Events
The 52: Stories of Women Who Transformed Toronto at Nuit Blanche
Myseum Invites Audiences to Step Into The Shoes of 52 Women Who Transformed Toronto, With Participatory Performances at Nuit Blanche
The 52: Stories of Women Who Transformed Toronto tells the stories of 52 women who shaped our city’s past, present, and future. This edition of The 52 at Nuit Blanche invites audiences to read, watch, and share monologues as part of a participatory performance about Toronto’s extraordinary women.
Toronto, ON (September 2023) – Myseum of Toronto announces their latest city-wide project, titled ‘The 52: Stories of Women Who Transformed Toronto.’ This work will premiere as a participatory performance on September 23-24 as part of the official Nuit Blanche programming. The performance invites audiences to perform the stories of 52 women, past and present, who have made significant contributions to the history of Toronto.
“We are thrilled to present ‘The 52: Stories of Women Who Transformed Toronto’ as part of this year’s Nuit Blanche,” says Heidi Reitmaier, Executive Director of Myseum of Toronto. “Women currently make up 52% of the population in Toronto, and this project, which has commissioned 24 exemplary playwrights to write 52 monologues, celebrates the myriad of ways women have contributed to various facets of city life – in art, culture, politics, sports, technology, business, and more. With the Nuit Blanche 2023 theme, Breaking Ground, we felt it was the perfect time to preview this project and invite audiences to contribute, all in advance of our exhibition and digital project next year.” This one-night performance is a preview of The 52, Myseum of Toronto’s larger multi-year project of the same name. The 52 shines a light on the wealth of Toronto’s stories and histories that are shaped by women.
About The 52 at Nuit Blanche
In the heart of downtown Toronto, at RendezViews entertainment venue (229 Richmond St W.), audiences can celebrate extraordinary women who have transformed Toronto by participating in live performances and nominating women to add to the growing list of trailblazers.
All night long on the central stage, participants can step into the shoes of Toronto’s historic women by reciting pre-prepared monologues about The 52. The performances will be broadcast on a big screen where audiences can watch, listen, and share.
Audiences can step into the shoes of the likes of author Margaret Atwood and recall the time that her words inspired hundreds of people to converge on City Hall wearing masks of her face; or community advocate Jean Lumb, as she leads the Chinese Community Dancers of Ontario in a performance for the Queen on Canada Day; Susan Bailey, head nurse in the 1800s at the Emigrant Hospital in dealing with Typhus, and Fanny ‘Bobbie’ Rosenfeld, an Olympian and sports journalist who competed in the first Olympics.
At the venue, audiences will be able to explore the full list of monologues that can be brought to life on the main stage. A variety of food and beverages will also be available for visitors who wish to make an evening of it. A list of 52 women is only the beginning. To scratch the surface of the impact that 52% of Toronto has made on the city, audiences are also invited to nominate their own list of women who have had a lasting influence on Toronto. Audiences are enlisted to help Myseum document and preserve the legacies of their nominees by calling in to their Nomination Phone Line where people can make submissions and listen to other crowd-sourced nominations.
About The 52’s Multi-Year Project
The final exhibition of The 52, slated for 2024, will include 52 actors from Toronto’s stages and screens and will immortalize these stories on film for generations of viewers.
The 52 women featured in this city-wide project are: Bianca Andreescu, Jill Andrew, Margaret Atwood, Susan Bailey, Phyllis Bomberry, Roberta Bondar, Laura Bulger, Diana Carter, Mary Ann Shadd Cary, Adrienne Clarkson, Columbia Coco Diaz, Kit Coleman, Myrtle Cook McGowan, Cathy Crowe, Clara Cynthia Benson, Cheri DiNovo, Mary Fix, Emma Goldman, Slova Greenberg, Jennifer Hodge De Silva, Rowena Hume, Gar Yin Hune, Jane Jacobs, Angela James, Verna Johnston, Karen Kain, Cecilia Krieger, Blanche Lemco Van Ginkel, Frances Loring, Jean Lumb, Flora MacDonald Denison, Elizabeth Elsie MacGill, Ausma Malik, Josephine Mandamin, Lee Maracle, Hazel McCallion, Saadia Muzaffar, Penny Oleksiak, Jeanne Parkin, Bernice Redmon, Fanny Bobbie Rosenfeld, June Rowlands, Rosemary Sadlier, Jackie Shane, Rosalie Silberman Abella, Lillian H. Smith, Judith Snow, Min Sook Lee, Emily Stowe, Menaka Thakkar, and Beatrice Worsely. 24 of Toronto’s most exciting established and emerging playwrights have been commissioned to tell the stories of these 52 historically significant women through short monologues. The playwrights on this project include Kanika Ambrose, Erin Shields, Ophira Calof, Marcia Johnson, Marjorie Chan, Anna Chatterton, Diane Flacks, Falen Johnson, Sarena Parmar, Julie Tepperman, Aida Jordao, Alex Cameron, Ali Joy Richardson, Coleen MacPherson, Jo SiMalaya Alcampo, Jordi Mand, Julia Hune-Brown, Keira Loughran, Lisa Ryder, Meghan Swaby, Sedina Fiati, Shandra Spears, Cheri Maracle, and Sharada Eswar.
About Myseum of Toronto
Founded in 2015, Myseum is Toronto’s City Museum. They offer a collection of experiences that tell the histories of Toronto.Their exhibitions and content aim to evoke curiosity and foster deeper connections between its visitors and the city. With a focus on building a living archive of the city, they strive to be a valuable resource for those interested in the cultural heritage of Toronto. Enjoy Myseum’s programming in their downtown exhibition space, throughout the city, and online.
About RendezViews Entertainment Venue
Founded in 2020, RendezViews is Canada’s largest outdoor art park and hospitality patios, welcoming over 350,000 visitors since its opening. Located in the heart of of Toronto’s Entertainment District, with stunning view of the CN Tower, it has become the city’s go-to place to watch sports, attend culture festivals, and celebrate special moments. New amenities in 2023 include Pickleball and Beach Volleyball. RendezViews has received various international awards from countries such as The Netherlands, Australia and the UK.
Content Source: DMPUBLIC
Buika Returns to Canada: A Latin Grammy-Winning Voice Like No Other
Toronto, ON & Montreal, QC — AB Collective International proudly presents the return of internationally acclaimed Spanish vocalist Buika to Canada for two powerful concerts this October.
Named by NPR as one of the “50 greatest voices of all time,” Buika is a genre-defying artist whose music fuses flamenco, soul, jazz and Afro-Latin sounds with poetic intensity. She is a Latin Grammy winner, has been nominated for Grammy Awards in multiple categories, and has shared stages with legends such as Chucho Valdés, Anoushka Shankar, and Carlos Santana.
This fall, her unmistakable voice will resound once more in two of Canada’s most iconic venues:
October 18, 2025 – Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Toronto
October 19, 2025 – L’Olympia, Montreal
Buika’s performances are emotional journeys — raw, elegant, and deeply human. Her art transcends genres and borders, delivering truth through music.
Presented by AB Collective International, these concerts are more than shows: they are moments of soulful connection and cultural resonance, featuring one of the most expressive vocalists of our time.
(TORONTO – May 14, 2025) – One month today, Saturday, June 14, 2025, Massey Hall presents Oscar Peterson at 100: A Canadian Celebration featuring an all-star roster of musicians coming together to celebrate international Jazz legend, Oscar Peterson’s 100 birthday. New additions to line-up include two Canadian Jazz legends, Dave Younge and Oliver Jones.
Dave Young and Oliver Jones will join the previously announced acclaimed Canadian musicians on the legendary Allan Slaight Stage at Massey Hall: Amanda Tosoff, Andrew McAnsh, Caity Gyorgy, Chet Doxas, Chris Butcher, Colleen Allen, Jim Doxas, Jocelyn Gould, Jodi Proznick, Joe Sealy, Kevin Turcotte, Laila Biali, Lex French, Mark McLean, Matt Woroshyl, Mike Downes, Reg Schwager, Robi Botos, Sean Nimmons, Taurey Butler, and Thompson Egbo-Egbo.
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT:
WWW.MASSEYHALL.COM
OR 416-872-4255
Oscar Peterson at 100: A Canadian Celebration will feature music from throughout Peterson’s near seven-decade career, with a mix of both his original compositions and jazz standards, performed with love by an eclectic mix of artists, all of whom have drawn inspiration from Peterson’s immeasurable legacy.
The evening, co-produced by Céline Peterson and JUNO Award-winning drummer, composer, educator, and the evening’s Musical Director, Jim Doxas, was born from the pair’s desire to curate an evening that embodied the excellence that Peterson led throughout his life.
Tickets to Oscar Peterson at 100, A Canadian Celebration are available now by visiting www.masseyhall.com or calling the box office at 416-872-4255.
Dave Young Bio: Order of Canada recipient, Dr. Dave Young C.M., is one of Canada’s most celebrated and valued bassists, composers, arrangers, and educators. Originally from Winnipeg, Dave has made his name known on both the Canadian and international stages in both jazz and classical music for the last 5 decades, and along the way has worked with some of the world’s top artists in various fields. Known for his elegant tone, impeccable time, and immense knowledge of musical history, Dave has been a first-call bassist for the likes of Oscar Peterson, Lenny Breau, Oliver Jones, Cedar Walton, and countless others.
Oliver Jones Bio: With 25 albums under his belt, Dr. Jones has toured the world playing for audiences across the United States, Europe, New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, Japan, China and Africa. Having performed at major jazz festivals and concerts alongside acclaimed orchestras, Dr. Jones has been recognized for his work across the globe. He is a member of the Order of Canada and the Order of Québec and has received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, the Martin Luther King Jr. Award, the Oscar Peterson Award, the SOCAN Special Lifetime Award, multiple Félix Awards and two JUNO Awards. He has six doctorates.
Dr. OSCAR EMMANUEL PETERSON, is one of the most prolific jazz pianists of all time, lending his name and talents to more than 500 recordings and earning 8 GRAMMY Awards (including Lifetime Achievement). Born in Montréal’s Little Burgundy, his immense talent, fierce determination and profound love for the artform caught the attention of jazz music’s greatest impresario and founder of Jazz at the Philharmonic (JATP), Norman Granz. After accepting an invitation to perform as a surprise guest at a JATP show at Carnegie Hall at just twenty-four years old, Peterson would continue to tour with the group, performing with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Brown, Roy Eldridge, Herb Ellis, Clark Terry, Lester Young, and Lionel Hampton.
To learn more about Oscar Peterson and #OscarPeterson100, visit OscarPeterson.com.
On Sunday, June 15, 2025, the rhythms of Latin America take over Luminato at Harbourfront in this day-long celebration curated by Toronto’s beloved Lula Music & Arts Centre. From powerful salsa to groundbreaking fusions of traditional and contemporary sounds, this free event brings together revolutionary artists who are reshaping Latin music.
Get ready to dance with La Pambelé, as members of this cutting-edge Colombian orchestra are joined by top Canadian players to deliver this specially curated presentation of international salsa brava, bursting with the spirit of resistance and revolution. Move to the innovative sounds of Kombilesa Mi, who blend ancestral instruments with contemporary beats, rapping in both Spanish and Palenquero—the unique language of San Basilio de Palenque, the first free Black community in the Americas.
Between sets, Toronto’s own Sonic Sancocho keeps the energy high with vinyl-only DJ sets that span the spectrum of Latin music. Join dance workshops led by international instructors, explore market vendors, and discover why Latin music continues to move the world.
Whether you’re an experienced dancer or just love to move, this family-friendly celebration invites everyone to be part of the rhythm. More artists, workshops, and activities to be announced.
DIOGO RAMOS | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | CONCERT STAGE | FREE
Meet Diogo Ramos, singer-songwriter hailing from São Paulo, Brazil. Rooted in the rich tradition of Brazilian popular musicians, Diogo has honed his craft since the age of 13, specializing in guitar. With 25 years of professional experience, he has contributed to 20 albums as both composer and producer. In 2023, Diogo launched his latest album ‘Cabaça,’ a vibrant blend of electro-samba-funk designed to get you dancing! ‘Cabaça’ fuses samba funk and electronic hip-hop, featuring lyrics in Portuguese, French, and Haitian Creole, capturing the essence of beach vibes and modern urbanity. His EP ‘Raro Efeito’ serves as a musical statement and a tribute to Montreal’s multicultural artistic scene.
Crafted in collaboration with director Boogát, ‘Cabaça’ features brass arrangements recorded in Brazil by João Lenhari, Cuca Ferreira, and Douglas Antunes of Bixiga 70. Vocal arrangements by Bianca Rocha and Flavia Nascimento, mixed by Jean Massicotte in Canada and Andrés Oddone in Mexico. Special guests include Bïa and Imposs in ‘Samba do Boncy,’ and Boogát in ‘Sua Mão Direita.’ This music was composed and produced during the 2020/2021 pandemic, with the hope for a civilization filled with music and peace.
KOMBILESA MI | 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM | CONCERT STAGE | FREE
Nestled in the northern coastal region of Colombia, San Basilio de Palenque as it is colloquially known, was founded in the 17th century, by the first free slaves (Cimarrones) of the Americas. It has pioneered a distinct mix of Afro-Colombian culture. Locals speak their own Creole language called “Palenquero”, a blend of African Bantu, Portuguese dialects, French and English. Kombilesa Mi experiments with the instruments created by their ancestors (and introduced to them when they were young), layering them between new sounds. Over traditional percussion, handmade steel drums of his own design and marímbula, Kombilesa Mi rhymes and raps in Spanish and the traditional Palenquero. Kombilesa has performed at the Kennedy Center, NPR’s Tiny Desk, the Festival Petronio Alvarez and SXSW.
LA PAMBELÉ | 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM | CONCERT STAGE | FREE
La Pambelé is a Colombian orchestra that embodies the essence of heavy guaguanco, salsa brava that resonates with revolution and resistance of migrants to the big cities. Their influences include names such as Markolino Dimond, Eddie Palmieri, Edy Martínez, El Pantera, Ismael Miranda, Quintana, Rivera, and the Afro- Antillean rhythms that flow from the Colombian coasts to the capital, Bogotá, the epicenter of inspiration and conspiracy for this orchestra.
Source: Luminato at Harbourfront
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