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Monthly Archives: November 2022
Simon Banks’ Opera: The Autobiography of the Western World
For me Christmas came early, when I got my hands on Simon Banks’ new book Opera: The Autobiography of the Western World. I mention that because this is the ideal gift for anyone you know who loves opera or who … Continue reading
Profoundly Creative Requiem for a Gumshoe
The body count is higher than any superhero movie. But there’s no CGI, no fancy effects. Your imagination is engaged as never before. It may scare you, seeing so much death and contemplating the end of the world in Eldritch … Continue reading
Popular Tchaikovsky at the TSO
Handel speaks from beyond the grave to remind musicians how he helps pay the rent in a meme. Ballet companies owe Tchaikovsky a similar debt, when families flock to the theatre for The Nutcracker. Popularity can be problematic when it … Continue reading
Pre-Democracy with Lucio Silla
I had an epiphany watching today’s presentation of Lucio Silla from Opera in Concert in the St Lawrence Centre. In my review of the opening night of Hannah Moscovitch’s Post-Democracy (that opened at the Tarragon Theatre last Thursday) I included … Continue reading
Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Politics, Reviews
Tagged Abduction from the Seraglio, Amy Moodie, Daddy Warbucks, Giovanni de Gamerra, Guillermo Silva-Marin, Hannah Moscovitch, Holly Chaplin, Julia MacVicar, La Clemenza di Tito, Lucio Silla, Owen McCausland, Post-Democracy, Robert Cooper, Suzy Smith, Tarragon Theatre, Vania Chan, Voicebox Opera in Concert, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
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Post-Democracy at Tarragon Theatre
Theatre sometimes takes us into worlds we don’t like, showing us people we’d avoid, situations we might never encounter otherwise. In some respects theatre is like a conceptual hazmat suit, a way to taste poison without dying. We may cower … Continue reading
Gay for Pay with Blake and Clay
It’s a funny week, even if nobody seems to remember what “funny” means anymore. I didn’t laugh at Dave Chappelle’s SNL monologue. I walked out of the room during the big announcement the other night (one too many lies) even … Continue reading
ARC Ensemble plays The Music of Robert Müller-Hartmann
Today I had the exquisite pleasure of a live encounter with the music of Robert Müller-Hartmann, through the ARC Ensemble at the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Mazzoleni Concert Hall, playing a program to be broadcast by CBC Radio 2. I’ve … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews
Tagged Alberto Hemsi, ARC Ensemble, CBC Radio 2, Chandos, Dmitri Klebanov, Erika Raum, Hans Krása, Kevin Ahfat, Marie Bérard, Mazzoleni Concert Hall, Music in Exile, Ralph Vaughan-Williams, Robert Müller-Hartmann, Royal Conservatory of Music, Simon Wynberg, Steven Dann, Thomas Wiebe, Viktor Ullmann
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Peter Oundjian warmly welcomed back to TSO
How could it be otherwise? Peter Oundjian, the Toronto Symphony’s Conductor Emeritus, was greeted with a huge ovation when he came out at Roy Thomson Hall to begin tonight’s concert. We brought his wit to the microphone, cleverly mangling Shakespeare … Continue reading
Tahara, Royer and SPO play Schubert and Saint-Saëns
Tonight’s Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra was my first live experience of the ensemble, a return to live in person appearances featuring pianist Lisa Tahara conducted by music director Ronald Royer. It’s a pleasant change of pace to have a concert relatively … Continue reading
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