Author Archives: barczablog

Wagnerian Bicentennial

Posted on May 22, 2013

We’ve come to the first of the three important opera composer birthdays in 2013. May 22:  Richard Wagner’s bicentennial October 10:  Giuseppe Verdi’s bicentennial November 22: Benjamin Britten’s centennial You may prefer Britten’s operas. You may point to the box … Continue reading →

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Brian Wyers: artist at work

Posted on May 21, 2013

It’s Victoria Day long weekend. Fireworks are exploding in my neighbourhood as I type this. It’s not fair to call it the Canadian equivalent to the 4th of July, as there’s no particular patriotism, no national myth underlying the date, … Continue reading →

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Book of Dialogues

Posted on May 14, 2013

Momento #1 of that production I haven’t yet seen was the DVD.  I reviewed it a few weeks ago, fascinated to see Robert Carsen’s take on Poulenc’s opera Dialogues des Carmelites in its La Scala incarnation from 2004. I stumbled … Continue reading →

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Figaro’s Wedding

Posted on May 14, 2013

“Press releases and announcements” are presented verbatim without comment. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MAY 14, 2013 Against the Grain Theatre puts new spin on Mozart classic with Figaro’s Wedding TORONTO (May 14, 2013) — Against the Grain Theatre (AtG), the daring … Continue reading →

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10 Questions for Nancy Hitzig

Posted on May 12, 2013

Opera, theatre and the live arts are Nancy Hitzig’s passion, and she leads an active cultural life in pursuit of new opportunities to experience and explore the best Toronto has to offer. A dedicated and tireless arts community “connector”, Nancy … Continue reading →

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Visions: not saying “no”

Posted on May 10, 2013

I’ve been listening to a CD of piano music, contemplating the word “no”.   It may seem like an odd combination, a strange segue. Why would I wonder about the word “no”? I’ve been thinking a lot about how people make … Continue reading →

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A reception experiment: Lucia last night

Posted on May 10, 2013

I remember from Psych 100 that one of the ways scientists learned about the brain was from what they called natural experiments.  In the war, sometimes a man would suffer a catastrophic wound to part of his head, allowing scientists … Continue reading →

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Full Circle: JT and The 20/20 Experience

Posted on May 10, 2013

I seem to have come full circle with Justin Timberlake.  An opera-loving friend of mine moaned that Justin Timberlake is among the “Time 100“, a list purporting to identify the 100 most influential people in the world.  I don’t think … Continue reading →

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Toronto Opera Collaborative Le Cid

Posted on May 5, 2013

Tonight Toronto Opera Collaborative presented Massenet’s Le Cid, an opera that is outside the boundaries of what’s usually understood as the “standard repertoire” of operas one usually encounters in an opera house.  There’s a single piece that some might recognize, … Continue reading →

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Besame Opera

Posted on May 2, 2013

There’s lots of kissing in “Bésame Ópera”, the Spanish double bill from Opera 5 currently playing at Gallery 345.   Sometimes it’s even human beings doing it. I feel lucky that, by a curious coincidence, the new work in Monday’s … Continue reading →

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