Category Archives: Music and musicology

Mackay’s Indigo Project

Posted on February 28, 2020 by barczablog

Alison Mackay has a knack for making intriguing connections. Every now and then Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra turn to their former bass player to curate a concert, and tonight she may have done her best yet with The Indigo Project at … Continue reading →

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#popstarplay life lessons

Posted on February 22, 2020 by barczablog

I heard a wonderful interview with Vivek Shraya on Q earlier today that gave me some  clues as to what I’d be seeing and hearing tonight in her one-woman autobiographical show How to Fail as a Popstar, aka #popstarplay in … Continue reading →

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Moonrise Kingdom on Valentine’s Day

Posted on February 15, 2020 by barczablog

I saw the trailer for Wes Anderson’s next film. Google says it opens in the summer. Argh, I wish I could see it now, but, hmm, …a seed was planted. And there we were, staying in on a chilly Friday … Continue reading →

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Vittorio Ghielmi dreaming Jupiter

Posted on February 8, 2020 by barczablog

“Dreaming Jupiter” is the name of the concert program this week from Tafelmusik at Jeanne Lamon Hall, that might epitomize everything about their approach to making music. Where the Toronto Symphony are lately the place you go hear the pieces … Continue reading →

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TSO and the joys of youth

Posted on February 3, 2020 by barczablog

At its height one isn’t aware of it at all, but only when it’s fading or gone. The word gets thrown about mostly by those who don’t have it anymore, enviously looking back. (guilty) But the weekend’s Toronto Symphony concert … Continue reading →

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Brilliantly Problematic Porgy & Bess

Posted on February 2, 2020 by barczablog

Don’t let the headline fool you. When you see that the Metropolitan Opera are producing The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess for the first time in almost thirty years, seemingly selling every ticket to every performance, you might well ask them: … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Lost Karaoke Tapes

Posted on January 31, 2020 by barczablog

I’m impressed. Nicole Lizée has more reason to be pompous & full of herself than any composer or performer I know. But she seems to be totally unpretentious. Exhibit “A”: the piece we saw & heard tonight is called “Karappo … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Architecture & Design, Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays, Popular music & culture, Psychology and perception, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Money is the root of all opera

Posted on January 26, 2020 by barczablog

You probably didn’t expect that did you? Did you anticipate where that sentence was going? It starts like a truism that we hear so often about money being the root of all evil, which I can relate to heartily. How … Continue reading →

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Scappucci’s show: a Better Barber

Posted on January 20, 2020 by barczablog

The Canadian Opera Company have revived their production of Rossini’s Barber of Seville.  We saw it in 2015, a creation of the Spanish theatre troupe Els Comediants led by the team of director Joan Font & set/costume designer Joan Guillén. … Continue reading →

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To New York with Gershwin

Posted on January 14, 2020 by barczablog

Sometimes I have a fear of flying. I usually love the takeoff & normally sit by the window but when there’s turbulence I like to distract myself. On a trip to New York what better subject could one find than … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Music and musicology, Opera, Popular music & culture, Reviews, University life | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment