EMPERORS AND JEWELS AT THE
AGA KAN MUSEUM…AND MORE

Until Jan 27:  Emperors & Jewels: Treasures of the Indian Courts. Discover the opulent lifestyles of the Mughal emperors and of the sultans of Deccan, India. The Canadian premiere exhibition reflects the splendour of the Mughals, who were great patrons of the jewelled arts, which blended Central Asian, Iranian, and Indian traditions. Exquisitely crafted pieces of men’s jewellery, once owned by the Mughal emperors who ruled India from the 16th to 19th century, bear witness to the deep love of beauty and craftsmanship. They also speak of the blossoming creativity of these highborn rulers, who adorned themselves magnificently to feast and to fight. Paintings from the Aga Khan Museum Collection, showing hunts and battles, receptions and gardens, set the scene for the jewelled works of art from the renowned al- Sabah Collection, Kuwait, and reveal the artistic passions of the Mughal emperors. From whimsical rings and turban ornaments to intricately designed daggers and swords, the compilation of objects in the exhibition reinforces the status, wealth, and ceremony of the courts of the Mughals and their contemporaries. Exhibition highlights include a 17th-century dagger sash-cord ornament from Northern India or Deccan; and a cup from late 16th-century India made of jade, set with ruby, emerald, sapphire, and dark sapphire-blue and emerald-green transparent glass. More info at www.agakhanmuseum.org.   

Until Oct. 21:  Modernism on the Ganges: Raghubir Singh Photographs at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). Organized by the Metropolitan Museum of Art with the co-operation of Succession Raghubir Singh in Paris, this retrospective presents the visionary works of late photographer Raghubir Singh (1942-1999), who pioneered the use of colour film to document the rapidly changing social, political, and cultural scenes of India from the late 1960s to the 1990s. Details at www.rom.on.ca.

Nov. 2-11: The Country Music Culinary Festival, showcasing country musicians as well as veteran and up-and-coming Canadian chefs in partnership with Canada’s largest country music festival, Boots and Hearts, kicks off with the first stop on Tim Hicks Get Loud tour on November 1 at the 96th Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Exhibition Place in Toronto. Tickets start at $55 at www.ticketmaster.ca.

Nov. 17:  The 15th annual Boston Bhangra Competition. This competition is one of the largest and most successful Bhangra competitions in North America showcasing the highly energetic, enthusiastic and fun folk dance from Punjab, India. The most respected bhangra teams from the United States and Canada will fight it out to be crowned the Boston Bhangra champions. Special performances by Bhangra superstar G Sidhu, the singer behind massive hit songs Sat Sri Akaal, Credit Card, Candlelight and many more. Delicious food will be sold by One World Cuisine, buy online and save. Be sure to also check out the after-party immediately following the competition to dance the night away, Bhangra style! It will feature the Platinum Roadshow and special performances by G Sidhu. 6 pm  at Orpheum Theatre, 1 Hamilton Place, Boston. Doors open at 5 pm. Tickets and more info at www.bostonbhangra.com/bbc.

From Dec. 1:  Wildlife Photographer of the Year Exhibition returns to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) for its sixth consecutive year. This perennial favourite for Museum visitors of all ages features 100 extraordinary new and awe-inspiring photographs that depict striking wildlife, stunning landscapes and the remarkable beauty of our biodiversity. Now in its 54th year, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition is the longest-running and most prestigious of its kind in the world. Organized by the Natural History Museum, London (NHM), the competition attracts tens of thousands of submissions from photographers of all ages and skill levels. Selected by an international jury for their artistic composition, technical innovation and truthful interpretation of the natural world, the exhibition showcases the winners and category finalists with work that calls attention to the beauty and fragility of life on this planet. Details at www.rom.on.ca. 

Mar. 14-16: DanceWorks Main-stage Series Event. Jaberi Dance Theatre presents No Women’s Land at Harbourfront Centre Theatre. Choreographed by Roshanak Jaberi, No Woman’s Land is a multi-disciplinary performance piece that explores the real stories of women in refugee camps. A three-year project featuring seven performers with composition and sound design by Thomas Ryder Payne and scenography by Trevor Schwellnus, it combines dance, multimedia and verbatim theatre and has been developed in collaboration with the Institute for Research and Development on Inclusion and Society (IRIS) and Dr. Shahrzad Mojab, professor at the University of Toronto. Violence against women is the most pervasive violation of human rights in the world.

More info and tickets at 416-204-1082.

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