Author Archives: barczablog

The Walrus Talks: Spirituality or ymmv

Posted on April 5, 2016 by barczablog

A friend took me to Walrus Talks tonight. Evidently the magazine organizes these colloquia to investigate a topic such as tonight’s theme, spirituality. It seemed apt that we were at Trinity-St Paul’s, a space I think of as much for … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal ruminations & essays, Spirituality & Religion | Leave a comment

Who’s that girl: Laura, Stella, Iris or Betsy

Posted on April 5, 2016 by barczablog

Bernard Herrmann died on Christmas Eve 1975 the day after he had finished recording the score to Taxi Driver. I can’t help thinking of the score as a natural conclusion to one of the big issues of his life. Back … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Music and musicology | Leave a comment

Isis and Osiris, Gods of Egypt

Posted on April 3, 2016 by barczablog

I saw the second of two performances in the world premiere run of Isis and Osiris, Gods of Egypt, a new opera composed by Peter Togni from a libretto by Sharon Singer, presented by Opera in Concert – Voicebox. There … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | 4 Comments

Travelogue, or Bicycle Opera take Toy Piano Composers for a ride

Posted on April 3, 2016 by barczablog

If you can judge a book by its cover – or a small performing arts company by its poetic name – then it’s a match made in heaven, this idea for Travelogue: a collaboration between Bicycle Opera Project (opera with … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera | Leave a comment

Toronto Symphony Scheherazade

Posted on April 1, 2016 by barczablog

I had the pleasure of hearing the Toronto Symphony play Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade the final three times they played the work on their recent Florida tour.  As a souvenir of my trip, I’ve had a CD in the car for literally … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology | 3 Comments

Funding WWI Centenary Tribute in Song

Posted on April 1, 2016 by barczablog

Baritone John Brancy and Pianist Peter Dugan are raising $20,000 to record an album of their WWI Memorial in Song. Donations are tax deductible for USA tax payers. John Brancy and Peter Dugan have been collaborative musical partners and friends since they met as students at … Continue reading →

Posted in Press Releases and Announcements | Leave a comment

TSO Statement on Leadership Change

Posted on April 1, 2016 by barczablog

TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwired – March 30, 2016) – The Board of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Jeff Melanson, President & CEO of the TSO, have mutually decided that it is in the best interests of both parties that he resign from … Continue reading →

Posted in Press Releases and Announcements | 3 Comments

Essential Opera: She’s the One

Posted on March 20, 2016 by barczablog

Season 6 Spring Performance: A Collage of Contemporary Opera Join us for “She’s the One” on Friday, April 8 at 7:30 pm! It’s a concert celebrating and exploring women’s lives through Canadian and American contemporary opera. Discounted early-bird tickets are available online till … Continue reading →

Posted in Press Releases and Announcements | 1 Comment

Questions for Peter Togni: Isis and Osiris

Posted on March 15, 2016 by barczablog

Peter Togni, a well-known name from his time on the CBC, also known as Peter-Anthony Togni, is a busy Canadian composer of spiritually rooted and contemplative music. You can read a detailed biography here.  Originally from Pembroke, Ontario, he currently … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Knocking at the Hellgate

Posted on March 13, 2016 by barczablog

While the Toronto Symphony has been doing New Creations Festival for a dozen years or so, things seem substantially different in 2016.  One of the comments I sometimes hear from my colleagues is a concern that when so many of … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | Leave a comment