Category Archives: Music and musicology

TSO + Davis = Mahler magic

Posted on May 17, 2019 by barczablog

I marked this one down on my calendar a long time ago, even though tonight on May 16th is a key date for other reasons… It’s COC’s Operanation It’s the world premiere of Shanawdithit, the co-pro from Tapestry / Opera … Continue reading →

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Questions for John Abberger: 4th annual Bach Festival

Posted on May 3, 2019 by barczablog

John Abberger, one of North America’s leading performers on historical oboes, is a familiar face locally as the principal oboist with Tafelmusik (bio), often playing key solos in concerts as he did just last week. John is also Artistic Director … Continue reading →

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COC Otello

Posted on May 1, 2019 by barczablog

On paper the Canadian Opera Company’s new offering, an English National Opera production of Verdi’s Otello directed by David Alden and starring Russell Thomas, Gerald Finley & Tamara Wilson is as good as it gets. It’s an incredible luxury to … Continue reading →

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Workshop of Shakespeare’s Criminal

Posted on April 27, 2019 by barczablog

Tonight I witnessed the first of 3 workshop performances at the Factory Theatre of Shakespeare’s Criminal from Orpheus Productions, a new chamber opera with music by Dustin Peters and libretto by Sky Gilbert, starring Marion Newman, Dion Mazerolle and Nathaniel … Continue reading →

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Tafelmusik: The Hunt

Posted on April 26, 2019 by barczablog

Jeanne Lamon was back tonight to lead Tafelmusik in Jeanne Lamon Hall at St-Paul’s Centre. There’s a quiet recognition of the journey made together. While Lamon is now called “Music Director Emerita,” recognizing a new role as a kind of … Continue reading →

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Questions for Molly Reisman

Posted on April 25, 2019 by barczablog

The official bio says that Molly Reisman is a Canadian writer, producer and performer who is endlessly curious about how humans connect, empathize and interact with the world around them, that Molly is a graduate of NYU Tisch’s MFA Graduate … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, domestic & wild, Dance, theatre & musicals, Interviews, Music and musicology, Popular music & culture, University life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Questions for Dean Burry: Shanawdithit

Posted on April 20, 2019 by barczablog

I hope you’ll forgive me if I pause to take a breath before I attempt to tell you who Dean Burry is, a man who wears so many hats one doesn’t always know how to address him. Professor? Composer? Librettist? … Continue reading →

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Resurrection Symphony: that’s how to do it

Posted on April 19, 2019 by barczablog

Tonight was the second of three performances of Mahler’s 2nd Symphony by the Toronto Symphony at Roy Thomson Hall. It’s known as the Resurrection symphony. I’d recommend it to three different groups of people: If you’re religious and conscious of … Continue reading →

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Old-fashioned Boheme

Posted on April 18, 2019 by barczablog

Tonight was the opening performance of the Canadian Opera Company’s revival of John Caird’s production of La Boheme directed by Katherine M. Carter. As with their earlier return to Atom Egoyan’s Cosi fan tutte a few months ago, the concept … Continue reading →

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Pondering wandering

Posted on April 14, 2019 by barczablog

I like the sound of that headline. As I do what it says, pondering wandering, I am a bit lost in the ambiguities. If we knew where we were going it wouldn’t be wandering, would it. The time of year … Continue reading →

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