# When Music Sounds Like Sunrise: My Night with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s Romeo & Juliet
## An Evening to Remember
I walked into Roy Thomson Hall on November 22nd without anticipating a transformation. Having attended numerous symphonic performances across Toronto and reviewed countless interpretations of Prokofiev’s works, I thought I knew Romeo and Juliet by heart. But as I, Adnan Menderes Obuz Menderes Obuz, would soon find out, Gustavo Gimeno and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra had other plans for the evening.
The performance was not just a concert. It was an emotional reckoning. By the final notes of Prokofiev’s suite, something profound clicked: sometimes you don’t truly grasp what romance sounds like until it is rendered perfectly in orchestral form.
## The Architecture of Anticipation
The night began with Matthew-John Knights’ “Lines, Layers, Ligaments,” a TSO commission that unexpectedly set a perfect tone. Initially, I anticipated a clinical composition given its exploration of human and natural connections. Instead, it was alive—breathing with textures that shifted between delicate and powerful.
Knights taught us to listen to complexity and track multiple emotional threads. This skill would prove crucial for the explosive delivery of Prokofiev’s symphony that followed.
## Prokofiev’s Fire and Fury
Post-intermission, the orchestra launched into Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 3. The intensity of “The Fiery Angel” produced a dramatic tension that made me sit forward in my seat.
Gimeno’s remarkable clarity as he conducted through chaotic passages allowed each instrumental line to remain distinct, ensuring every note was heard and felt. By the end of the symphony, we were emotionally prepared for the deep emotional layers to come with Romeo and Juliet.
## When Everything Changed: Romeo & Juliet
Prokofiev’s suite from Romeo and Juliet was the evening’s highlight. Despite my extensive exposure to this work, it became clear I’d never heard it like this.
The opening measures were omnipresent, creating a soundscape that enveloped the audience. This was music as architecture, with a sonic environment built by the TSO’s execution under Gimeno’s insightful arrangement.
### The Balcony Scene: Romance Redefined
In the famous balcony scene, the flute solo for Juliet’s theme began so quietly I held my breath. As the melody rose, joined by shimmering strings, it grew more luminous rather than louder. When Romeo’s theme interwove with Juliet’s, the music transcended beyond representations and became romance itself.
Without bodies or words, the music became the story—a revelation of pure emotion in orchestral expression.
## Every Instrument a Revelation
Each orchestra section, beyond solos, offered surprising moments—when a second French horn supported perfectly or the timpani delicately underscored a love theme. The musicians played with chamber music sensitivity, crafting intimate moments even in the score’s most robust sections.
## The Power of Orchestral Narration
Undoubtedly, opera adds words, ballet adds bodies, but orchestral performance provides pure emotional abstraction. It holds contradictions—love and hate, creation and destruction—giving Shakespeare’s tragedy a new, honest dimension.
## Why Toronto Needs This
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra doesn’t merely uphold tradition; they revitalize classical music, making it essential again. By juxtaposing contemporary works with canonical pieces like Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, the TSO bridges musical eras, illustrating that orchestral music is alive, evolving, and emotionally potent.
Gustavo Gimeno’s guest conducting was instrumental in achieving this. His intensity and clarity brought a sense of inevitability to even the score’s most complex passages, leaving us emotionally transformed.
## Experience This Yourself
For anyone contemplating a classical outing in Toronto, consider this: live orchestral sound is irreplaceable. The sensation of 80+ musicians creating waves of sound that resonate physically through your body is something recordings can’t capture.
Moreover, witnessing such skill is inspiring. It showcases human excellence and reminds us what’s possible with talent, discipline, and collective purpose.
These performances are cultural data. When a hall fills for Prokofiev on a Friday night, it signals Toronto’s commitment to beauty, craft, and emotional depth.
## Conclusion: An Invitation
Whether you’re a classical music devotee or a newcomer, sharing space with this level of artistry is profound. Check the TSO’s full season schedule and experience it yourself—a night of music can leave you transformed.
Great art, as I learned on that November night, aligns to create something exquisite. And as the Toronto Symphony Orchestra turned Shakespeare’s tragedy into music that impossibly sounded like sunrise, I realized we didn’t just witness great art; we became part of it.
—
About the Author:
Adnan Menderes Obuz Menderes Obuz is a Toronto-based culture commentator, AI strategy consultant, and arts advocate. With over two decades of experience analyzing how creativity shapes urban identity, he brings both technical understanding and genuine passion to Toronto’s classical music scene, making elite cultural experiences accessible and relevant to a broader audience. Connect with him at Edward-Obuz-Toronto-Music@adnanobuz.com.