Category Archives: Cinema, video & DVDs

Be Not Too Bold: COC Schicchi

Posted on November 1, 2021 by barczablog

The headline is the inevitable result of a weekend watching and comparing two different virtual offerings from two opera companies, one much bolder than the other. Yesterday’s Opera Atelier headline aims to praise what’s praiseworthy, so I used the word … Continue reading →

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Bold Angel from Opera Atelier

Posted on October 31, 2021 by barczablog

Opera Atelier’s new film of Angel –fully-staged and filmed at St. Lawrence Hall—will be streaming until Friday, November 12. Angel is a bold experiment. I’m not sure how to describe the work, an interesting mixture of styles and idioms that … Continue reading →

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ARC Ensemble –Dmitri Klebanov Chamber Works

Posted on October 26, 2021 by barczablog

Exile doesn’t just occur when you’re distant from your homeland. What about artists ignored or silenced inside their country? I never thought of it that way before reading Simon Wynberg’s excellent essay in the liner notes to ARC Ensemble’s new … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Politics, Reviews, University life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Nicole Lizée Undisrupted: A Guide to The Orchestra

Posted on September 30, 2021 by barczablog

Is “undisrupted” a word? We have disturbed and undisturbed, disputable and indisputable. As far as I can tell the best way to understand undisrupted is in its use as the title of a series on CBC Gem:“In this ground-breaking video … Continue reading →

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A season like no other: templates

Posted on September 24, 2021 by barczablog

Before the Canadian Opera Company begin their virtual season this fall, it’s worth looking at what the other big companies have been doing. The COC are promoting “A Season Like No Other” in this unique time when everyone is living … Continue reading →

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Garden of Vanished Pleasures aka the poetry of Derek Jarman

Posted on September 24, 2021 by barczablog

I wondered whether one needs to know Derek Jarman, as I watched Garden of Vanished Pleasures for the first time. It’s the new Soundtreams Online Broadcast through Crow’s Theatre that is available from now until October 10th. I wondered whether … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Encounter with Donald Arthur

Posted on September 17, 2021 by barczablog

I met Donald Arthur through the Toronto Wagner Society, our guest after publication of the memoirs he translated & edited for Hans Hotter, the great Wagner baritone. I jumped at the chance to offer Donald a bed overnight in our … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Cinema, video & DVDs, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Who was Derek Jarman

Posted on September 14, 2021 by barczablog

I don’t know Derek Jarman as well as I wish. But I’m presuming to offer some thoughts in answer to a question posed on Soundstreams’ blog a few days ago. I recall Jarman’s contribution to the anthology Aria (1987). The … Continue reading →

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Respect for Aretha

Posted on September 11, 2021 by barczablog

The music is amazing. But it should be better. Am I asking too much? Earlier this week I watched Respect, the new biography of Aretha Franklin. I paid for 48 hours worth of viewing time, but only felt like watching … Continue reading →

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Opera season

Posted on August 16, 2021 by barczablog

Rabbit season? Duck season? Nope in a few weeks it will be opera season, and not just in Toronto. Thank goodness we don’t have to hear Elmer Fudd try to say “opera season”. That’s right, they really will be shooting … Continue reading →

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