COC's Free Concert Series to Return With 70 Performances
The series will return on September 17, 2025.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Aug. 19, 2025
The Canadian Opera Company’s Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre will return on September 17, 2025 and features a lineup of 70 performances that span a wide range of art forms, from vocal and instrumental music to dance and beyond.
The Free Concert Series runs from September to May, cultivating a uniquely inviting and intimate space where audiences can connect with multidisciplinary artists at varying stages of their professional careers, all entirely free of charge, making it one of the most accessible musical experiences available in Toronto.
Highlights of this season's diverse arts and culture programming
A moving performance from Innu soprano Elisabeth St-Gelais commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30
The 25th anniversary celebration of The Brothers Grimm as part of the COC’s Community Partnerships & Programs department’s family-focused March Break programming; the one-act opera by Canadian composer and librettist Dean Burry was originally commissioned by the COC in 2001 and remains one of the most performed Canadian operas
Intimate recitals by artists featured on the COC mainstage this season, including baritone Luca Pisaroni, tenor Owen McCausland, and a special reunion performance by Alain Coulombe and Michael Colvin—two Ensemble Studio graduates from over 25 years ago
Two adaptive concerts as part of the COC’s continued partnership with Xenia Concerts, creating a relaxed and judgement-free environment to support neurodivergent and disabled attendees of all ages
Innovative, genre-bending performances that include: a cello and spoken word program with Peter Eom; a collaboration between musicians and dancers with the Joy of Music; an exploration into music, dance and Iranian folklore composed and curated by Homa Samiei; and a showcase of violin and electronics with Aysel Taghi-Zada
A sneak peek into the next generation of talent with emerging artists from the University of Toronto; Humber College; The Glenn Gould School; Young Classical Artists Trust; McGill University; Université de Montréal; Jeunesses Musicales Canada; and the prestigious Concours musical international de Montréal
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