At first glance, May 17, 1967, might have seemed like just another spring day in Toronto. The unseasonably warm high of 21.7°C hinted at summer’s approach, but what unfolded that evening in Massey Hall was anything but ordinary. For one brief moment, the city became the epicentre of the classical music world as Igor Stravinsky, one of the 20th century’s most towering musical figures, led the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in what would be his final public conducting appearance.
Stravinsky, then 85 years old, had long been advised by his doctors to scale back the physical demands of conducting. Yet, he made an exception for Massey Hall, the TSO’s first home and a venue steeped in history. On that stage, he led the orchestra in his suite from Pulcinella, a work that married his signature modernism with Baroque elegance—and one that required less physical exertion. Despite this, the performance reportedly took a toll on the aging composer. After the concert, Stravinsky confided to his friend and collaborator Robert Craft that he believed he had suffered a stroke while conducting. Though he lived another four years, that night in Toronto marked the beginning of the end for Stravinsky’s public career.
A Storied Venue. A Historic Moment.
By the time Stravinsky arrived, Massey Hall, which opened in 1894, had already earned its place as one of Canada’s premier cultural landmarks. The TSO called it home from the orchestra’s founding in 1922 until 1982, and its stage has hosted some of the most significant musical events in the city’s history. Stravinsky’s appearance at Massey Hall was emblematic of the venue’s cultural significance, solidifying Toronto’s place on the international classical music map.
But this moment was far from the TSO’s first encounter with Stravinsky. The orchestra first performed one of his works—the suite from Petrouchka—in 1934, under Sir Ernest MacMillan. The composer himself took the podium in 1937 to conduct The Firebird and Petrouchka. Over the decades, Stravinsky’s music became a cornerstone of the orchestra’s repertoire, with over 575 performances to date featuring his works, and recordings of The Firebird and The Rite of Spring cementing this artistic connection.
Pulcinella & the TSO’s Legacy
Pulcinella, the centrepiece of Stravinsky’s final performance, has remained a defining work in the TSO’s relationship with his music. Commissioned by Serge Diaghilev for the Ballets Russes in 1919, the ballet reimagines music attributed to Italian Baroque composer Pergolesi through Stravinsky’s modernist lens, creating a vibrant blend of playfulness and wit. The suite from Pulcinella has become a popular concert piece, but Stravinsky’s full ballet, with its vocal and instrumental interplay, offers a richer and more profound perspective on his genius.
It is fitting, then, that Pulcinella takes centre stage in the TSO’s upcoming album, recorded live at Roy Thomson Hall under Music Director Gustavo Gimeno. Soon to be released on the Harmonia Mundi label, the album revisits the ballet in its entirety, connecting the TSO’s present to its storied past. In the words of Gimeno: “Pulcinella holds a special place in the TSO’s history. Stravinsky himself conducted the orchestra in a performance of the ballet suite in 1967, marking his final public conducting appearance. It feels extraordinary to return to this work—this time in its full form—while celebrating Stravinsky’s musical ingenuity and the orchestra’s legacy.”
Honouring the Past. Embracing the Future.
The album is more than a tribute to the composer’s legacy; it’s a celebration of the TSO’s artistic vision. Alongside Pulcinella, the recording features Stravinsky’s Divertimento from Le Baiser de la fée (The Fairy’s Kiss), a romantic homage to Tchaikovsky, and Curiosity, Genius, and the Search for Petula Clark, a contemporary TSO commission by celebrated Canadian composer Kelly-Marie Murphy. Inspired by Glenn Gould’s fascination with the titular British pop star, Murphy’s work bridges classical and pop traditions.
This fusion of historical reverence and modern artistry reflects the orchestra’s broader mission. Stravinsky’s influence persists in every note of this project, from his groundbreaking neoclassical approach to his profound connection with Toronto and the TSO. The album invites listeners to experience the past, present, and future of orchestral music through the lens of one of its greatest innovators. As the TSO revisits Pulcinella more than 50 years after Stravinsky’s final bow, it’s clear that his legacy remains as vital as ever—both in Toronto and beyond.
Stravinsky’s Pulcinella will be available worldwide on February 14, 2025. For more information about the TSO’s recordings, visit TSO.CA/Recordings.
Lead photo courtesy of City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1652, File 556, Item 55, Igor Stravinsky with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra for CBC, May 17, 1967. Photographer: Paul Smith.