The Kingston Symphony has built Masterworks Three around a pairing that earns a second look. On the surface, Puccini and Martinů share very little: one is the presiding figure of Italian verismo opera, whose works have filled houses for well over a century; the other a Czech composer working in the 1950s with the oldest narrative humanity ever committed to writing. Conductor Evan Mitchell’s program finds the thread. Both works are studies in partnership. Puccini gives us Rodolfo and Mimì. Martinů gives us Gilgamesh and Enkidu.
About the Show
Masterworks Three, the third installment of Kingston Symphony’s 2026–27 series, develops that argument across three works. The program opens with Massenet’s Prelude to Act 5 of Don Quichotte, a piece that extends the evening’s theme before it’s stated directly: Don Quixote and Sancho Panza are their own legendary partnership, and Massenet’s contribution lands as a third entry in the program’s ongoing case before Puccini and Martinů take over.
From there, the program moves to the conclusion of La Bohème’s first act (Puccini at his most tenderly melodic) and then to Martinů’s The Epic of Gilgamesh as the centerpiece. The Kingston Symphony describes it as chronicling “the mythological adventures of Gilgamesh and Enkidu, two true best friends challenging the gods,” casting the world’s oldest surviving epic in the musical language of the mid-twentieth century.
Mitchell leads four soloists: Rachel Krehm (soprano), Elias Theocharidis (tenor), Christopher Dunham (baritone), and Neil Craighead (bass), joined by The Isabel Voices chorus with Darrell Christie as Artistic Director. Krehm, co-founder and General Director of Opera 5, has drawn strong notices across demanding operatic repertoire; critics described her work in Poulenc’s La voix humaine as “a breathtaking virtuoso performance of boundless passion and seemingly limitless musicality.” Mitchell has led the Kingston Symphony since 2014, and the National Arts Centre describes him as “one of Canada’s most able and imaginative conductors” — a reputation built on sellout Masterworks performances and more than 30 Canadian compositions premiered during his tenure.
Venue & Logistics
The performance takes place at the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts, 390 King Street West, Kingston, Ontario, presented by Kingston Grand Theatre. The December 6 start is 2:30 p.m. For more events in this part of the calendar, see our North Country listings.
Tickets
Tickets run $10–$54 plus HST and handling fees, with pricing depending on seat location and buyer type. Regular tickets went on sale Aug. 24, 2026. Buy tickets