Author Archives: barczablog

Unfinished Sympathy

Posted on August 21, 2012 by barczablog

In the Tuesday gatherings of Mallarmé and his followers, poems, plays, or songs might be performed to an appreciative audience.  Nobody minded if the work being auditioned was unfinished.  A glimpse of a dream could be every bit as powerful.  … Continue reading →

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Debussy and the writers

Posted on August 19, 2012 by barczablog

Every now and then life gives us a glimpse of hidden meanings.  Maybe it’s all in our head, but even so one can’t help wondering.  Coincidences can seem like more than mere chance. In the 1990s I spent a few … Continue reading →

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Debussy Sesqui

Posted on August 16, 2012 by barczablog

“Sesquicentennial” –a word we don’t hear too often –means 150th anniversary. On August 22nd 1862, Claude-Achille Debussy came into the world.  In response I’m going to post a few times over the next week in my own personal sesquicentennial commemoration.  … Continue reading →

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Herheim’s Bayreuth Parsifal

Posted on August 14, 2012 by barczablog

I saw Stefan Herheim’s Parsifal tonight via the miracle of the internet, a complex take on the opera that rewards the serious viewer/listener.  I found it here, via links that may not be live much longer.  If you want to … Continue reading →

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Coen Oddball

Posted on August 11, 2012 by barczablog

The phrase “Coen Oddball” may seem redundant or non-specific, when that bizarre heading matches so many of the Coen Brothers’ films. Raising Arizona?  oddball comedy Fargo? oddball thriller with pregnant cop stalking killer on frozen lake Oh Brother Where art … Continue reading →

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Above the clouds

Posted on August 10, 2012 by barczablog

Last weekend John Terauds used the occasion of the Simcoe Day holiday to celebrate the quintessential Torontonian composer, Godfrey Ridout. It reminds me of a time long ago, when I took a course taught by two giants at the Faculty … Continue reading →

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Contracts renewed

Posted on August 7, 2012 by barczablog

My Canadian Opera Company ticket subscription arrived in the mail today.  I was never in doubt about renewing the tickets, still starry eyed by the new building and the overall quality of what we’ve been getting. Even so—I tell myself—it’s … Continue reading →

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10 Questions for Sam Stedman

Posted on August 5, 2012 by barczablog

Sam Stedman is a part-time university professor, with a PhD in ethics and theatre from the University of Toronto, and a mission to make his family more eco-friendly, step by step, piece by piece. After 10 years of post-secondary teaching, … Continue reading →

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Elwy’s impact

Posted on August 5, 2012 by barczablog

In August filmgoers’ thoughts turn to TIFF: the Toronto International Film Festival.  Founded in 1976, TIFF isn’t just a local event anymore, having become one of the most important festivals in the world, if not the single biggest showcase for … Continue reading →

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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 →

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