theBUZZ Features
Luminato spreads its art, events, and exhibitions across Toronto, June 7 to 18, 2023
Bryen Dunn
Are you ready for summer and art in the city? We’re pleased to announce Luminato is back June 7th to June 18th with an exceptional program set to invigorate Toronto with creativity! In 2023, we are hosting an incredible program featuring stories from Toronto and around the globe which show glimpses of daily life alongside remarkable, life-altering moments.
We will welcome Little Amal to Toronto and Canada for the first time with musicians, dancers, children, elders, and everyone in between on June 7th. Little Amal, a 12-foot puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee has travelled to 90 cities around the world in search of her mother. At Luminato, she will walk across the GTA for 5 days, looking for her new home.
On June 17th and 18th, get ready to dance as we bring a mix of local and international artists, from Zeca Pagodinho and Moneka Arabic Jazz to Princess Nokia and Snotty Nose Rez Kids. The 2023 Luminato Music Weekend will take up residency at David Pecaut Square, where we’ve had many beautiful events in the past.
We continue to bring art to unexpected places with the world premiere of Mi’kmaq artist Jordan Bennett’s new travelling public art installation Echoes Calling Back. This large-scale inflatable will be found at College Park, in the center of the city.
Staged Productions
Premiering at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts June 6-17. Fusing European classical music with ragtime, folk, and gospel, Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha tells the revolutionary story of a young Black woman who discovers her power to heal a divided people.
Both a play and a radio documentary, Aalaapi is an intimate portrait of young women in Northern communities. Don’t miss Aalaapi at the Ada Slaight Hall June 8-10.
Experience Dragon’s Tale on the shores of Lake Ontario June 15-18. An operatic celebration of Chinese tradition with a Canadian backdrop, soaring music, and the rich and magical history of dragon boating.
If you’re a fan of dance you’ll love Nuit, legendary Canadian choreographer Jean-Pierre Perreault’s seminal work of contemporary dance exploring the individual among the collective. Remounted by Compagnie de la Citadelle June 8-10.
Loss is a deeply honest, live retelling of an intergenerational family story, written by Ian Kamau and his father Roger McTair. See it on stage at the Harbourfront Centre Theatre June 14-18. Loss is developed in residency at The Theatre Centre.
About the Author
Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.
