Monthly Archives: June 2023

Black Panther in concert with the Toronto Symphony

Posted on June 30, 2023 by barczablog

This was a Toronto Symphony performance like no other. The idea of presenting a film with live accompaniment isn’t new, indeed that’s how they used to do it in the old days. At one time –thinking of the silent era– … Continue reading →

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Rossini’s Otello from Opera By Request

Posted on June 26, 2023 by barczablog

Last night I watched a concert presentation of Rossini’s Otello from Opera By Request, a company who demonstrate their importance with every outing.   Bill Shookhoff leads from the piano working without a conductor, seated upstage of performers who face the … Continue reading →

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Yuja Wang’s Rachmaninoff

Posted on June 19, 2023 by barczablog

What’s in a name. “Yuja Wang’s Rachmaninoff” was the title of the final program to bring the Toronto Symphony 100th Anniversary Season to a powerful close. All three concerts were sold out. We knew why we wanted to be there, … Continue reading →

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VICE and the Doctrine of Presidential Infallibility

Posted on June 13, 2023 by barczablog

The headline is designed to catch your attention. When I googled “presidential infallibility” most hits refer to the Pope, whose infallibility is a doctrine we’ve heard about for a long time. The idea of infallibility associated with the POTUS is … Continue reading →

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PERCEPTUAL ARCHAEOLOGY (or How To Travel Blind)

Posted on June 11, 2023 by barczablog

Don’t let the big words in the title fool you. “Perceptual Archaeology”? I’m closer to knowing what that might mean after seeing Alex Bulmer’s new show at Crow’s Theatre, a co-production with Fire and Rescue Team that helps you to … Continue reading →

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Gimeno and TSO: old music made new

Posted on June 9, 2023 by barczablog

I will quietly keep calling Gustavo Gimeno the Toronto Symphony’s “new” music director in my head, but maybe not for the reason you think. Yes he started in 2021, delayed over a year by the pandemic’s impacts on performing arts. … Continue reading →

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Inge(new): in search of a musical criticism

Posted on June 1, 2023 by barczablog

Last night I saw Inge(new): In Search of a Musical from Theatre Myth Collective, a piece by Evan Tsitsias that challenges its audience from the beginning, reminding me at times of an intelligence test. I don’t mean like an IQ … Continue reading →

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