18 Best Performing Arts in Toronto, Ontario

Toronto's go-to spot for experimental music, the self-titled "center for creative music" presents an eclectic selection of avant-garde and experimental music from world and classical to jazz and avant-pop in a relaxed environment.

Founded in 1950, the COC has grown into the largest producer of opera in Canada, and has proven innovative and often daring with presentations that range from popular operas to more modern or rarely performed works. The COC maintains its international reputation for artistic excellence and creative leadership by presenting new productions from a diverse repertoire, collaborating with leading opera companies and festivals, and attracting the world's foremost Canadian and international artists. It often hosts world-renowned performers, and it pioneered the use of scrolling SURTITLES, which allow the audience to follow the libretto in English in a capsulized translation that appears above the stage. Tickets sell out quickly. Tours (C$20 for adults; C$15 for seniors/students) of the COC's opera house, the magnificent Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, are given when the performance schedule allows (usually on Sundays); check the website for times and dates.

Free Concert Series. The Canadian Opera Company's Free Concert Series takes place September through June with music and dance performances most Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon in the Four Seasons Centre's Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre. Check the calendar on the COC website to see what's on. 145 Queen St. W., Queen West, Toronto, ON, M5H 4G1. 416/363–8231. www.coc.ca. Osgoode Station.

This venue has two theaters for dance and two renowned dance series: Next Steps which runs from September through the spring, and World Stage which also includes theatre and begins in January. The Fleck Dance Theatre was built specifically for modern dance in 1983. The proscenium stage hosts some of the best local and Canadian modern and contemporary companies, in addition to some international acts. The Enwave Theatre welcomes these same types of dance performances as well as plays and concerts. It has excellent acoustics. Both theaters are small (446 and 422 seats, respectively) so you're never far from the stage.

In July and August, free movies are screened outdoors as part of the Free Flicks program. Documentaries, frequently accompanying summer festivals, cultural events, and retrospectives, are presented ad hoc throughout the year.

Luminato. Every June, Luminato packs in 100 or more events spanning the arts from plays to tango lessons, from puppetry to poetry, and from art installations to funk bands. The festival attracts some big names such as Joni Mitchell, the Mark Morris Dance Group, and Marina Abramović. Toronto, ON. 416/368–3100. www.luminato.com.

North by Northeast. Each June, Toronto hosts North by Northeast, an annual festival that brings more than 1,000 musicians to the indoor and outdoor venues around the city. Affiliated with the similar South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, NXNE also presents film, comedy, art, and a digital interactive media conference as part of the week-long event. Massive free outdoor concerts anchor NXNE downtown, but the heart of the festival is the lineup at more than 50 club venues across the city. Tickets and passes are available on the website and go on sale as early as mid-January. (Significant early-bird discounts apply.) Front-of-the-line access is given to those with a Priority Pass (C$200)–others may have to line up for highly anticipated bands, sometimes hours in advance. Toronto, ON. 416/863–6963. www.nxne.com.

Since its opening in 1985, Opera Atelier has been dedicated to staging 17th- and 18th-century baroque operas, with extravagant sets and costumes and original instruments. The two annual productions are stage at the Elgin Theatre each fall and spring.

Shakespeare in High Park. Every summer, Shakespeare's most popular plays are performed under the stars at this outdoor amphitheater. Productions are usually knockouts and run from July through August, weather permitting. Performances are pay what you can, with a suggested C$20 donation, and regular seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. To ensure you get a spot, reserve a cushion in the Premium Zone online for C$25. Performances are Tuesday through Sunday at 8; gates open at 6 pm. It gets cold in this leafy park, so bring layers and a blanket to sit on; picnicking is encouraged. High Park, High Park Ave., main entrance off Bloor St. W., Greater Toronto, Toronto, ON, M6P 2B5. 416/368–3110. www.canadianstage.com. Pay what you can; free for children under 14. High Park.

This center has been presenting theater, music, dance, opera, film, and forums on public issues since 1970. The two main halls are the luxuriously appointed Bluma Appel Theatre and the Jane Mallett Theatre, both venues for recitals and performances by companies like the Canadian Stage Company, the Toronto Operetta, and Music Toronto (chamber music).

StubHub. Check ticket reseller StubHub for sold-out events or last-minute deals. Toronto, ON. 866/788–2482. www.stubhub.com.

SummerWorks Performance Festival. More than 50 plays, performances, concerts, and happenings deemed sufficiently forward-thinking and provocative are staged at the Factory Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille, and other venues around Queen West for the 11-day SummerWorks Performance Festival in August. Tickets are about C$15 per show. Queen West, Toronto, ON. 416/628–8216. www.summerworks.ca.

Taste of Little Italy. A smaller event when compared to the Danforth Festival, Taste of Little Italy takes place in June on College Street, where Italian-centric cuisine and live music are celebrated. Toronto, ON. www.tasteoflittleitaly.ca.

The Beaches International Jazz Festival. Held in late July, the 10-day The Beaches International Jazz Festival in the east Toronto Beach neighborhood showcases jazz, Latin, R&B, funk, soul, and world-music performers like eclectic R&B-pop-reggae group Jay Douglas and the All Stars and "blusion" pianist-saxophonist Deanna Bogart at its Woodbine Park and Kew Gardens stages. Musicians and food vendors also line 2 km of Queen Street East, which is closed to traffic for the event. All performances are free. Toronto, ON. 416/698–2152. www.beachesjazz.com. 501 Queen streetcar to Woodbine.

Ticketmaster. Tickets for almost any event can be obtained through Ticketmaster. Toronto, ON. 855/985–5000. www.ticketmaster.ca.

Operated by the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) organization, this state-of-the-art five-screen, five-story complex, opened in 2010, shows classic and avant-garde films, director retrospectives, actor tributes, national cinema spotlights, exclusive limited runs, and new documentaries and artistic films. Tickets are C$13.

Toronto Fringe Festival. The city's largest theater festival, with more than 140 shows taking place in 35 venues (including a laundromat, storage space, and a back alley), takes place over 10 days in late June/early July. Raw and untested works by emerging (and some established) artists are the norm. Tickets are C$11 or less per show. The most popular shows are given extended runs in the Best of the Fringe Festival. Toronto, ON. 416/966–1062. www.fringetoronto.com.

Toronto Jazz Festival. Late June and early July bring music lovers to Toronto for the Toronto Jazz Festival. The 2013 bill included Smokey Robinson, Trombone Shorty, and Willie Nelson. Performances are at various venues around town. Concerts are priced individually, but you can buy a three- or five-show pass for a 15% or 20% discount on Mainstage shows. Toronto, ON. 416/928–2033. www.torontojazz.com.