Monthly Archives: May 2013

10 Questions for David Warrack

Posted on May 31, 2013 by barczablog

The most impressive display of sight-reading i ever saw? when David Warrack sat down with my piano vocal score of Candide and played the overture, up to speed, more or less perfectly. Wow. David first performed on radio when he … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Three Davids CD release: Hugh’s Room June 8th

Posted on May 30, 2013 by barczablog

“Press releases and announcements” are presented verbatim without comment. NEWS IN 3-D(If your Name is DAVID you get in for FREE) An impressive array of top talent awaits jazz lovers when THE THREE DAVIDS c.d. is released in Hugh’s Room … Continue reading →

Posted in Press Releases and Announcements | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Altared Figaro

Posted on May 30, 2013 by barczablog

If the dress fits, wear it! Against the Grain’s modern adaptation of The Marriage of Figaro, namely Figaro’s Wedding accomplishes almost everything it set out to do: tell the familiar story in a new way give us all that amazing … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | 3 Comments

10 Questions for Keir GoGwilt

Posted on May 29, 2013 by barczablog

Keir GoGwilt was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and grew up in New York City. Recent performances include the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the Bowdoin International Music Festival Orchestra, Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” with the Bach Society Orchestra of Harvard, the Berg … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Sympathy for the Bedevilled

Posted on May 26, 2013 by barczablog

It’s an odd week.  Since seeing the COC production of Dialogues des Carmelites I have the “Salve Regina” in my head, particularly the last two pages of the score, where Blanche appears.  I also hear the complementary sonorities of Ravel’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays | Leave a comment

Carsen Dialogues

Posted on May 24, 2013 by barczablog

I like to read a director’s notes before seeing a show, because they often contain clues about what you’re going to see. Robert Carsen’s take on Dialogues des Carmelites is a case in point. The production has been mounted all … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews, Spirituality & Religion | Leave a comment

Wagner and the animals

Posted on May 23, 2013 by barczablog

Don’t mistake me for an apologist for  Richard Wagner.  I am merely seeking balance. It’s the birthday of Wagner: the composer, the dramaturg, the musician, the pamphleteer, the communist, the racist… Yes, all of those and more. Was he also perhaps … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, domestic & wild, Personal ruminations & essays | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Wagnerian Bicentennial

Posted on May 22, 2013 by barczablog

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 →

Posted in Opera, Personal ruminations & essays | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Brian Wyers: artist at work

Posted on May 21, 2013 by barczablog

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 →

Posted in Art, Architecture & Design, Personal ruminations & essays | Tagged | 3 Comments

Book of Dialogues

Posted on May 14, 2013 by barczablog

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 →

Posted in Books & Literature, Opera, Reviews | Tagged | 2 Comments