Author Archives: barczablog

Aeris Chordas

Posted on February 17, 2018 by barczablog

“Aeris Chordas” is the name for the concert I saw tonight, chamber music from four artists: Christina Raphaëlle Haldane, soprano Carl Philippe Gionet, piano Michelle Jacot, clarinet Marc Labranche, cello The four composers I saw on the program: Johannes Brahms … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | Leave a comment

Questions for Maxim Lando: Lang Lang’s protégé

Posted on February 16, 2018 by barczablog

Maxim Lando is a 15 year old American pianist. In 2017 at the age of fourteen, Maxim performed Rachmaninoff 3rd Concerto with the Mariinsky Theater Orchestra in Saint Petersburg,  receiving rave commentary on the popular Russian TV Kultura program Tzar’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Music and musicology | 1 Comment

Abduction via Mouawad

Posted on February 11, 2018 by barczablog

It’s another new Canadian Opera Company production where my first impulse is to credit the brass running the COC. But in a week when the big news for North American opera was the second artistic directorship undertaken by Alexander Neef, … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | 2 Comments

Karam’s Humans

Posted on February 9, 2018 by barczablog

This co-production of The Humans, Stephen Karam’s 2016 Tony Award winner from Citadel Theatre & Canadian Stage has come to the Bluma Appel Theatre.   We are functioning in real time for about an hour and a half of a Thanksgiving … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Reviews | 5 Comments

Frisch takes us Over the Rainbow

Posted on February 2, 2018 by barczablog

Sometimes we read a book to learn something, to discover answers to questions. And sometimes we read simply to get lost in the conversation. Walter Frisch is taking me on one of those latter sorts of journeys in his 2017 … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Personal ruminations & essays, Popular music & culture, Reviews | Leave a comment

Rigoletto reboot

Posted on January 28, 2018 by barczablog

I like the Canadian Opera Company’s Rigoletto, directed by Christopher Alden, starring Roland Wood, Anna Christy and Stephen Costello. Everyone I’ve talked to enthuses about the singing. Ah but I like the production, and I say this, aware (via social … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | 8 Comments

Planets via Storgårds and TSO

Posted on January 27, 2018 by barczablog

There are many possible ways to interpret great pieces of music.  I was struck tonight, listening to the Toronto Symphony led by John Storgårds at Roy Thomson Hall, that sometimes there are more important considerations than the interpretation. I say that … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | Leave a comment

Questions for Sara Schabas: Canadian premieres of two Jake Heggie operas

Posted on January 26, 2018 by barczablog

Canadian soprano Sara Schabas is the founder of the Electric Bond Opera Ensemble, a group that aims to present classical and operatic works that tell untold stories, reminding audiences and performers of the “electric bond of being” (Thomas Huxley) by … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera | 1 Comment

Opera by Request—Salome

Posted on January 21, 2018 by barczablog

The concept is exactly as it sounds.  If you’re a singer wanting to do a role, Opera by Request is the place for you.  William Shookhoff is a busy man, the pianist & music director responsible for making those requests … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | Leave a comment

Safe Haven Mackay’s best yet

Posted on January 20, 2018 by barczablog

The headline is meant to convey an enthusiastic response to something I’ll attempt to analyze.  I liked it. Alison Mackay has grown from her role playing violone & double bass with Tafelmusik into their programmer extraordinaire, creating a series of … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | 1 Comment