Monthly Archives: October 2017

Opera Atelier Marriage of Figaro

Posted on October 30, 2017 by barczablog

A year and a half ago it was a conceptual Marriage of Figaro including a mysterious cupid and bird carcasses, in Claus Guth’s production at the Canadian Opera Company.  Now it’s Opera Atelier’s turn in a production at the Elgin … Continue reading →

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Israel Philharmonic and Zubin Mehta

Posted on October 29, 2017 by barczablog

You knew this had to be a different concert from the beginning, the second half of an exchange, that had begun with the Toronto Symphony’s visit to Israel last year.  Roy Thomson Hall was really full, including the seats behind … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | 5 Comments

Questions for Douglas Williams: Figaro

Posted on October 27, 2017 by barczablog

Bass-baritone Douglas Williams is now performing the title role in the Opera Atelier production The Marriage of Figaro that runs this week at the Elgin Theatre. His repertoire reaches over four centuries, being a sought-after interpreter of Monteverdi, Handel, Bach, … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera | 3 Comments

Sir Michael’s lesson in intellectual property

Posted on October 27, 2017 by barczablog

The painting is called Sir Michael’s Tarp, by Orion Martin, 36 inches by 72 inches. When I was shown the painting, it didn’t seem familiar right away.  If I hadn’t been told I would never have made the connection to … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Architecture & Design, Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays, Popular music & culture | Leave a comment

The Big Sick

Posted on October 22, 2017 by barczablog

I don’t usually see movies when they’re brand new.  But I feel daring and all caught up because I’ve just seen The Big Sick, Kumail Nanjiani’s auto-biographical comedy. It’s a film that came out back in January. It feels even … Continue reading →

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Tribute to Maureen Forrester

Posted on October 20, 2017 by barczablog

The Toronto Symphony presented the first of two concerts titled “A Tribute to Maureen Forrester” tonight, a celebration of a great Canadian artist, and two premieres. It felt a bit like a radio program, given that Ben Heppner was “host” … Continue reading →

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Tessék?

Posted on October 19, 2017 by barczablog

A little something has nagged at me for days after seeing Arabella at the Canadian Opera Company on the weekend, a moment stuck in my head like an ear-worm. It’s not a musical ear-worm, it’s a linguistic one. I have … Continue reading →

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Tapestry pays it forward

Posted on October 19, 2017 by barczablog

Tapestry Opera receives gift of $225,000 Bösendorfer piano; ‘pays it forward’ with disaster relief concert on October 25 Opera and jazz greats unite to inaugurate “the Stradivarius of pianos” with proceeds to benefit relief efforts across the world (Toronto, ON) – Tapestry Opera has … Continue reading →

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The Poetry of Apocalypse: The Films of Andrei Tarkovsky at TIFF

Posted on October 19, 2017 by barczablog

The Poetry of Apocalypse: The Films of Andrei Tarkovsky First Toronto retrospective in 15 years devoted to the visionary Russian auteur, including full theatrical runs for sci-fi masterpieces Stalkerand Solaris November 9 — 30, 2017 TIFF Bell Lightbox The Mirror (1974), Photo Credit: Janus Films … Continue reading →

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Magic Elixir

Posted on October 15, 2017 by barczablog

It’s my second consecutive opera involving a romantic beverage at the Four Seasons Centre with the Canadian Opera Company, and no I don’t mean what I was drinking. I can’t help comparing and contrasting Arabella, yesterday’s opera with The Elixir … Continue reading →

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