Author Archives: barczablog

Opera 5: Modern (Family) Opera

Posted on January 24, 2015 by barczablog

I was invited to think and feel at tonight’s first performance of the Opera 5 program “Modern (Family) Opera”. I laughed a lot, I felt a lot, and my mind’s awhirl. The family theme is approached from two very different … Continue reading →

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Songs of Love and War

Posted on January 22, 2015 by barczablog

The title of today’s noon-hour concert at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre –“Songs  of Love and War”—is  a curious umbrella sheltering a diverse group of songs & composers.  I can only speculate on the rationale for the programme, created for members … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | 4 Comments

10 Questions for Kyle Ketelsen

Posted on January 20, 2015 by barczablog

Kyle Ketelsen is a special talent, a wonderful voice with extraordinary dramatic presence. I’ve seen him twice. The first time he was in the Canadian Opera Company’s La Cenerentola, when I said that he “brought a majestic sound to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera | 1 Comment

10 Questions for Jennifer Holloway

Posted on January 19, 2015 by barczablog

Lauded for her “nuanced dramatic impulses” and “voice that is liquid, lambent, and lit from within”, American singer Jennifer Holloway gives new life to the characters she plays and the music she sings at leading opera houses and concert halls … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Based on a True Story: Big Eyes and The Theory of Everything

Posted on January 18, 2015 by barczablog

A new production of Don Giovanni opens at the Canadian Opera Company next week, followed shortly by Die Walküre.  Neither one bears the epithet “based on a true story”, as so many current films seem to (thinking for instance of … Continue reading →

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10 Questions for Heidi Melton

Posted on January 17, 2015 by barczablog

If a list of engagements on a website is anything to go by, Heidi Melton is coming into her own. Toronto audiences are lucky to be able to see the young soprano at a time when she’s taking on all … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Music and musicology, Opera | Tagged | Leave a comment

COC Season launch #coc1516: come back, all is forgiven

Posted on January 15, 2015 by barczablog

The launch of the Canadian Opera Company’s 2015-2016 season felt like a genuine celebration, a special occasion because of the performances, and a moment when the COC appears to be looking boldly forward. Speaking as a subscriber, though, I feel … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera | 2 Comments

Talisker Players: Puttin’ on the Ritz

Posted on January 12, 2015 by barczablog

Talisker Players, that inter-disciplinary nexus for music & text, have made another crossover adventure. “Puttin’ On the Ritz” takes us into the world of Irving Berlin, in a series of songs sung by Bud Roach and Whitney O’Hearn. I’d call … Continue reading →

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10 Questions for Jocelyn Morlock 

Posted on January 7, 2015 by barczablog

Juno-nominated composer Jocelyn Morlock is one of Canada’s most distinctive voices. She is Vancouver Symphony Orchestra’s Composer in Residence having just completed a term as inaugural Composer in Residence for Vancouver’s innovative concert series, Music on Main (2012 – 2014). … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Music and musicology | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Bud Roach: Arias for Tenor and Baroque Guitar

Posted on January 6, 2015 by barczablog

Every now and then a recording or performance comes along to challenge your assumptions, possibly giving you a new way of seeing things.    I’ve been listening to two Bud Roach CDs: 1-Sospiro: Alessandro Grandi Complete Arias, 1626 (recorded in … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments