Zubin Mehta conducts the illustrious Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.Marco Brescia
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
A chance to witness the maestro Zubin Mehta before the legendary conductor passes on the baton to whomever eventually succeeds him as the head of the illustrious Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. The symphonic group's lone Canadian stop on a North American tour involves a program of Strauss, Ravel and motion-picture music by the Israeli composer Amit Poznansky.
Oct. 28, 8 p.m. $69.25 to $296. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St., 416-598-1285 or tso.ca.
We'll Be Better Tomorrow
Love means hoping your partner will die so you don't have to break up with them. That kind of avowal is the kind of candid humour to be expected from the whiz-bang sketch-comedy trio of Stacey McGunnigle, Jason DeRosse and Rob Baker, all Second City alumni and all cautiously optimistic at best when it comes to their revue's titular hope.
To Oct. 27, 9:30 p.m. $10. Bad Dog Theatre, 875 Bloor St. W., 647-748-2258 or baddogtheatre.com.
The NoSleep Podcast
The audio-drama horror-tale series should scare up a full room of devotees for a night of live readings by a cast of seven actors, complete with a moonlit musical score. Ghost stories for grown-ups, as if the everyday world isn't frightening enough.
Oct. 29, 5 p.m. $35. Great Hall, 1087 Queen St. W., 855-985-5000 or ticketmaster.ca.
Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile
Not so much a new version of Stevie Nicks and the late Tom Petty – more like Petty and, well, Petty. Sparks don't fly when the drawling American Kurt Vile collaborates with the excellent Australian lyricist Courtney Barnett on their album Lotta Sea Lice, but for the slacker-rock set, the coupling is a marriage made in stoner heaven.
Oct. 31, 8 p.m. $39 to $52.50. Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St., 416-872-4255 or masseyhall.com.
Canada All Star Ballet Gala
Curated by Svetlana Lunkina, principal dancer at the National Ballet of Canada and former Bolshoi ballerina, this event brings together dancers from such troupes as the American Ballet Theatre, the Paris Opera Ballet, Teatro alla Scala and the National for a program of 15 works, including a dozen Canadian premieres.
Oct 28, 7 p.m. $45 to $195. Sony Centre, 1 Front St. E., 855-872-7669 or sonycentre.ca.
Brad Wheeler