Category Archives: Dance, theatre & musicals

Beethoven 250: his double life

Posted on November 4, 2020 by barczablog

Composer Ludwig van Beethoven was born in 1770, almost 250 years ago. The Heiligenstadt Testament was addressed to the composer’s two brothers, Carl & Johann, as a last will and testament. Written in October 1802 as the composer approached his … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays, Psychology and perception | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Brand new sound: a moving experience

Posted on November 1, 2020 by barczablog

I stumbled upon something quite by accident and want to share the good news. No I can’t take credit. We’re fixing some old windows, and needed to work with the contractor, who was blocked off by the way the furniture … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, domestic & wild, Art, Architecture & Design, Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, University life | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Aversion to the e-version

Posted on October 22, 2020 by barczablog

Confession: this is a meta-review, a preamble to what’s ahead. I’ve been reading lots of books, and will write about them in the next little while. Once again the pandemic seems to be changing our rules. I saw Singin’ in … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Arkady Spivak talks about TIFT Basic Income Guarantee Project

Posted on October 9, 2020 by barczablog

Arkady Spivak is the Artistic Producer of Talk is Free Theatre, a company you may recall for some remarkable shows. I remember tiny perfect shows like their adaptation of Candide, Parkdale Peter Pan or Dani Girl. I can’t forget bigger … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Interviews, Personal ruminations & essays, Politics, Press Releases and Announcements | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Yes we can

Posted on October 2, 2020 by barczablog

Is he really gone? Alexander Neef may be in Europe with the Paris Opera but it was already a promiscuous relationship, this General Directorship of the COC. Neef was working for his Toronto audience while at the same time taking … Continue reading →

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

Carefully re-opening

Posted on September 1, 2020 by barczablog

If you’re over 50 years of age, you may be wondering about the resumption of theatre & concerts. We miss them. But we also know that there’s a pandemic on, and it’s especially hazardous for those who are older. You … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Personal ruminations & essays, Politics | 6 Comments

Service or Business? the election selection

Posted on August 29, 2020 by barczablog

We’re helpless in the face of a mystery virus. It seems that everywhere you turn in the media, conspiracies are all around us. The gentler word is “hoax”, that stops short of the kind of thing one sees with ideas … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Politics, Popular music & culture | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The last three

Posted on July 27, 2020 by barczablog

When we speak of old films we’re usually looking at images of performers who died long ago. Some died young like Marilyn Monroe or James Dean. Some had long full lives like Jimmy Stewart or Ginger Rogers. There was a … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Douglas Chambers: The Reinvention of the World

Posted on July 18, 2020 by barczablog

I have been stuck on this one for awhile, not knowing quite what to write. I’m trying to avoid being a downer, but it’s hard to see the silver lining when you’re deep in the dark clouds of a pandemic. … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, University life | Leave a comment

Musical Gentrification

Posted on May 25, 2020 by barczablog

I don’t know about you, but I’ve got lots of time to think, to ponder questions old & new. One of my oldest questions is the conundrum of popularity in music. It’s a complicated phenomenon, and I’m not saying I … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Architecture & Design, Dance, theatre & musicals, Essays, Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment