Author Archives: barczablog

Robert Lepage’s 887 this time

Posted on May 4, 2019 by barczablog

Have you seen Robert Lepage’s 887? This show’s been all over the world. I missed the first Toronto incarnation in 2015 but saw it & raved about  it last time, brought to Toronto via Canadian Stage (one of the co-producers) … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Architecture & Design, Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Politics, Psychology and perception | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Questions for John Abberger: 4th annual Bach Festival

Posted on May 3, 2019 by barczablog

John Abberger, one of North America’s leading performers on historical oboes, is a familiar face locally as the principal oboist with Tafelmusik (bio), often playing key solos in concerts as he did just last week. John is also Artistic Director … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Music and musicology, Press Releases and Announcements | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

COC Otello

Posted on May 1, 2019 by barczablog

On paper the Canadian Opera Company’s new offering, an English National Opera production of Verdi’s Otello directed by David Alden and starring Russell Thomas, Gerald Finley & Tamara Wilson is as good as it gets. It’s an incredible luxury to … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Workshop of Shakespeare’s Criminal

Posted on April 27, 2019 by barczablog

Tonight I witnessed the first of 3 workshop performances at the Factory Theatre of Shakespeare’s Criminal from Orpheus Productions, a new chamber opera with music by Dustin Peters and libretto by Sky Gilbert, starring Marion Newman, Dion Mazerolle and Nathaniel … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Popular music & culture | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Tafelmusik: The Hunt

Posted on April 26, 2019 by barczablog

Jeanne Lamon was back tonight to lead Tafelmusik in Jeanne Lamon Hall at St-Paul’s Centre. There’s a quiet recognition of the journey made together. While Lamon is now called “Music Director Emerita,” recognizing a new role as a kind of … Continue reading →

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Questions for Molly Reisman

Posted on April 25, 2019 by barczablog

The official bio says that Molly Reisman is a Canadian writer, producer and performer who is endlessly curious about how humans connect, empathize and interact with the world around them, that Molly is a graduate of NYU Tisch’s MFA Graduate … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, domestic & wild, Dance, theatre & musicals, Interviews, Music and musicology, Popular music & culture, University life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Questions for Dean Burry: Shanawdithit

Posted on April 20, 2019 by barczablog

I hope you’ll forgive me if I pause to take a breath before I attempt to tell you who Dean Burry is, a man who wears so many hats one doesn’t always know how to address him. Professor? Composer? Librettist? … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Interviews, Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, University life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tick talk

Posted on April 19, 2019 by barczablog

From time to time I venture away from the path of opera, symphony & theatre. Tuesday night as Erika & I were getting ready for bed, having brushed & flossed and made ourselves ready for slumber, any thoughts of sleep … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, domestic & wild, Food, Health and Nutrition | Tagged | 1 Comment

Resurrection Symphony: that’s how to do it

Posted on April 19, 2019 by barczablog

Tonight was the second of three performances of Mahler’s 2nd Symphony by the Toronto Symphony at Roy Thomson Hall. It’s known as the Resurrection symphony. I’d recommend it to three different groups of people: If you’re religious and conscious of … Continue reading →

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Two schools

Posted on April 18, 2019 by barczablog

My review of the Canadian Opera Company La Boheme that I saw last night alluded to two different approaches. I hope you’ll bear with me. I know many people who would roll their eyes. Why bother at all with Boheme, this … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Personal ruminations & essays | 2 Comments