Author Archives: barczablog

In common

Posted on August 3, 2012 by barczablog

Once every decade Sight and Sound magazine polls experts on film to determine which films are understood to be the best.  In 1962 they chose Citizen Kane best film, and every ten years since that time, they have returned Kane … Continue reading →

Posted in Essays | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Carsen’s Tosca

Posted on July 31, 2012 by barczablog

Toronto is belatedly getting to know one of its own.  Opera Director Robert Carsen, who’s made a name for himself worldwide has only recently directed productions in Toronto. And how romantic is it that—as if to make up for lost … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

News of War

Posted on July 31, 2012 by barczablog

Some dates are more important than others in the timeline of a war.  In the War of 1812,  July 30th, 1812 is a relatively trivial date: 200 years ago today. The war had been declared on June 18th. The first … Continue reading →

Posted in Essays | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Genius Within

Posted on July 27, 2012 by barczablog

After spending so much of the past few weeks thinking about virtuosity –both in my academic research and in the music I have been listening to—I was more than ready to see a documentary studying the quintessential Canadian musician, Glenn … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Faster, Higher, Stronger

Posted on July 26, 2012 by barczablog

Is it a competition?  To some extent. Both Richard Wagner & Claude Debussy used the metaphor of the circus acrobat to describe the virtuoso dynamic with an appreciative audience.  Whether we’re speaking of singers or instrumentalists, there is an implicit … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Homesick tenor

Posted on July 21, 2012 by barczablog

Early in the act, we have a plaintive moment.  A sailor sings a tune, clearly longing for home and the company he misses there.  The quietness of the big orchestra now playing so gently after its earlier savagery seems to … Continue reading →

Posted in Essays | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Clouds of laughter

Posted on July 20, 2012 by barczablog

Comedians love Conservative politicians like Harper & Ford.  They’re perfect for the purveyors of satire & political comedy.  And after the kind of week we’ve had in Scarborough I hope we can be forgiven for seeking out a good laugh, … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Persée

Posted on July 17, 2012 by barczablog

On the weekend I sampled some French culture, visiting the francophone town of Lafontaine Ontario for their Festival du Loup¸ followed by a visit to the nearby town of Midland and the Shrine to 17th Century Jesuit Martyrs. Today I … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Howling

Posted on July 15, 2012 by barczablog

It’s hot in Ontario.  But then again it’s hot everywhere nearby.  New York? Hot.  Quebec? Not precisely chilly.  You get the picture. Going for a drive in the countryside might seem like a strange thing to do on a hot … Continue reading →

Posted in Essays | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Magic Helmet

Posted on July 14, 2012 by barczablog

This isn’t one of those stories constructed using “emotion recollected in tranquility” (to use Woodsworth’s charming phrase).  I am shaken by what I’ve seen, my hands still shaking a bit. It’s almost 7:15 as I type this in Word (and … Continue reading →

Posted in Essays | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments