Author Archives: barczablog

The end of the beginning

Posted on September 26, 2013 by barczablog

I thought about what to call this, the first free concert of the season from the Canadian Opera Company at the Richard Bradshaw Auditorium: Alpha & Omega? (no… too Biblical) Ave Atque Vale? (no…obscure) Alumni Reunion? (hm….partly) The first program … Continue reading →

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10 Questions for Stuart Graham

Posted on September 26, 2013 by barczablog

Stuart Graham is a teacher, a singer & founder of Atelier S.  The Saskatchewan born baritone received his formal education at the Faculty of Music of McGill University with  Bernard Turgeon.  Graham has been heard in recital, oratorio and in … Continue reading →

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Tapestry Briefs

Posted on September 21, 2013 by barczablog

Back i go to the laboratory. A couple of nights ago I wrote about YouTopia and spoke of the virtues of experimentation. The Tapestry Briefs are a dozen short works from a handful of collaborators who were paired off for … Continue reading →

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Tafelmusik Beethoven 1 & 2

Posted on September 20, 2013 by barczablog

Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra could drop the word “baroque” if they wanted.  Tonight I heard more evidence that they can play just about anything. Their program was all Beethoven, namely the first and second symphonies, plus the overture to Creatures of … Continue reading →

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The Patriarch

Posted on September 16, 2013 by barczablog

David Warrack is writing an oratorio on the life of Abraham, the Biblical patriarch.  I’m thrilled to be participating in a concert presentation of excerpts.  We’ve had some rehearsals, with about a week to go until the concert at Metropolitan … Continue reading →

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YouTopia

Posted on September 13, 2013 by barczablog

Tonight at a performance of Bruce Barton’s YouTopia I was reminded of the difference between the mandate of University of Toronto’s “Drama Centre” (recently renamed “Centre for Drama, Theatre & Performance Studies”) and various theatre schools such as Ryerson or … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Reviews, University life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

10 Questions for John Mills-Cockell

Posted on September 8, 2013 by barczablog

I only found out who John Mills-Cockell was after the fact of encountering his music without knowing who he was.  A tune by Syrinx –“Tillicum”— was my first encounter with sounds that have been near & dear to my heart, … Continue reading →

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Believe It

Posted on September 8, 2013 by barczablog

In The Greatest Story Ever Told, an assortment of Hollywood icons share the screen with lesser known talent, to give the audience a well-known tale.  Some of the film works, while other parts are wooden, especially because we’re so busy … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Post

Posted on September 7, 2013 by barczablog

When i go to write a new piece here on the blog, i follow the tab to “new post”.  We were promised a paperless office, a paperless world long ago, but it never happened.  It’s funny to keep bumping into … Continue reading →

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Filet of Carmen

Posted on September 7, 2013 by barczablog

Considering that the heroine of Bizet’s opera usually ends up stabbed, I want to make clear that the headline refers to Peter Brook’s La Tragédie de Carmen, a much shorter version of the original, and not the violence meted out … Continue reading →

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