Author Archives: barczablog

Pendulum

Posted on June 6, 2013 by barczablog

Styles change so regularly it’s as though there were a regular pattern being enacted.  It’s been said that shifts in fashion, artistic movements are as regular as tides, possibly even like the swing of a pendulum.  If it’s human nature … Continue reading →

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Figaro’s Honeymoon

Posted on June 3, 2013 by barczablog

It’s summertime, a season when young men’s minds turn to mush, in the presence of humidity and hotness of various kinds.  Of course men have no monopoly on this, but I was just mis-quoting Tennyson.  I’m thinking of this as … Continue reading →

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

10 Questions for David Warrack

Posted on May 31, 2013 by barczablog

The most impressive display of sight-reading i ever saw? when David Warrack sat down with my piano vocal score of Candide and played the overture, up to speed, more or less perfectly. Wow. David first performed on radio when he … Continue reading →

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The Three Davids CD release: Hugh’s Room June 8th

Posted on May 30, 2013 by barczablog

“Press releases and announcements” are presented verbatim without comment. NEWS IN 3-D(If your Name is DAVID you get in for FREE) An impressive array of top talent awaits jazz lovers when THE THREE DAVIDS c.d. is released in Hugh’s Room … Continue reading →

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Altared Figaro

Posted on May 30, 2013 by barczablog

If the dress fits, wear it! Against the Grain’s modern adaptation of The Marriage of Figaro, namely Figaro’s Wedding accomplishes almost everything it set out to do: tell the familiar story in a new way give us all that amazing … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | 3 Comments

10 Questions for Keir GoGwilt

Posted on May 29, 2013 by barczablog

Keir GoGwilt was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and grew up in New York City. Recent performances include the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the Bowdoin International Music Festival Orchestra, Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” with the Bach Society Orchestra of Harvard, the Berg … Continue reading →

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Sympathy for the Bedevilled

Posted on May 26, 2013 by barczablog

It’s an odd week.  Since seeing the COC production of Dialogues des Carmelites I have the “Salve Regina” in my head, particularly the last two pages of the score, where Blanche appears.  I also hear the complementary sonorities of Ravel’s … Continue reading →

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Carsen Dialogues

Posted on May 24, 2013 by barczablog

I like to read a director’s notes before seeing a show, because they often contain clues about what you’re going to see. Robert Carsen’s take on Dialogues des Carmelites is a case in point. The production has been mounted all … Continue reading →

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Wagner and the animals

Posted on May 23, 2013 by barczablog

Don’t mistake me for an apologist for  Richard Wagner.  I am merely seeking balance. It’s the birthday of Wagner: the composer, the dramaturg, the musician, the pamphleteer, the communist, the racist… Yes, all of those and more. Was he also perhaps … Continue reading →

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Wagnerian Bicentennial

Posted on May 22, 2013 by barczablog

We’ve come to the first of the three important opera composer birthdays in 2013. May 22:  Richard Wagner’s bicentennial October 10:  Giuseppe Verdi’s bicentennial November 22: Benjamin Britten’s centennial You may prefer Britten’s operas. You may point to the box … Continue reading →

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