Category Archives: Interviews

Finding out about 3 penny Messiah

Posted on November 30, 2024 by barczablog

Opera by Request and No Strings Theatre are collaborating on their 3 penny Messiah, a smaller scale alternative to what is offered from big groups such as Tafelmusik or the Toronto Symphony, one performance December 7th and a singalong December … Continue reading →

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Sankofa: The Soldier’s Tale Retold, and Andrew Burashko’s farewell to Art of Time

Posted on October 9, 2024 by barczablog

For the last 25 years, Art of Time Ensemble has been on the cutting edge of the performing arts in Canada, fusing music with theatre, dance, film and literature in unique and unprecedented ways. The list of illustrious artists who … Continue reading →

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Rachel Fenlon talks about her self-accompanied Winterreise

Posted on October 8, 2024 by barczablog

It sounds so simple: a self-accompanied Winterreise. It’s already a significant achievement to either sing the songs or play the piano part of Franz Schubert’s romantic song-cycle of the lonely winter wanderer. But doing both at the same time? A … Continue reading →

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Orville Doodles and the terrible imagination of Scott McClelland

Posted on August 14, 2024 by barczablog

Forgive me. The name of the show may be Orville Doodles and his Terrible Imagination but I couldn’t help thinking (as I ponder questions that I will pose to Orville’s creator), that Orville comes from the brain of Scott McClelland. … Continue reading →

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Edwin Huizinga: Songs and Serenades at Sweetwater Music Festival

Posted on August 14, 2024 by barczablog

Edwin Huizinga is one of those people doing many things in different places. I first encountered him as part of Tafelmusik. I heard Edwin’s original composition in Opera Atelier’s The Angel Speaks in 2019, when he played his baroque violin. … Continue reading →

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Questioning Desperate Measures

Posted on July 7, 2024 by barczablog

Sometimes a theatre piece captures essential conflicts of modern life. If you read this excerpt from the press release for Desperate Measures you’ll see why I wanted to ask them some questions “What would you do for an extra stream … Continue reading →

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Canadian Premiere of Tom Pasatieri’s The Seagull, Friday June 7th: An Interview with Bill Shookhoff

Posted on May 23, 2024 by barczablog

Tom Pasatieri’s opera The Seagull will get it’s Canadian Premiere on June 7th with Opera By Request. I interviewed Bill Shookhoff to find out about it. ~~~~~~~ Barczablog: Describe the works of Pasatieri: what is his style like?  Bill Shookhoff: … Continue reading →

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Finding out about Maghan McPhee, soprano

Posted on March 13, 2024 by barczablog

Sometimes interviews are just a series of obvious questions designed to publicize an artist and their work. I’m happy to play that game. But there are times when I’ve been fascinated by what I’ve seen from an artist, my curiosity … Continue reading →

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Questions for Tammy Wilson

Posted on February 21, 2024 by barczablog

Tamara Wilson is one of the best singers in the world. Yes we import Europeans to sing opera but some Americans have no equal. We’re lucky to have heard that voice in Toronto, usually the most impressive sound in that … Continue reading →

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Questions for Neil Craighead

Posted on February 15, 2024 by barczablog

I miss Neil Craighead, who’s currently studying, working and living out west. You may know him as a Dora Award nominee in 2015 for his Leporello in #UncleJohn with Against the Grain Theatre.  Time flies, look at how young he is in … Continue reading →

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