must-see is a double bill with Anishinaabe/Nehiyaw hip-hop artist Drezus and trailblazing Kanien’kehà:ka (Mohawk) pop electro-R&B artist Semiah.
Also on the festival lineup: comedy from the Tkaronto Stand Up Allstars and the improv group Tonto’s Nephews, performances by students of the Nunatta Isiginnaartitsinermik Ilinniarfia (Greenlandic National School of Performing Arts), plus the children’s puppet show, Rabbit and Bear Paws.
Fall for Dance North festival
Back for its 10th year, Fall for Dance North (September 26–October 6, 2024) is Toronto’s leading international dance festival. The art and human forms are celebrated via world premieres, Canadian-exclusive performances, and a new film series held at venues across Toronto.
This year’s lineup includes the surrealist epic Big Time Miss, featuring a score by independent music darlings Semiah and Jacob Vanderham, and the world premiere of The Mars Project, which combines dance, live music, theatre and aerials in a sci-fi piece by choreographer Travis Knights.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation performance with Tanya Tagaq, Emma Pennel and others
On October 1, 2024, commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with musical performances, storytelling, testimony and traditional drum and dance by acclaimed Indigenous artists at Koerner Hall.
Headliners include globally renowned Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq (performing with the Royal Conservatory Orchestra), up-and-coming Mi’kmaw soprano Emma Pennell, plus hand drum and round dance artists Manitou Mkwa Singers.
Nabucco
An over-the-top spectacle, Nabucco is the sweeping saga that launched Giuseppe Verdi’s career in 1846. A story of hope and redemption amid cruelty and oppression, this performance boasts a cast of 120+ performers.
Never-before staged by the Canadian Opera Company (COC), this ambitious production—featuring baritone Roland Wood and soprano Tamara Wilson—is a rousing start to the COC’s new season. Performances are on October 4, 6, 12, 17, 19, 23 & 25, 2024.
Saraste conducts Mozart’s Requiem
Former Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) music director (and Sibelius Prize winner) Jukka-Pekka Saraste returns to conduct Mozart’s haunting masterwork, Requiem (October 9–12, 2024) at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, alongside the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. Also on the program: Brahm’s compact gem, “Symphony No. 3.”
The Life And Music of George Michael
One of Toronto’s most eagerly anticipated live theatre shows, this rousing, concert-style show chronicles pop superstar George Michael’s life and career with Wham! and as a solo artist.
The Life and Music of George Michael (November 1–10, 2024) will have fans singing and dancing in the aisles at CAA Theatre to hits like “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” “Careless Whisper,” “Freedom,” and “Faith,” all chart-toppers during Michael’s nearly 40-year career, which produced two Grammys, three American Music Awards and four MTV Video Music Awards.
Peter and the Wolf
The TSO’s Young People’s Concert series aims to cultivate a new generation of classical music enthusiasts. Kicking it off is Peter and the Wolf (November 3, 2024), the story of a young boy and a menagerie of animal friends.
Conducted by Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser (Principal Youth Conductor and Creative Partner of the National Arts Centre Orchestra, among other illustrious titles), this romp includes the buzzy “Flight of the Bumblebee.”
Bonus: this relaxed performance is designed to allow neurodiverse community members and others to move about, vocalize and experience the music comfortably.
Where the Wild Things Are
Geared at littles (ages 3–7), this interactive stage adventure promises a wild rumpus as viewers become participants… Where the Wild Things Are.
Based on the beloved children’s book by Maurice Sendak, this stage adaptation follows young Max, who is given the option of ruling the wild things in their exotic jungle or returning home alone. Silly, magical and downright fun, this one is a must for all ages. This show runs from November 7–17, 2024, at Young People’s Theatre.
Silent Screen, Body of Work & Rhapsody
Immerse yourself in a National Ballet of Canada triple bill from November 9–16, 2024. Two Canadian premieres are on offer: the celluloid-inspired Silver Screen (with music by Philip Glass) and the chic and joyful Rhapsody, an energetic romp set to Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.”
This season is principal dancer Guillaume Côté’s final one with the company, and Body of Work is a solo performance designed to celebrate his legacy.
Thandiswa Mazwai
One of South Africa’s biggest singers, Thandiswa Mazwai channels a blend of traditional Xhosa, mbaqanga, kwaito and jazz that’s uniquely her own (as evidenced in a nearly three-decade career that has included collabs with such disparate artists as Cesária Évora, Stevie Wonder and Skunk Anansie).
With hip-hop, reggae, and house influences thrown into the mix, Mazwai’s show at Koerner Hall on November 16, 2024, promises an evening of wonder for lovers of African and global music.
Giselle
Considered the ballet world’s Hamlet, Giselle by the National Ballet of Canada (November 20–24, 2024) is a breathtaking performance jam-packed with emotion and psychological drama. A Romantic ballet that explores themes of love, deceit and forgiveness, it’s a must-see for lovers of classical dance, complete with exquisite costumes and Adolphe Adam’s moody musical score, composed in 1841.
