Author Archives: barczablog

Being There revisited, with a little help from Mahler

Posted on January 16, 2022 by barczablog

I could use any old film I watched on television for the point I’m about to make. Last night Erika and I watched Being There (1979). Hal Ashby’s film is based on a best-selling novel from 1970 by Jerzy Kosiński … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Music and musicology, Popular music & culture, Psychology and perception | Tagged Being There, Hal Ashby, Jerzy Kosiński, Peter Sellers | Leave a comment

Things we do for love

Posted on January 15, 2022 by barczablog

This is a brief tale of tail, concerning two things that really happened to me recently. Event #1 was on Thursday when I was at my mom’s giving her lunch and dinner, as I will do a few times per … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, domestic & wild, My mother, Personal ruminations & essays | Tagged Scarborough, St Augustine Seminary | Leave a comment

Missing church

Posted on January 1, 2022 by barczablog

The last thing I posted had the word “missing” in the title. A few days ago I wrote a rambly thing as I thought about a canceled show and one of its canceled performers, pushed off the stage by contagious … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, domestic & wild, Books & Literature, Cinema, video & DVDs, My mother, Personal ruminations & essays, Spirituality & Religion, Sports | Tagged Betty White, Christmas, Come From Away, Hillcrest Church, Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming, Muriel's Wedding, Nutcracker, Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, The Time Traveler's Wife | 4 Comments

Missing Greg

Posted on December 26, 2021 by barczablog

In the final week of 2021 I ponder the year that’s passed and contemplate the one that lies ahead. We all may have something we miss doing, something or someone that we wish we could see or hear. Re-reading Dickens’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Spirituality & Religion, Sports | Tagged Against the Grain Theatre, David Warrack, Greg Finney, Gregory Finney, Guy Lafleur, Loose Tea Music Theatre | 3 Comments

A gift from Mel Brooks

Posted on December 21, 2021 by barczablog

It’s been a brutal week of artistic companies facing eviction, shows postponed or cancelled on both side of the Atlantic, an upward spiral of statistics inspiring the panicky pursuit of boosters, masks and safety. It’s not what you expect in … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Cinema, video & DVDs, Popular music & culture, Reviews | Tagged Mel Brooks | Leave a comment

Ninth Annual Elizabeth Krehm Memorial Concert on Boxing Day

Posted on December 19, 2021 by barczablog

CANZONA CHAMBER PLAYERS PRESENTSTHE NINTH ANNUAL ELIZABETH KREHM MEMORIAL CONCERT MAHLER & BEETHOVEN ON BOXING DAY A VIRTUAL RECITAL FOR ST. MICHAEL’S HOSPITAL Sunday December 26th, 5:30 pm ET – YouTube.com/CanzonaChamberPlayersDirect link – In lieu of concert tickets, Canzona Chamber Players asks for … Continue reading →

Posted in Press Releases and Announcements | Leave a comment

2021 TSO Messiah

Posted on December 16, 2021 by barczablog

As Kevin Bazzana observes in his Toronto Symphony Orchestra program note, “there is no one definitive Messiah.” It’s an ironic turn of phrase considering the religious implications one might give that phrase. Indeed when I look at the bizarre mockeries … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged Anna-Sophie Neher, George Frideric Handel, Messiah, Rihab Chaieb, Roy Thomson Hall, Simon Rivard, Spencer Britten, Stephen Hegedus, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Toronto Symphony Orchestra | 2 Comments

Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun

Posted on December 12, 2021 by barczablog

This is more appreciation than review. If you’ve never seen a Wes Anderson film this will read differently than to those familiar with his style. The title, subject and structure of Wes Anderson’s film The French Dispatch of the Liberty, … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Architecture & Design, Cinema, video & DVDs, Popular music & culture, Reviews | Tagged Asteroid City, Bottle Rocket, Fantastic Mr Fox, Grand Budapest Hotel, Isle of Dogs, Moonrise Kingdom, Rushmore, The Darjeeling Limited, The French Dispatch, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Royal Tenenbaums, Wes Anderson | Leave a comment

Confronting mortality: AtG /COC Mozart Requiem

Posted on December 4, 2021 by barczablog

The pandemic is simultaneously new in its requirements and yet old in once again reminding us of our ultimate destiny. Modern science may blind us to history’s lessons. The images on the tray in this picture come from Täby kyrka, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged Against the Grain Theatre, Andrew Haji, Canadian Opera Company, Ensemble Studio, Joel Ivany, Johannes Debus, Marion Newman, Midori Marsh, Scarborough Bluffs, Vartan Gabrielian, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Leave a comment

Dogs are right about winter

Posted on November 28, 2021 by barczablog

This morning I had that magical experience of taking my dog outside after the first snowfall last night. I remember my home room teacher (sorry can’t recall his name) chewed me out in grade 7 when I blurted out “it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, domestic & wild, Food, Health and Nutrition, Personal ruminations & essays | 2 Comments