Category Archives: Dance, theatre & musicals

Gosford Park, Ivor Novello: Perchance to Dream

Posted on February 28, 2019 by barczablog

When I heard that Toronto Operetta Theatre will be staging Perchance to Dream, an Ivor Novello operetta, I was reminded of Robert Altman’s film Gosford Park.  I dug up the film again last night, delighting in its subtle intimations and … Continue reading →

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Questions for Stacie Dunlop – Lonely Child Project

Posted on February 26, 2019 by barczablog

Stacie Dunlop is a rare artist, a soprano who commissions original new music, some of the most original projects I’ve ever seen. You can read her bio. Three years ago I saw a workshop of The Harvester More recently came … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Interviews, Music and musicology, Opera | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Look at The Angel Speaks

Posted on February 22, 2019 by barczablog

I’m sharing some lovely photos by Bruce Zinger of last night’s North American premiere of  The Angel Speaks at the ROM, featuring Opera Atelier and select artists of Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra. Is Opera Atelier perhaps pushing the envelope of what … Continue reading →

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

Paolozzapedia

Posted on February 21, 2019 by barczablog

Commedia dell’Arte is a living theatre language. In Paolozzapedia, Adam Paolozza’s new meditation upon his heritage & influences, a Bad New Days Production with the support of Theatre Passe Muraille, that opened tonight at TPM, we get one of the … Continue reading →

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The Adaptation of Prince Hamlet

Posted on February 9, 2019 by barczablog

Do you ever need a tragedy? Sometimes I think we can be so burdened by the troubles of our own lives and the stories we hear from others, that we hunger for catharsis. I can’t be objective about the show … Continue reading →

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TSO: Sir Andrew Davis Conducts Wagner

Posted on February 1, 2019 by barczablog

If you’re a fan of the music of Richard Wagner chances are you’re fully aware that the Toronto Symphony are showcasing some of his best known music this week, in a concert tonight that repeats Saturday Feb 2nd. After three … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Hook Up

Posted on January 31, 2019 by barczablog

Tonight I saw and heard the world premiere of Hook Up, a partnership of Tapestry Opera with Theatre Passe Muraille. It’s a very accomplished musical, a story about relationships, sex and self-discovery. For the occasion of the premiere maybe we weren’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Reviews, University life | 2 Comments

Elektra-fying

Posted on January 27, 2019 by barczablog

There’s a moment in Richard Strauss’s adaptation of Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s libretto for Elektra that tells you everything you need to know.  This is the same family constellation we know from the aftermath of the Trojan War. Agamemmnon is dead, … Continue reading →

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Julie Tepperman & Chris Thornborrow: Hook Up

Posted on January 18, 2019 by barczablog

How do people meet, and what’s involved in making connections? I keep asking this question about the arts because in case you haven’t noticed, you can’t do it alone. Yes there are people like Beethoven who work in solitude, people … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Interviews, Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Popular music & culture, University life | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Kiviuq Returns: truly an Inuit Epic

Posted on January 14, 2019 by barczablog

I came out of the matinee of Kiviuq Returns: An Inuit Epic in an altered state of reality. It’s new but it’s old, it soothes you even as it challenges you. They set the bar very high for what’s to come … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment