Monthly Archives: December 2019

Lisztomania CD

Posted on December 30, 2019 by barczablog

Lisztomania? It was a Ken Russell film. And the name described an actual phenomenon, crazed admirers of the great pianist Franz Liszt aka Liszt Ferenc back in the 19th Century. And there’s a CD from Mikolaj Warszynski, capturing a live … Continue reading →

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TOT Gypsy Baron

Posted on December 29, 2019 by barczablog

The Toronto Operetta Theatre opened their new production of Johann Strauss Jr’s The Gypsy Baron tonight at the Jane Mallett Theatre with a full house in attendance for the first of five performances. It’s a very uneven production of a … Continue reading →

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Tribal Messiah

Posted on December 22, 2019 by barczablog

I’m trying to find the right word, so please bear with me. For someone who goes to see concerts & theatre more often than most people, you might never guess that I’m sometimes frustrated. My mantra is “I’m a lucky … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Reviews, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

TSO Messiah via Mozart

Posted on December 21, 2019 by barczablog

Tonight I heard something different from the Toronto Symphony. The TSO’s annual Messiah in Roy Thomson Hall with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir may seem like a ritual, but it actually varies from year to year. Every time we get different … Continue reading →

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Questions for Beste Kalender

Posted on December 18, 2019 by barczablog

Beste Kalender could tell you about the different pathways to success. One can be discovered in competitions, especially if one wins. You can be mentored by great singers. There’s even the Hollywood legend, the understudy going on as last minute … Continue reading →

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Toronto Consort: Schütz’s Christmas Story

Posted on December 14, 2019 by barczablog

Looking for an alternative to the Messiah & Handel? Look no further than Toronto Consort’s current program, Schütz’s Christmas Story, curated by David Fallis. You will hear stunningly beautiful music that you’ve probably never encountered before. Schütz is new to … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | 4 Comments

News from Alexander Neef about Parsifal

Posted on December 13, 2019 by barczablog

“September 25 is going to be a big night for the Canadian Opera Company.” That’s how Alexander Neef’s email to subscribers began. It was in my inbox early this afternoon. It will be an expensive project, so of course he … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal ruminations & essays | 1 Comment

How to Singalong

Posted on December 13, 2019 by barczablog

I don’t presume to know how one does the Singalong Messiah thing.  I am no expert. [morning after emendation… There are different sorts of experts. Singers? organists, conductors, musicians? or the textual scholars, people who really know Handel?  I avoid … Continue reading →

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Melancholiac at Music Gallery

Posted on December 8, 2019 by barczablog

The best works of theatre or music function as advocacy for the creator. A good production of a play, a great performance of a song, should persuade you of the importance of the work & its author. Melancholiac: The Music … Continue reading →

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Figaro’s Wedding 2019

Posted on December 4, 2019 by barczablog

In 2013 Against the Grain offered the first of their “transladaptations” of one of the trilogy of da Ponte-Mozart operas, Figaro’s Wedding. Tonight AtG premiered something we might call a revival of the work, with a number of intriguing differences, … Continue reading →

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