Category Archives: Dance, theatre & musicals

L’Histoire du Toronto Summer Music

Posted on July 20, 2018 by barczablog

It was all there tonight, on the stage of Koerner Hall. Sometimes concerts are microcosms that allow you to see and grasp everything in one lucid moment. It’s the second year of Jonathan Crow’s tenure as Artistic Director of the … Continue reading →

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Against the Grain Orphée+

Posted on April 28, 2018 by barczablog

Orphée+? That plus sign might signify an opera updated, enlarged, perhaps even reformed(?). The “+” means some remarkable additions and changes from Gluck’s original, Orphée et Eurydice (or the Italian version aka Orfeo ed Euridice). Gluck created more than one … Continue reading →

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Eagerly anticipating Against the Grain’s Orphée⁺ next week

Posted on April 21, 2018 by barczablog

I’m writing about Against the Grain Theatre right now as I think about their imminent co-production of Gluck’s opera, that they are calling Orphée⁺ (the original press release said “an international co-production between AtG, the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and Opera Columbus“, … Continue reading →

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Questions for Tracy Dahl

Posted on April 19, 2018 by barczablog

In the recent Canadian Opera Company Cosi fan tutte from just over 4 years ago, Tracy Dahl’s sparkling portrayal of Despina was the breath of fresh air that we desperately needed in Atom Egoyan’s dark intense interpretation. Here’s what I … Continue reading →

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Mixie and the Halfbreeds

Posted on April 8, 2018 by barczablog

My visit to the eye doctor today reminds me that when all’s said and done I must look at the world through my own lens. I was at the theatre tonight to see Mixie and the Halfbreeds by Julie Tamiko … Continue reading →

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Scorched by Mouawad

Posted on March 8, 2018 by barczablog

Tonight I completed my Wajdi Mouawad trilogy.  Last month I saw his production of Abduction from the Seraglio at the Canadian Opera Company twice, last week I saw Denis Villeneuve’s film Incendies, adapted from the play that I saw tonight. … Continue reading →

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

Incendies, Scorched & the Seraglio

Posted on February 28, 2018 by barczablog

I’ve just seen Denis Villeneuve’s Oscar nominated film adaptation of Wajdi Mouawad’s play Incendies. I’m looking forward to seeing a translation of the play presented here in Toronto next week, titled Scorched. I couldn’t miss the parallels to what we … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Politics, University life | 3 Comments

Vanderdecken among the zombies: Wajdi Mouawad’s Abduction

Posted on February 25, 2018 by barczablog

I had a second look & listen to Wajdi Mouawad’s Abduction from the Seraglio,  my second time coming in the closing performance of the run with the Canadian Opera Company at the Four Seasons Centre. I wanted to reflect on what … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Reviews, University life | 5 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

Nine in Concert

Posted on January 13, 2018 by barczablog

The musical Nine is a bit of a virtuoso vehicle, putting thirteen women, a man and a boy onstage together.  The music & lyrics by Maury Yeston are never easy but quite rewarding, particularly if you have an actual orchestra, … Continue reading →

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