Category Archives: Interviews

Chatting with Bruce McGillivray about the German bow, music and rehabilitation

Posted on February 28, 2022 by barczablog

After a short stay in Mt Sinai after collapsing in early September, my mother went to Bridgepoint Hospital for rehab, gradually seeking to re-cover her mobility with the help of physical therapy. The beautiful view through the window lifts patients’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Health and Nutrition, Interviews, Music and musicology, My mother, Personal ruminations & essays, Popular music & culture | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Sky Gilbert talks about Pat and Skee, a dark new comedy about his parents

Posted on February 14, 2022 by barczablog

Pat and Skee opens February 25 at Theatre Aquarius in Hamilton, a darkly comic memoir of a challenging childhood. Sky Gilbert is a ‘child of divorce.’ Pat and Skee is an homage to Sky’s parents—who did their best to raise … Continue reading →

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Zorana Sadiq talks about MixTape

Posted on October 14, 2021 by barczablog

A Dora-award winning multidisciplinary artist of Pakistani descent, Zorana Sadiq creates work that is wide ranging and spans different types of performance, including theatre, television, chamber music, contemporary music, and opera. Zorana is currently a Creator in Residence at Crow’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Interviews, Music and musicology, Popular music & culture | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A conversation with Doug MacNaughton

Posted on August 16, 2021 by barczablog

Doug MacNaughton is known as much for his acting as for his singing, at home in opera, operetta, music theatre and concert work. As powerful as he sounds in ONE DAY MORE Doug also has the ability to use his … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, domestic & wild, Dance, theatre & musicals, Interviews, Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 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 →

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Talking to Stacey about fearing fear: Choose Joy

Posted on March 28, 2020 by barczablog

When you have a toothache you go to the dentist. When you’re feeling troubled in spirit where do you go? At times in my life I’ve gone to a psychotherapist or to a church for solace. Live theatre & concerts … Continue reading →

Posted in Essays, Food, Health and Nutrition, Interviews, Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays, Psychology and perception, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Parenthood, poverty, Hansel & Gretel: a conversation with Joel Ivany

Posted on January 26, 2020 by barczablog

In a few days Joel Ivany, Artistic Director of Against the Grain Theatre, will be premiering his new Hansel and Gretel at the Four Seasons Centre, in a Canadian Opera Company production. Singled out for last year’s Against the Grain … Continue reading →

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Questions for Beste Kalender

Posted on December 18, 2019 by barczablog

Beste Kalender could tell you about the different pathways to success. One can be discovered in competitions, especially if one wins. You can be mentored by great singers. There’s even the Hollywood legend, the understudy going on as last minute … Continue reading →

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Questions about Melancholiac: the Music of Scott Walker

Posted on November 28, 2019 by barczablog

Long ago I stumbled upon Scott Walker, via a cassette with the hand-written inscription The Godlike Genius of Scott Walker. I remember wondering: is this for real? What may have been at least part ironic self-mockery was upon closer inspection … Continue reading →

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Amplified Opera: interviewing Teiya Kasahara and Aria Umezawa

Posted on September 26, 2019 by barczablog

I have huge admiration for the two artists behind Amplified Opera (aka AO), namely Aria Umezawa and Teiya Kasahara, a new opera company. Aria directed L’hiver attend beaucoup de moi in March. Teiya was larger than life singing in Pomegranate in … Continue reading →

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