Lang Lang's Emperor—A Gala Celebration

Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s gala struck all the right notes at Roy Thomson Hall on September 24, with Committee Chairs Tony Gagliano and Deborah Lau-Yu at the helm. The hall glittered in a jewel-toned palette of green, blush, and gold as the evening revealed one musical surprise after another: a woodwind trio at the reception, Mozart over canapés from a Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra quartet, and a burst of brass fanfare. Later, 29 TSO musicians wove through the dinner crowd in a fiery two-minute Carmen interlude — phones out, smiles wide, the room buzzing with joy.

The centerpiece was Lang Lang’s dazzling performance of Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto, under the baton of Music Director Gustavo Gimeno, capped by a surprise encore from his 15-year-old Toronto protégé and Lang Lang Young Scholar, Ryan Huang. The evening underscored the TSO’s century-long investment in the city’s young people, with proceeds supporting the TSO’s education and community programs that have reached more than 1.8 million students over the past 100 years — and marked a renewed partnership with the Lang Lang International Music Foundation.

Program (Concert)

  • Dukas: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
  • Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor”
  • Encores:
    • “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf” Arr: Stephen Walford
    • The Serpent’s Kiss by William Bolcom (Ryan Huang encore)

Program (Reception)

  • Mozart: Piano Quartet No. 1 in G Minor, K478, I. Allegro
  • Bizet/arr. Liam Ritz: Excerpt from Danse Boheme from Carmen

Concert Photos & B-Roll

Photos: Allan Cabral/Courtesy of the TSO

 

Gala and Reception

Photos: George Pimentel

For photo and guest information, contact COMMS@TSO.CA

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About Toronto Symphony Orchestra

For more than a century, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) has played a fundamental role in shaping and celebrating Canadian culture. The TSO’s commitment to musical excellence and ability to spark connection remain as strong as ever. With a storied history of acclaimed concerts and recordings, Canadian and international tours, and impactful community partnerships, we are dedicated to engaging and enriching local and national communities through vibrant musical experiences. Music Director Gustavo Gimeno brings an expansive artistic vision, intellectual curiosity, and sense of adventure to programming the 93-musician orchestra that serves Toronto—one of the world’s most diverse cities. As a group of artists, teachers, and advocates who share the belief that music has the power to heal, inspire, and connect people from all walks of life, we engage audiences young and old through an array of community-access, health-and-well-being, and education initiatives including the TSO-affiliated Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra—a tuition-free training program dedicated to cultivating the next generation of Canadian artists. Symphony With Us at a concert at Roy Thomson Hall, or experience the TSO in your neighbourhood. Visit TSO.CA or Newsroom.TSO.CA.

Contact

500-145 Wellington St. W. Toronto, ON M5J 1H8

416.593.7769

pr@tso.ca

tso.ca