Monthly Archives: January 2014

Ten Questions for Sir Thomas Allen

Posted on January 30, 2014 by barczablog

The talent pool at the Canadian Opera Company is deeper than ever, yet even so, few singers have the credentials of Sir Thomas Allen, one of the great singers of his generation. Currently starring as Don Alfonso in the COC’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Her

Posted on January 27, 2014 by barczablog

It’s the shortest film title I’ve seen in awhile. Her It’s eerie just how much this film reminds me of the present and where we seem to be going.  Today, for instance, I was listening to Norah Young on Spark, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Reviews | Leave a comment

Olsen writes about Syberberg’s Parsifal

Posted on January 26, 2014 by barczablog

In October 2007 I wrote the following review for the Wagner News (the newsletter of the Toronto Wagner Society), concerning Solveig Olsen’s massive book analyzing Syberberg‘s film of Parsifal.  I’m pulling it out again because I’m thinking of Syberberg’s film … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Cinema, video & DVDs, Opera, Reviews | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Verdi’s Many Masks

Posted on January 25, 2014 by barczablog

The Canadian Opera Company open a production of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Un ballo in maschera next week.  It’s placed in a modern setting, one that might have you wondering whether Verdi’s instructions are being flouted by a directorial intervention.  But … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Adapting Martin Chuzzlewit

Posted on January 24, 2014 by barczablog

Just had the first run of Martin Chuzzlewit which I am directing at Ryerson. It is by Charles Dickens in a great adaptation by Michael Hollingsworth. The text has sixty seven scenes and forty characters. Dickens thought the novel his … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, University life | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Encounters –U of T composers

Posted on January 22, 2014 by barczablog

“Press releases and announcements” are presented verbatim without comment.  U of T Opera and Faculty of Music student composers present ENCOUNTERS One performance only Thursday, January 30 at 5 pm, MacMillan Theatre Edward Johnson Building, 80 Queen’s Park Free admission … Continue reading →

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

Cosi women

Posted on January 19, 2014 by barczablog

When you walk into the Four Seasons Centre for the new Canadian Opera Company production of Cosi fan tutte the first thing you see is a huge reproduction of Frida Kahlo’s painting Two Fridas. I imagined what Frida might have … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Back to school: open-hearted, open-minded

Posted on January 17, 2014 by barczablog

I’m inspired by last night’s announcement of Canadian Opera Company’s 2014-2015 season.  Anyone bumping into me today will see that my appetite is indeed so whetted that they might prefer to run in the opposite direction.  I can’t help myself. … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Psychology and perception | Leave a comment

Six for COC in 2014-15

Posted on January 16, 2014 by barczablog

The Canadian Opera Company announced their 2014-15 season at a festive event tonight.  Yes the COC are stepping back from their recent pattern of seven-opera seasons, to offer six instead.  But this is also the year when the New York … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera | 1 Comment

Tcherniakov’s Don Giovanni

Posted on January 13, 2014 by barczablog

Dimitri Tcherniakov has been seen a fair bit on TFO lately.  After recent productions of Il trovatore and Ruslan und Ludmilla, tonight’s broadcast had special importance, a co-production with several companies including the Canadian Opera Company.  COC General Director Alexander … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Opera, Reviews | Tagged , , | 6 Comments