Author Archives: barczablog

Mother Courage

Posted on July 25, 2014 by barczablog

I just saw Seana McKenna tonight as Mother Courage aka Anna Fierling in Brecht’s play Mother Courage and Her Children, at the Tom Patterson Theatre until September 21st. It’s a horrible week in the news, between civilian planes being shot … Continue reading →

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Crazy For You

Posted on July 24, 2014 by barczablog

It’s summertime, when the livin’ is easy: and Gershwin might be on my mind right now. Summer  musicals are taking over the stages at summer festivals in Stratford & Niagara-on-the-Lake. Crazy For You –the show I saw today at Stratford—is … Continue reading →

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Emerson String Quartet’s Modern Age

Posted on July 23, 2014 by barczablog

The Emerson String Quartet kicked off Toronto Summer Music with a concert tonight. I’m sure some people were there to hear Beethoven’s Op 95 quartet, many more to hear Schubert’s “Death & the Maiden” quartet, while comparatively few were there … Continue reading →

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Ten Questions for Jonathan Crow

Posted on July 22, 2014 by barczablog

Jonathan Crow is a young violinist making in impact on several fronts. This fall will be Crow’s fourth season as Concertmaster of the Toronto Symphony. He is also an avid chamber musician, including his role as a founding member of … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Music and musicology | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

StageWorks Assassins

Posted on July 18, 2014 by barczablog

Tonight I saw opening night of StageWorks new production of Assassins, an occasion that any serious fan of the musical theatre form must celebrate.  The score by Stephen Sondheim is challenging. The material in John Weidman’s book is electrifying, and … Continue reading →

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Late night reading

Posted on July 15, 2014 by barczablog

Whether it was a virus, a cold or summertime allergies isn’t the point. I’ve been awake at night, coughing, sneezing, blowing my nose, and otherwise trying not to be a nuisance to anyone unlucky enough to be under the same … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

July 31 Sondra Radvanovsky concert program

Posted on July 14, 2014 by barczablog

“Press releases and announcements” are presented verbatim without comment Sondra Radvanovsky, soprano Thursday, July 31 7:30pm Koerner Hall Sondra Radvanovsky, soprano Anthony Manoli, piano Beethoven- “Ah! Perfido”, Op. 65 Verdi- “In solitaria stanza”, from 6 Romanze, No. 3 Verdi- “Perduta … Continue reading →

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Ten Questions for Hugh Ritchie

Posted on July 10, 2014 by barczablog

I first met Hugh Ritchie at Ryerson this winter, where we worked together on an adaptation of Dickens’ Martin Chuzzlewit. At one point in the show he was all pastoral Americana, singing a down-home “Little Brown Jug”, even though he … Continue reading →

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Confessions of an Operatic Mute

Posted on July 10, 2014 by barczablog

Briane Nasimok and I go way back. He rode with me in the ambulance that took me to hospital (can’t recall which one) when I fell and split my head open. By then I was of legal drinking age (which … Continue reading →

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Ten Questions for Adam Scime

Posted on July 9, 2014 by barczablog

Adam Scime is a young composer and performer living in Toronto, whose work has received many awards including The SOCAN Young Composer’s Competition, and The Karen Keiser Prize in Canadian Music, The Esprit Young Composer Competition, and the Electro-Acoustic Composer’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments