Author Archives: barczablog

Tapestry 2012/13 announcement

Posted on November 29, 2012 by barczablog

“Press releases and announcements” are presented verbatim without comment. TAPESTRY ANNOUNCES UPCOMING 2012/13 SHOWS INCLUDING TORONTO PREMIERE DATES FOR SHELTER TORONTO, ON…Tapestry announced details for its upcoming 2012/13 season shows including the much-anticipated Toronto premiere of Shelter, a new opera … Continue reading →

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Incidental words

Posted on November 28, 2012 by barczablog

A “CD launch” or a “book launch” is a fascinating phenomenon.  I say that even though, cough cough, I’ve never really been very fascinated by them. Books and CDs are art objects we usually experience in private rather than as … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal ruminations & essays | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Celebrate

Posted on November 27, 2012 by barczablog

Do you need a reason? If so –that you can’t simply CELEBRATE, but do need a rationale– I can toss a few your way: If you’re a Torontonian you may be rejoicing in the victory of the Toronto Argonauts in … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal ruminations & essays | 5 Comments

Roméo et Juliette 2008

Posted on November 26, 2012 by barczablog

I watched TFO’s broadcast of a live performance of Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, from a 2008 Salzburg production. There was a bit of drama backstage, with Anna Netrebko’s cancellation, replaced by the unknown Georgian soprano Nino Machaidze.  Machaidze was only … Continue reading →

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Mrs Lincoln

Posted on November 25, 2012 by barczablog

In the latest Canadian Opera Company podcast, we were asked about the way women are used and abused in opera. As soon as the question was posed, and no one else started to speak, I seized the opportunity, to launch … Continue reading →

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Quilico’s Rigoletto

Posted on November 24, 2012 by barczablog

Some artists have an abundant recorded legacy, while others are curiously under-represented.  At times I find this irritating, because I suspect it’s more a reflection of market forces than an indication of real quality. I believe if Louis Quilico had … Continue reading →

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Perović’s Incidental Music

Posted on November 21, 2012 by barczablog

There’s a line in Lydia Perović’s new novel Incidental Music that has so far stayed with me like a motif. Roughly a quarter of the way into the book, Petra & Martha, two of the main characters start chatting, having … Continue reading →

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10 Questions for Milton Granger

Posted on November 20, 2012 by barczablog

Milton Granger is composer/librettist/lyricist of six chamber operas, all of which have been produced multiple times throughout the U.S. by college opera workshops and regional companies.  Two (Uncharted Waters and Talk Opera) are first-place National Opera Association prizewinners. Granger’s musical play Bronze … Continue reading →

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Classical Quartets from a trio of teenagers

Posted on November 19, 2012 by barczablog

Windermere String Quartet (“WSQ”), an ensemble playing classical repertoire on period instruments, offered a remarkable concert this afternoon.   WSQ are comprised of Rona Goldensher– violin, Elizabeth Loewen Andrews– violin, Anthony Rapoport– viola, and Laura Jones– cello. It’s such a simple … Continue reading →

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Adès, Oakes, Lepage

Posted on November 16, 2012 by barczablog

Watching and hearing the Metropolitan Opera high definition broadcast of The Tempest, I wonder “whose” Tempest to call it. If you listen to Joseph Kerman—who says the composer is the dramatist–you’d say it belongs to Thomas Adès: the composer A … Continue reading →

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