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British Columbia and Alberta
by Madeline Boldt
EARLY MUSIC VANCOUVER
This year marks the 55th anniversary of Early Music Vancouver’s Summer Festival. From July 26-Aug. 8, early-music lovers in Vancouver can expect a wide array of performances, from Mozart’s Requiem to Schubert’s Lieder, as well as a Chinese-Baroque Musical Dialogue featuring Vancouver’s Sound of Dragon Ensemble. Titled In Endless Ascent, the 2025 festival focuses on the theme of spiritual transformation and musical elevation, blending the old and the new. www.earlymusic.bc.ca
Banff International String Quartet Competition
From Aug. 25-31, some of the world’s finest emerging string quartets will take the stage in Banff for this year’s Banff International String Quartet Competition, including the Montreal-based Myriade String Quartet. Competitors vie for more than $500,000 in cash, prizes, and career development opportunities. www.banffcentre.ca/bisqfest
Summer Solstice Music Festival
Presented by the Edmonton Chamber Music Society, the Summer Solstice Music Festival returns June 17-22, offering a week of world-class chamber music in the heart of Edmonton. This year’s lineup features internationally renowned artists and ensembles, including the Tesla Quartet’s opening performance, as well as pianist Angela Cheng. www.festival.edmontonchambermusic.org
Vancouver International Jazz Festival
Hosted by Coastal Jazz, the Vancouver International Jazz Festival will be returning for its 40th anniversary edition this June. With community-oriented programming, this year’s festival will include accessible Pay What You Can shows, as well as numerous free events open to the public. From June 20-July 1, expect Vancouver’s vibrant arts scene to be centre stage, with events hosted across the city. www.coastaljazz.ca
Prisma Festival
From June 16-28, classical-music lovers are drawn to the small B.C. coastal town of Powell River for the annual Prisma Festival. With everything from concerts featuring international guest artists to masterclasses and student recitals, this festival is chock full, with nearly 50 unique events.www.prismafestival.com
Ontario
by Gianmarco Segato
Music and Beyond
One of Canada’s premier chamber music festivals, Music and Beyond, takes place in Ottawa from July 5-16. The program kicks off with the Czech Bennewitz Quartet in two recitals (July 5 & 7) including works by Janáček, Dvořák and Ullmann. Canadian pianist Stewart Goodyear plays Bach’s Goldberg Variations on July 9. Germany’s Phaeton Piano Trio are guests for several concerts which include a transcription of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition as well as trios by Saint-Saëns, Smetana and Schubert (July 10, 11, 12 & 13). Other festival highlights include jazz, bebop and swing singer and composer Caity Gyorgy in a program of Irving Berlin on July 5 and world-renowned male chorus, Chanticleer, with medieval, Renaissance and newer works on July 12. The closing gala on July 16 will include works chosen by the festival’s audience. www.musicandbeyond.ca
Westben
Situated in bucolic Northumberland county, Westben celebrates 26 years with an eclectic program ranging from Hollywood musicals to Gershwin favourites. Phantom of the Opera with a starry Canadian cast; jazz, pop and boogie-woogie piano phenom Michael Kaeshammer; and a centenary big-band tribute to Oscar Peterson are all on the docket. June 13-Aug 3. www.westben.ca
Festival of the Sound
Established in 1979, Ontario’s first annual international summer classical music festival runs from July 25-Aug. 9. The roster contains a veritable who’s-who of great Canadian artists including Suzanne Shulman, flute; Erica Goodman, harp; Meagan Milatz, piano; Cameron Crozman, cello; Mark Fewer, violin; as well as singers Allyson McHardy, Leslie Fagan, Colin Ainsworth and Russell Braun. www.festivalofthesound.ca
HIGHLANDS OPERA STUDIO
One of Canada’s foremost training programs for young opera singers, Highlands is situated in beautiful Haliburton cottage country and, once again, offers a comprehensive program and masterclasses, concerts and full opera productions. Highlights this summer include presentations of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice starring countertenor Nils Wanderer and soprano Lauren Margison (Aug. 14) as well as Lehár’s The Merry Widow (Aug. 21-25). Renowned Canadian tenor Richard Margison gives a public masterclass on July 29 and there are concerts of popular opera and musical-theatre favourites on July 31, Aug. 5, 7 and 16. Alumni of the program return for a special evening on Aug. 18, and on Aug. 9 you can attend a workshop presentation of operas based on stories from Haliburton County, composed and performed by artists of the county. www.highlandsoperastudio.com
OPERA 5
Opera 5 launches Toronto’s first professional opera festival with a mix of world premieres and musical theatre works. The company will debut Ryan Trew and Rachel Krehm’s Come Closer (June 13, 14, 18, 19, 21). Also on the program are Elegies: A Song Cycle by American musical-theatre composer William Finn (June 15, 17, 20) and a concert featuring the company’s 2025 Portfolio Artist Internship Program roster (June 12). www.opera5.ca
Stratford Summer Music
The festival celebrates 25 years from May 29-Aug. 10. The eclectic program ranges from folk fiddler Miranda Mulholland to violinist Mark Fewer and the Bergmann Duo in Orff’s Carmina Burana. Other headliners include jazz singer Adi Braun with a tribute to Cole Porter, plus young artists of the festival’s vocal and jazz academies in a variety of concerts and masterclasses. www.stratfordsummermusic.ca
Luminato
Toronto’s wide-ranging arts festival runs June 4-22 with site-specific installations, multi-disciplinary theatre and music. Nigamon/Tunai is a piece that bridges Indigenous worlds of the North and South (June 5-7). On June 6 & 7, Tapestry Opera’s Michael Hidetoshi Mori transforms Metropolitan United Church in Queen of the Night Communion. www.luminatofestival.com
Summer Opera Lyric Theatre
SOLT celebrates four decades as Toronto’s premier young artist training program. This summer it will present fully-staged productions of Monteverdi’s The Coronation of Poppea, Mozart’s Così fan tutte and Offenbach’s La vie parisienne. Thirty vocalists from across Canada perform at the Alumnae Theatre from July 25-Aug. 3. www.solt.ca
Summer Music in the Garden
Situated on Toronto’s waterfront, this year’s program of free events runs from June 21-Aug. 28. Highlights include soprano Emma Pennell and pianist David Eliakis with Matriarchs and Melodies, gospel stylings with Melissa Davis and Friends, the flamenco artistry of Mariana Collado, and a recital given by soprano Charlotte Siegel and pianist Nate Ben-Horin. www.harbourfrontcentre.com
Festival L’Art de la Musique
The Gatineau festival takes place July 10-13 at Notre-Dame-de-la-Guadeloupe Church. The opening concert on July 10 features accordionist Michael Bridge, pianist Carl Matthieu Neher along with a host of other artists. An evening of percussion and piano follows on July 11 with SHHH!! Ensemble. Violinists Yolanda Bruno and Cendrine Despax join the festival’s string orchestra for Vivaldi on July 12. The July 13 closing concert centres around Schubert’s Trout Quintet with Despax and Neher alongside violinist and violist Magali Gavazzi-April, cellist Inigo Gauthier-Mamaril and bassist Dominic Gauthier. www.festivalartdelamusique.com
Quebec
by Justin Bernard
Pointe-Claire Cultural Centre
The Pointe-Claire Cultural Centre will host a number of concerts and events this summer, including outdoor events, featuring world music, blues and jazz. Highlights include singer, guitarist and songwriter Paulo Ramos presenting his ninth album, Lua Vermelha (June 25); blues band Fuel Junkie and its three-saxophone trio (July 2); and Collectif 4237’s Cabaret noir et blanc (July 9). The Rémi Bolduc Jazz Ensemble pays tribute to Dave Brubeck (July 16), while Habana Café takes us on a journey between Cuba and Quebec (July 23). Most of these evening concerts are free of charge. www.pointe-claire.ca
Canadian Vocal Arts Institute
The 21st edition of the Canadian Vocal Arts Institute takes place from July 2 to 27, featuring a semi-staged production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. www.icav.ca
Festival Classica
Festival Classica concerts will, as always, cover a variety of genres, including singer-songwriter Pierre Flynn accompanied by a string quartet (June 6), a revival of the musical Starmania and Carmina Burana on the same day (June 14). Final show: Lionel and Mary, combining the music of Lionel Daunais and La Bolduc (June 15). www.festivalclassica.com
CAMMAC
CAMMAC’s 2025 summer program, whose main objective is to promote personal development, combines immersion in nature with a series of training courses and performances of international caliber. Waltz composer Johann Strauss, whose 200th birthday is being celebrated this year, will be featured in the first week of the summer music camp (June 29-July 6). Le Quatuor Cobalt returns this year for an intensive week of ensemble music (July 13-20). Non-classical repertoires such as jazz, blues and American musicals will also be explored, with a week devoted to Broadway (Aug. 10-17). www.cammac.ca
Festival d’opera de Québec
The 14th edition of the Festival d’opéra de Québec runs from July 23-Aug. 3. It will celebrate the richness and plurality of female figures with the theme of freedom in all its forms. The exoticism of many of these works is perfectly suited to the summer season. These include an adaptation of Delibes’s Lakmé, co-produced with Jeunesses Musicales Canada (July 24 & 26), and Bizet’s Carmen with mezzo-soprano Stéphanie d’Oustrac in the title role (July 30, Aug. 1 & 3). On the creative side, the festival offers audiences the chance to revisit Schoenberg’s Pierrot lunaire in a show combining music and dance, with the addition of new compositions by Rachel Fenlon, based on poems by Giraud, the same poet who inspired Schoenberg’s famous work (July 31 & Aug. 2). For families, the festival offers a show inspired by the fairy tale La Chèvre de monsieur Seguin, halfway between opera and theatre. Composer Patrick Mathieu takes us through a whole spectrum of emotions, from laughter to tears to fear. The cast includes two singers, two actors and a pianist, directed by Claude Tremblay (July 25 & 27). www.operadequebec.com
ItalFest
Montreal’s Italian community celebrates its shared history with the city for the 32nd consecutive year, from Aug. 8-17. Launched in 1994, the festival offers a wide range of events and activities on the island of Montreal and in Laval. Organized by the National Congress of Italian-Canadians, the festival aims to promote and bring to life Italian culture through artistic presentations, crafts and gastronomy. Once again this year, with a new general and artistic direction, the festival promises changes and surprises, in the heart of Little Italy. (details to follow). Last year, festival-goers enjoyed the sublime arias of Puccini’s La bohème. www.italfestmtl.ca
FESTIVAL DES ARTS DE SAINT-SAUVEUR
Artistic Director Guillaume Côté and the Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur continue their mission to present major dance performances in the village of Saint-Sauveur. This year’s festival runs from July 23-Aug. 3, and will feature a variety of interdisciplinary presentations. Philadelphia’s BalletX opens the festival with works by Loughlan Prior, Takehiro Ueyama and Justin Peck to highlight the versatility of its 16 performers (July 23). Ticket information and trailers for each event are available on the FASS website. www.festivaldesarts.ca
Festival Opéra de Saint-Eustache
For the past 16 years, the Festival Opéra de Saint-Eustache has presented opera events in the Laurentians. The 2025 edition will feature a production of Bizet’s Carmen (July 11), preceded by a recital by Serhiy Salov in honour of the great melodist, Chopin (July 9). www.festivaloperasteustache.com
Festival international des arts de la Marionnette
From July 22-27, Saguenay vibrates to the rhythm of FIAMS’s indoor and outdoor shows, with exhibitions all over town. Many international artists will be in attendance, sometimes with their hands as their only means of expression. Full program to follow. www.fiams.com
Fête de la musique de Tremblant
From Aug. 29-Sept. 1, the village at the foot of Mont-Tremblant celebrates its 25th Fête de la musique. On the program: more than 30 free outdoor concerts for audiences of all ages. Details to follow. www.fetedelamusiquetremblant.com
Montreal Chamber Music Festival
From June 7-22, Place des Arts hosts the 30th-anniversary edition of MCMF. Violinist Kerson Leong will play Vivaldi and Piazzolla in an exclusive event honouring the mission and vision of festival founder and cellist, Denis Brott (June 22). www.festivalmontreal.org
Translation: Lilian I. Liganor
Eastern Canada
by Kaitlyn Chan
New Brunswick Summer Music Festival
The New Brunswick Music Festival showcases the eclectic nature of music composed after WWI with their theme, “The Roaring 20s—Classical style!” Featured artists include Peter Allen (piano), Josh Morris (cello), Saint John String Quartet, and more. This festival will transport you to a time of change and musical freedom. www.nbsummermusicfestival.ca
Festival Lamèque
This year, the Lamèque International Baroque Music Festival honours the four nations where baroque music grew and flourished: Italy, France, Germany and England. Their pre-festival concert—performed by the Arion Baroque Orchestra and tenor Isabeau Proulx-Lemire—is dedicated to innovative Italian composers of the early baroque period. A baroque lovers’ dream, this festival features works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Georg Philipp Telemann, Claudio Monteverdi, Antonio Vivaldi, Georg Friedrich Handel and François Couperin (July 23). www.festivalbaroque.com
PEI Bluegrass & Old Time Music Festival
The PEI Bluegrass & Old Time Music Festival boasts a collection of recently-formed ensembles and established bands for their 2025 festival. Audiences are sure to find a favourite among The Kody Norris Show, The Grass Messengers, Common Ground, and many more. The ensembles will perform multiple times over the three-day event (July 4-6). As many of the featured groups are family members or longtime friends, this festival is sure to foster a strong sense of community. www.peibluegrass.ca
Under the Spire
Under the Spire in Kensington, P.E.I., celebrates its 30th anniversary with a summer-long music series. Featured artists include the Juno-nominated Cheng² Duo (July 6), Juno-award-winning group Okavango African Orchestra (July 25), and multi-award-winning Rose Cousins (Aug. 15). On Aug. 31, audiences can enjoy string covers of favourite East Coast Canadian music in the Historic St. Mary’s. www.underthespire.ca
CHARLOTTETOWN FESTIVAL
The musical theatre institution returns with six productions. From June 14 to Aug. 29, co-writer Alan Doyle will star in a reimagined production of Tell Tale Harbour, a musical comedy set on Canada’s East Coast. At the Mack, Richard Pellissier-Lush’s The Creator’s Plan will be performed by the Mi’kmaq Heritage Actors (June 30-Aug. 1). www.confederationcentre.com
Halifax Jazz Festival
As the oldest jazz festival and largest summer festival in Atlantic Canada, the Halifax Jazz Festival presents many accomplished artists. The Light House Arts Centre welcomes one of Canada’s most celebrated jazz artists, Mike Murley, alongside multi-award-winning pianist and composer Renee Rosnes (July 17). With many more incredible performances lined up, this jazz fest is sure to inspire. www.halifaxjazzfestival.ca
Tuckamore Chamber Music Festival
This season, St. John’s-based Tuckamore Music Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary. Opening night features pianist Charles Richard-Hamelin performing works by Debussy, Ravel, Poulenc, and Chopin (June 23). Throughout, there will be lunchtime concerts featuring Tuckamore Festival Young Artists in solo and chamber settings. The festival celebrates its anniversary with 25 concerts in 25 venues across Canada, including an extensive tour of Newfoundland and Labrador. www.tuckamorefestival.ca
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