Author Archives: barczablog

AMPLIFIED OPERA @ birth: The Way I See It 

Posted on October 11, 2019 by barczablog

I was among the audience present at the Ernest Balmer Studio for the birth of Amplified Opera, the brain-child of Teiya Kasahara & Aria Umezawa, in the first of three different programs to launch a new opera company. Directed by … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Psychology and perception, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Toronto Symphony play for Gimeno

Posted on October 10, 2019 by barczablog

Tonight’s Toronto Symphony concert reminded me of someone I haven’t thought of in ages, a piano teacher in my teen years. At every lesson we’d begin with small-talk, and then he’d say “now play for me!” It was a wonderfully … Continue reading →

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Not quite forgotten: Liszt’s Valses oubliées

Posted on October 6, 2019 by barczablog

The composer centennials & bicentennials may be artificial stimuli to research, but the effect is real. Knowing that everyone is suddenly focusing upon a particular period seems to inspire all sorts of interesting studies, conferences where people share their research … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Music and musicology, Psychology and perception | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Vivaldi con amore

Posted on October 5, 2019 by barczablog

I have been listening to Tafelmusik’s first CD with their new music director Elisa Citterio Vivaldi con amore. The title tells you what to expect, a recording affectionate as a love-letter, a promise of great things to come. I’ve lost … Continue reading →

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Robert Wilson’s Turandot

Posted on September 29, 2019 by barczablog

While the music is very much Puccini’s Turandot, a regular opera fan attending the premiere of the Canadian Opera Company’s new production might have trouble recognizing it. That’s why the headline proclaims it as Robert Wilson’s Turandot. Two words lurk … Continue reading →

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Imagining the unimaginable or why we need a #GlobalClimateStrike

Posted on September 27, 2019 by barczablog

I boarded this train of thought last week in preparation for church. I was the substitute music director in a Sunday without the choir, seeking joy while pondering darker thoughts. I don’t pretend to know how I happened to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Politics, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Amplified Opera: interviewing Teiya Kasahara and Aria Umezawa

Posted on September 26, 2019 by barczablog

I have huge admiration for the two artists behind Amplified Opera (aka AO), namely Aria Umezawa and Teiya Kasahara, a new opera company. Aria directed L’hiver attend beaucoup de moi in March. Teiya was larger than life singing in Pomegranate in … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Music and musicology, Opera, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Book of Life

Posted on September 22, 2019 by barczablog

I needed that. The Book of Life, a Volcano Production in association with the Woman Cultural Centre, Rwanda, and Why Not Theatre, is currently running at the Berkeley St Theatre, presented by Canadian Stage. I came into this show wondering … Continue reading →

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Tafelmusik meets Tchaikovsky

Posted on September 21, 2019 by barczablog

Finally! After waiting for decades Tafelmusik’s concert program tonight with works by Tchaikovsky & Mendelssohn plus a brand new composition felt like a political statement. Already last year led by their new Music Director Elisa Citterio, we were experiencing a … Continue reading →

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Dynamic Duo: Hannigan & Storgårds

Posted on September 20, 2019 by barczablog

The Toronto Symphony’s opening concert welcomed the “dynamic duo”, soprano Barbara Hannigan and violinist John Storgårds. Each did some conducting, and each took a turn as a soloist. While it was not a long evening it felt like a lot … Continue reading →

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