Category Archives: Dance, theatre & musicals

Singing the Earth: The Old & The New

Posted on December 6, 2013 by barczablog

Today is a day of contrasts. The morning paper brought more revelations about Toronto’s Mayor, while this afternoon’s social media story was the passing of Nelson Mandela. While Mandela seems to embody the possibilities for heroic activism nothing suggests that … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Politics, Reviews | Tagged Anna Höstman, Banshi Hanuse, Continuum Contemporary Music, Cry Rock, Dylan Robinson, Gustav Mahler, Marion Newman, Nelson Mandela, Rufus Wainwright, Singing the Earth, The Song of the Earth | 1 Comment

The great Canadian opera

Posted on December 3, 2013 by barczablog

It’s such a funky headline, almost an oxymoron. The book of Canadian operas is a slim volume indeed, but the list of great Canadian operas? Hm, are there any? Even one? I have two names bouncing in my head right … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays | 14 Comments

10 Questions for Joel Ivany

Posted on November 27, 2013 by barczablog

Joel Ivany’s career seems to be taking off. His work with Against the Grain Theatre here in Toronto is impressive enough, but in addition he directed the recent World premiere of Gavin Bryars chamber opera Marilyn Forever with the Aventa … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Interviews, Opera | Tagged Against the Grain Theatre, Albert Herring, AtG, Aventa Ensemble, Christopher Mokrzewski, Debussy, Edmonton Opera, Figaro's Wedding, Gavin Bryars, Joel Ivany, Korngold, Le Nozze di Figaro, Les Contes D’Hoffmann, Macbeth, Marilyn Forever, Messiah, Minnesota Opera, Miriam Khalil, Nabucco, Pelleas et Melisande, Robert Carsen, Royal Conservatory of Music, The Rape of Lucretia, The Silent Serenade, University of Toronto, Verdi, Western University | 2 Comments

Needles and Opium

Posted on November 23, 2013 by barczablog

I’ve just come from one of the most absorbing 105 minutes I’ve ever passed in a theatre, thanks to Robert Lepage. I take it on faith (from the program, and from the time on my phone when I came out), … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Reviews | Tagged Bluma Appel Theatre, Canadian Stage, Eonnagata, Ex Machina, Marc Labreche, Needles and Opium, Robert Lepage, Wellesley Robertson III | 6 Comments

Christian Jeffries: The Truth About Xmas

Posted on November 16, 2013 by barczablog

I’ve never fully swallowed the Norman Rockwell images showing big happy families at Christmas, which leaves me much more comfortable coming at Christmas via angst than angels. No wonder I feel as though I’m on the same page with Christian … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Reviews | Tagged Christian Jeffries, Donavan LeNabat | Leave a comment

Late to the party: The Double’s Trio

Posted on November 4, 2013 by barczablog

Getting to Tarragon Theatre’s Extraspace 20 minutes before the start of The Double, would have been early for most shows in Toronto. But all the good seats were gone, and so we were forced to sit near the back. I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Reviews | Tagged Adam Paolozza, Arif Mirabdolbaghi, Dostoevsky, The Double, Viktor Lukawski | 5 Comments

Live Light in the Piazza

Posted on October 31, 2013 by barczablog

On June 15th 2006, Beverly Sills welcomed the television audience to the Vivian Beaumont Theatre for a live performance of The Light in the Piazza. Yes, I was busy that night in June 2006, unaware that I should have been … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Reviews | Tagged Adam Guettel, Beverly Sills, Craig Lucas, The Light in the Piazza | 5 Comments

Ready for Prime Time: Savitri & Sam

Posted on September 29, 2013 by barczablog

Okay, maybe the headline tells you what show i am about to watch on TV, coming home from a (hint hint) Saturday night opera. But i really mean it, they’re ready. Tonight I went to see a public presentation … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera | Tagged Canadian Rep Theatre, Claude Debussy, Giles Tomkins, Gregory Oh, John Mills-Cockell, Ken Gass, Marion Newman, Michael Barrett, Pelleas et Melisande, Savitry & Sam, Zorana Sadiq | 3 Comments

YouTopia

Posted on September 13, 2013 by barczablog

Tonight at a performance of Bruce Barton’s YouTopia I was reminded of the difference between the mandate of University of Toronto’s “Drama Centre” (recently renamed “Centre for Drama, Theatre & Performance Studies”) and various theatre schools such as Ryerson or … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Reviews, University life | Tagged Adam Paolozza, Ai Weiwei, Bruce Barton, Centre for Drama, Drama Centre, Kiran Friesen, Michael Levine, Robert Lepage, Ryerson, Theatre & Performance Studies, University of Toronto, Vertical City, York, YouTopia | 2 Comments

Under the radar

Posted on July 20, 2013 by barczablog

At Luella Massey’s funeral service today, Professor Domenico Pietropaolo spoke of a dream near & dear to both of their hearts. Pietropaolo is a former Director of the Graduate Centre for Study of Drama, and is now Principal of St … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Personal ruminations & essays, University life | 2 Comments