Author Archives: barczablog

Ai Weiwei Never Sorry

Posted on July 26, 2013 by barczablog

How apt that I begin writing about this film with an apology. I went looking for Ai Weiwei Never Sorry when I heard of this film, that had been shown at TIFF.  I sought an introduction to the artist, because … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Architecture & Design, Cinema, video & DVDs, Politics, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Tickets for Ai Weiwei and David Bowie at the AGO

Posted on July 24, 2013 by barczablog

“Press releases and announcements” are presented verbatim without comment. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JULY 24, 2013 Tickets for Ai Weiwei: According to What? at the AGO go on sale Saturday, July 27 First block of tickets for David Bowie is to … Continue reading →

Posted in Press Releases and Announcements | 2 Comments

Cat music

Posted on July 23, 2013 by barczablog

I’ve written about cats before in this space.  At one time there were two cats in my house, Tara & Scarlett.  They had been born feral but rescued, fixed and raised for years in our home. Then one day Tara … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, domestic & wild, Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

The Geneology of Minimalism

Posted on July 21, 2013 by barczablog

A one word headline might be more minimalistic than this pretentious sounding title.  A friend cited Nietzsche’s Geneology of Morals, and it stayed in my head like a verbal ear-worm I suppose.  Or I could have emulated Darwin, to call … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Under the radar

Posted on July 20, 2013 by barczablog

At Luella Massey’s funeral service today, Professor Domenico Pietropaolo spoke of a dream near & dear to both of their hearts. Pietropaolo is a former Director of the Graduate Centre for Study of Drama, and is now Principal of St … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Personal ruminations & essays, University life | 2 Comments

10 Questions for Melissa Hood

Posted on July 20, 2013 by barczablog

Melissa Hood isn’t gun shy, even if she’s at the heart of “gun shy theatre”, the team responsible for Stop Kiss, one of the best shows at the Fringe Festival in 2013 held over next week as part of Best … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Misanthrope

Posted on July 19, 2013 by barczablog

One of the great joys of classical theatre is to be able to revisit works that one knows: or thinks that one knows.  A good play always has something new to show you. Case in point tonight, seeing the opening … Continue reading →

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

The French Answer–Toronto Summer Music

Posted on July 17, 2013 by barczablog

What’s the question, you may ask. But it’s not that there is an answer (a noun). It’s a verb in that headline.  Swimmers swim, runners run, and for a period of time, I believe the French answered. It’s how I … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays | 1 Comment

Parlour trick

Posted on July 14, 2013 by barczablog

A few days ago I wrote about ear-worms, as an example of photographic (or “eidetic”) memory, and said there’s another kind as well.  I don’t mean to limit things by saying there’s one other kind, when there may be more … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays, Psychology and perception | 1 Comment

You say “tomato”

Posted on July 11, 2013 by barczablog

I love analogies.  Sometimes I push them too far –beyond the point where they’re helpful illustrations—simply because I enjoy the game so much, of making one thing represent another. Today I was thinking about tomatoes & voices.  Tomatoes don’t usually … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays | Tagged | Leave a comment