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Monthly Archives: February 2018
Incendies, Scorched & the Seraglio
I’ve just seen Denis Villeneuve’s Oscar nominated film adaptation of Wajdi Mouawad’s play Incendies. I’m looking forward to seeing a translation of the play presented here in Toronto next week, titled Scorched. I couldn’t miss the parallels to what we … Continue reading
Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Politics, University life
3 Comments
Churchill – Darkest Hour
2017 may be remembered as a year that two movies gave us detailed portraits of Winston Churchill. Darkest Hour is the one you’re probably aware of, starring Gary Oldman in an Oscar-nominated performance. But I stumbled on another one with … Continue reading
Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Politics, Reviews
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Vanderdecken among the zombies: Wajdi Mouawad’s Abduction
I had a second look & listen to Wajdi Mouawad’s Abduction from the Seraglio, my second time coming in the closing performance of the run with the Canadian Opera Company at the Four Seasons Centre. I wanted to reflect on what … Continue reading
Questions for Geoffrey Sirett – The Overcoat: A Musical Tailoring
Sometimes interviews are a pretext to get closer to someone you’ve admired for awhile, watching their development as an artist. Oh sure, I’m interviewing Geoffrey Sirett because he’s about to star in the Canadian Stage – Tapestry Opera—Vancouver Opera co-production … Continue reading
Posted in Interviews, Music and musicology, Opera
1 Comment
Admiring Alexander’s Feast
It was a happy celebration of the birthday of George Frideric Handel at Koerner Hall tonight, feasting on the bounty that is Alexander’s Feast, one of the Dryden odes for St Cecilia’s Day, celebrating the power of music. Thank goodness … Continue reading
Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews
2 Comments
I hate shoot-outs
Yes I hate shoot-outs, those contrived rituals to determine the outcome of a game. While they are full of drama, I detest them, because they are an alternative way of resolving the outcome of a game that in someone’s opinion … Continue reading
Posted in Sports
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Know Thyself, a lesson from Jane Archibald
Today I sat in a very good seat to hear Jane Archibald sing and she sang very well. I am a very lucky guy. She doesn’t need my review to validate her (ha, but then does any artist?). This is … Continue reading
Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews
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The Wizard of Oz live with the TSO
For the past few years the Toronto Symphony have given us opportunities to see well-known movies with live orchestral accompaniment: Vertigo Psycho Back to the Future The Fellowship of the Ring I don’t pretend to understand how all the necessary … Continue reading
Aeris Chordas
“Aeris Chordas” is the name for the concert I saw tonight, chamber music from four artists: Christina Raphaëlle Haldane, soprano Carl Philippe Gionet, piano Michelle Jacot, clarinet Marc Labranche, cello The four composers I saw on the program: Johannes Brahms … Continue reading
Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews
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Questions for Maxim Lando: Lang Lang’s protégé
Maxim Lando is a 15 year old American pianist. In 2017 at the age of fourteen, Maxim performed Rachmaninoff 3rd Concerto with the Mariinsky Theater Orchestra in Saint Petersburg, receiving rave commentary on the popular Russian TV Kultura program Tzar’s … Continue reading
Posted in Interviews, Music and musicology
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barczablog 