Author Archives: barczablog

On a desert island…in Toronto.

Posted on April 1, 2011 by barczablog

There you are on a desert island, the place where what-if questions are always posited.  One is asked impossible hypotheticals, such as “If you were on a desert island, and you could only take one book, one DVD, one beverage, … Continue reading →

Posted in Essays, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays | Leave a comment

Chopin at the Opera

Posted on March 30, 2011 by barczablog

There’s nothing quite like cinema to change your viewpoint.  Film has changed my perspective on Frederic Chopin more than once. I’d grown up with his music around me, aware of him almost from the beginning.  Anyone learning how to play … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Opera, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Positive about “negative”

Posted on March 26, 2011 by barczablog

When i was in highschool, one of my teachers explained the conventional wisdom of advertising for my impressionable ears.  I still remember my surprise, listening to Mr Kearn tell me that Ford or GM or Chrysler would not ever say … Continue reading →

Posted in Essays | 5 Comments

The Nerds Shall Inherit the Earth

Posted on March 20, 2011 by barczablog

My friend Joseph So recently shared a link on Facebook that started a conversation about conductors. “Carlos Kleiber has been named the greatest conductor of all time in the April issue of BBC Music Magazine…  In a poll, 100 conductors including Sir Colin … Continue reading →

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Honeymoon Song

Posted on March 14, 2011 by barczablog

Today I visited my Mother’s house after church.  I had stayed late  for a rehearsal of the big piece we’re performing in April, namely  Ernest Bloch’s Sacred Service. It’s funny how things sometimes seem to follow patterns, whether in reality … Continue reading →

Posted in My mother, Personal ruminations & essays, Spirituality & Religion | 2 Comments

Let us now praise famous women

Posted on March 9, 2011 by barczablog

Serendipity is such a wonderful word.  I love that it’s a big long word, implying something complex, when in fact it sounds like a series of vocal accidents.  Accidents are not to be confused with serendipity, for the word always … Continue reading →

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Crimp’s Treatment

Posted on March 6, 2011 by barczablog

Who is Martin Crimp and where has he been hiding all these years?  Maybe as you read this, you’re thinking “he’s not new to ME”.  Congratulations if you’re able to say that I just saw my first Crimp play tonight, … Continue reading →

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

Opera York’s Cosi fan tutte in Richmond Hill

Posted on March 4, 2011 by barczablog

I just saw Opera York‘s Cosi fan tutte in their wonderful new home the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, a wonderful home for opera. The theatre has been open for over a year, but this was my first … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Architecture & Design, Opera, Reviews | 7 Comments

COC take Nightingale to BAM

Posted on March 1, 2011 by barczablog

Gosh darn…(!) I am not going to Brooklyn to see the remount of a Canadian Opera Company production that I saw in November 2009; but i figured i would repost excerpts from a review posted to drama.ca, as a kind … Continue reading →

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COC Nixon

Posted on February 25, 2011 by barczablog

Tonight I watched the Canadian Opera Company production of John Adams’ Nixon in China.  I saw the Met High Definition broadcast recently after acquiring the Naxos CD of the opera containing virtually the same cast as the one I saw … Continue reading →

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