Brett Polegato and photos of sumptuous opera house interiors a great excuse to set foot outdoors

Two things worth going outside for:

TODAY AT 12:10 p.m.:
A free, short recital of six songs from A Shropshire Lad by George Butterworth, by baritone Brett Polegato and pianist Che Ann Loewen. Eric Domville will provide a bit of commentary.
It's at University of Toronto's Walter Hall. 

THE WHOLE MONTH, STARTING SATURDAY:
Bau-Xi Gallery (across the street from the AGO, just east of Beverley St.) is hosting a photo show by New York City-based David Leventi, who likes to stand on the stages of the world's great opera houses and take gorgeous (and expensive) pictures. They're big, giving even more punch to the ornate décor of each auditorium.

The gallery is hanging the photos as I type, but the vernissage isn't until Saturday.

Here are two of my favourites from David Leventi's photos -- both of theatres I had not seen before. (I'll keep you guessing for 30 seconds on where these gorgeous rooms are.)

I think the second auditorium deserves a soundtrack. Here's is a young Angela Gheorigiu singing "Muzica" by Romanian composer George Grigoriu: