Monthly Archives: March 2022

Truth in our Time—NACO

Posted on March 31, 2022 by barczablog

It’s an ambitious package, this National Arts Centre Orchestra Tour. There’s a world premiere of a Philip Glass symphony, commissioned by the family of newsman Peter Jennings, and three other works collected around the idea of “truth in our time”, … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | Tagged Alexander Shelley, Blake Pouliot, Dimitri Shostakovich, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Nicole Lizée, Peter Jennings, Philip Glass, Roy Thomson Hall, Zeiss After Dark | 2 Comments

Florence: The Lady with The Lamp

Posted on March 28, 2022 by barczablog

Opera in Concert resumed live performance Sunday afternoon with their first of Three Extraordinary Women, namely Florence: the Lady with the Lamp, composed by Timothy Sullivan and with libretto by Anne Mcpherson, an interesting balance between the contemporary and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | Tagged Crimean War, Danlie Rae Acebuque, Florence Nightingale, Guillermo Silva-Marin, Lauren Pearl, Opera in Concert, Robert Cooper, Ryan Downey, Sandra Horst | Leave a comment

Alexander Shelley is coming to town

Posted on March 27, 2022 by barczablog

Before there were convoys and honking horns, it used to be said that living in Ottawa gave you advantages, because of your proximity to the seats of power. Yet maybe there’s still some truth to it when we look at … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Cinema, video & DVDs, Music and musicology, Press Releases and Announcements | Tagged Alexander Shelley, Ana Sokolovic, Carnegie Hall, CBC, CBC-GEM, Dmitri Shostakovich, Donna Feore, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Life Reflected, Luminato, Measha Brueggergosman, NACO, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Nicole Lizee, Philip Gla, Roy Thomson Hall, Shawnee Kish, Southam Hall, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, UNDISRUPTED | Leave a comment

Composers dissing composers

Posted on March 21, 2022 by barczablog

Earlier today I commented on John Gilks’ post about The Lion Heart a new opera by Corey Arnold and Kyle McDonald that received its world premiere in a semi-staged production this past weekend. Near the end of his review John … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | Tagged Conversations with Tom Service, Corey Arnold, Elektra, Felix Mendelssohn, Giacomo Meyerbeer, John Gilks, Kyle McDonald, Opera and Drama, operaramblings, Pelleas et Melisande, Richard Wagner, The Lion Heart, Thomas Ades | 6 Comments

The Lion Heart: a first look

Posted on March 20, 2022 by barczablog

I watched the live-stream of The Lion Heart, the premiere of a new opera from Corey Arnold (composer & conductor) and Kyle McDonald (librettist and singer of the lead role). Or at least part of it. Alas connection issues prevented … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera | Tagged André Gretry, Blondel, Corey Arnold, Gioachino Rossini, Giuseppe Verdi, Kyle McDonald, Leopold, Nicole Dubinsky, Richard, Richard Coeur de lion, Richard Wagner, The Lion Heart, Tonatiuh Abrego, Tonatiuh Abrego) and the sadistic Leopold (passionately delivered by Andrew Derynck | 3 Comments

Brian Cox: Putting the Rabbit In the Hat

Posted on March 19, 2022 by barczablog

We had been hearing a lot about the tv series Succession from friends. Tom Power on CBC called it the greatest series ever on an episode of Q, the show he always watches as soon as it’s available. Power’s interviews … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, Personal ruminations & essays | Tagged Achilles, Agamemnon, Brad PItt, Brian Cox, Dustin Hoffmann, Ed Norton, Gary Oldman, Homer, Iliad, Kevin Toolis, Laurence Olivier, Peter O'Toole, Priam, PUTTING the RABBIT in the HAT, Q, Succession, Ted Lasso, TED talk, Tom Power | Leave a comment

Corey Arnold & Kyle McDonald talk about The Lion Heart: their new opera

Posted on March 19, 2022 by barczablog

In 2016 I reviewed James Bond: A Convenient Lie , by Kyle McDonald. It’s subtitled “Opera in Pasticcio“, a form where Kyle combined existing music from opera with his comical lyrics to tell his spy story. For example he takes … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Interviews, Opera, Press Releases and Announcements | Tagged Corey Arnold, Kyle McDonald, pasticcio, The Lion Heart | 2 Comments

The Batman commodity

Posted on March 13, 2022 by barczablog

The other night when I saw Cyrano at my local Scarborough CINEPLEX, I made it a double feature, because they had only one showing that was to begin at 10:45 p.m. I filled the time before Cyrano watching The Batman, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Reviews | Tagged Batman Returns, Christopher Nolan, Cineplex, commodity, Frank Zappa, IMAX, Joel Schumacher, Matt Reeves, popularity, The Batman, Tim Burton | Leave a comment

Kindred Spirits Orchestra– Enigma Variations

Posted on March 13, 2022 by barczablog

Last night I heard Kindred Spirits Orchestra playing at the Richmond Hill Centre, led by their conductor Kristian Alexander with piano soloist Naomi Wong. From outside it looks nice enough.. I forget the beauty of this space, until I enter. … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | Tagged Edward Elgar, Frederic Chopin, Kindred Spirits Orchestra, Kristian Alexander, Lieutenant Kije Suite, Naomi Wong, Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, Sergei Prokofiev | Leave a comment

Performing The Lord’s Prayer

Posted on March 10, 2022 by barczablog

Lent in 2022 is becoming darker, war casting a horrific shadow over our fortunate prosperity on this side of the world. I treat gratitude as a kind of sacrament, the foundation of everything; we begin with recognition that we are … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged Hillcrest Church, Justin Schwartz, Luke, Matthew, The Lord's Prayer | Leave a comment