Monthly Archives: May 2014

10 questions for Cameron McPhail

Posted on May 13, 2014 by barczablog

All good things must come to an end.  Brandon, Manitoba native Cameron McPhail has been a member of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio, Canada’s premier training program for young opera professionals. Recent COC appearances include Schaunard in La Bohème, … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Penalty balks

Posted on May 13, 2014 by barczablog

We often hear about the beauty of sports, that soccer –aka “football” to most of the world– is “the beautiful game”.  The aesthetic pleasures found in sports vary of course.  Winning really helps, don’t you find? When you lose, things … Continue reading →

Posted in Sports | 4 Comments

10 Questions for Ann Cooper Gay

Posted on May 12, 2014 by barczablog

Every now and then I get the opportunity to interview one of the key figures in the Canadian opera scene, people such as Stuart Hamilton or Marshall Pynkoski.  Ann Cooper Gay is another such figure.  I’ve known Ann a very … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Questions of identity

Posted on May 11, 2014 by barczablog

Do you know who you are? Today’s performance of the Canadian Opera company production of Roberto Devereux  at the Four Seasons Centre seemed like an investigation of identity. For one thing, there’s the opera’s plot, which concerns Elizabeth I and … Continue reading →

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Quixotic Ride

Posted on May 10, 2014 by barczablog

On Thursday May 22nd Stephen R. Clarke will be lecturing on “Chaliapin: A Portrait in Recordings” as part of the Canadian Opera Company‘s free noon-hour lecture series.  I wonder if Clarke will play any examples from Massenet’s Don Quichotte?  Unfortunately … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | 4 Comments

Art Installation: The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha

Posted on May 9, 2014 by barczablog

“Press releases and announcements” are presented verbatim without comment ART INSTALLATION, THE INGENIOUS GENTLEMAN, ON DISPLAY AT CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY’S FOUR SEASONS CENTRE Toronto – The Canadian Opera Company showcases a quixotic suite of sculptures by Toronto-based new media artist … Continue reading →

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A Celebration of Jeanne Lamon

Posted on May 9, 2014 by barczablog

At the end they handed her a bouquet, and she immediately separated it into discreet flowers, walking among her colleagues handing one to each.  It was a moment that was so typical. Jeanne Lamon has been in the process of … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | 1 Comment

COC casting change announcement

Posted on May 8, 2014 by barczablog

“Press releases and announcements” are presented verbatim without comment CASTING CHANGE FOR CANADIAN OPERA COMPANY’S ROBERTO DEVEREUX  Toronto – The Canadian Opera Company regrets to announce that Italian tenor Giuseppe Filianoti will not be returning to the company’s production of … Continue reading →

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The Tempest Replica: Icing and Cake

Posted on May 8, 2014 by barczablog

Tonight Toronto got another look at Kidd Pivot, Crystal Pite’s company from out west.  While this may be new to us, it’s not really new.  Just as Dark Matters –brought to Toronto by Canadian Stage back in 2012— was already … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Reviews | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Ernesto Ramirez to sing Roberto Devereux

Posted on May 7, 2014 by barczablog

The Canadian Opera Company scheduled seven performances of Roberto Devereux.  The COCassigned the first three performances to Leonardo Capalbo in the title role, and he did a marvelous job from what i saw & heard. Giuseppe Filianoti was scheduled to … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Press Releases and Announcements | Tagged , | 4 Comments