Monthly Archives: February 2016

Questions for Iain MacNeil: Guth’s Figaro

Posted on February 17, 2016 by barczablog

Canadian bass-baritone Iain MacNeil joined the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio in the fall of 2014, after studying at University of Toronto Opera with Canadian soprano Wendy Nielsen.  There’s a more complete biography on his website: here. His career is off … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Music and musicology, Opera, University life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Cakes and Puppets/Buchty a Loutky: La Calisto

Posted on February 11, 2016 by barczablog

The Centre for Drama, Theatre & Performance Studies at University of Toronto are in the midst of a residency by Cakes and Puppets, a Czech puppetry company.  Who are they and what are they presenting in this brief visit? Cakes … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, University life | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Salieri’s Falstaff: first time in Canada

Posted on February 8, 2016 by barczablog

To most people Antonio Salieri is unknown except as the older composer associated with Mozart in Amadeus, perhaps best captured in this little clip from Milos Forman’s 1983 film. Of course the way that story is told is a cruel … Continue reading →

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

Tafelmusik record Beethoven’s Ninth

Posted on February 7, 2016 by barczablog

Tonight’s Koerner Hall concert was recorded, one of a series. But it seemed like a pair of concerts. Before intermission we watched the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, led by their founding director Ivars Taurins. This is a choir he built, piece by … Continue reading →

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

Alexander Neef’s Pre-performance speech from February 4th

Posted on February 6, 2016 by barczablog

“Good evening ladies and gentlemen, I am Alexander Neef, the General Director of the Canadian Opera Company. Don’t worry, all our performers are fine. But I do want to take a moment to speak to you before we start tonight’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Press Releases and Announcements | 1 Comment

RWB Going Home Star: the language of truth and reconciliation

Posted on February 6, 2016 by barczablog

I witnessed something extraordinary and beautiful. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet created a full-length work titled Going Home Star: Truth and Reconciliation, one of the most ambitious pieces of theatre I’ve ever seen, a ballet so remarkable that it could be … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Politics | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

COC Figaro: memories of Don JianGhomeshi

Posted on February 5, 2016 by barczablog

The media have brutalized us the past few weeks. It’s not enough to be watching Dumb and Dumber, aka the GOP’s epic displays of bigotry. And if they aren’t reporting on the cop who emptied his gun into a deranged … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Popular music & culture | Leave a comment

TSO in 2016/17

Posted on February 4, 2016 by barczablog

If each season announcement by a major Toronto company is a demonstration of core values, the Toronto Symphony were in perhaps the most challenging position, having declared their intention to be the most innovative & inclusive orchestra in the world’s … Continue reading →

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