Canadian Tenors Always Top-Notch
by Mortensen123 on 2010-12-06Sony Centre For The Performing Arts - TorontoRating: 5 out of 5Our extremely talented home-grown boys are always a delight to hear and see, and they did not disappoint at the Sony Centre on Dec. 2, 2010. We can't say enough good things about this group, as they always deliver the highest-quality performances. This is the second concert of theirs that we've attended (the other was at the Rose Theatre in Brampton in Dec. 2009), and we left both on Cloud 9 - and wanting more. Their individual skill and talents combine perfectly in a quartet that blows others like Il Divo and the numerous other wannabes out of the water every time! Their choice of music and incredible vocal arrangements (which they do themselves) culminate in what can only be described as heavenly harmony. Voices of angels? You bet! And these young men are just so darned nice, they make us proud to be Canadian (not that we weren't before). We rate their talent and performance A+++.
May I offer a few suggestions about the venue itself? The Sony Centre has no seating in the vast ground-level lobby, so those who are unable to stand around for the hour or so before the performance - like the senior whom I accompanied - are out of luck. (There are some benches upstairs, but they were all occupied.) Also, trying to find a washroom in that place is like looking for a needle in a haystack; there are no directional signs and the facilities are like a well-guarded secret. When you do find the few on offer, there are only 3 or 4 cubicles per washroom; definitely not adequate for a venue that seats 3000+! However, the staff were very helpful. Our main beef is the fact that the sound balance for the performance was way off: often the singers' voices were drowned by the too-loud instruments (which were finely-played - no complaint there!), and there was feedback several times throughout. Considering the cost of the tickets and a newly-refurbished venue in downtown Toronto, we expected better.
Having said that, we emphasize again that the Canadian Tenors are top-notch entertainment, and we look forward to being able to see them in person again. We can only hope that they will include the GTA in their busy touring schedule often, as we'd like to support them whenever possible. Bring them back soon, please!