Category Archives: Opera

Creepy COC Macbeth

Posted on May 1, 2023 by barczablog

On a dark rainy day in the midst of Toronto’s traffic chaos I was rendered speechless by the new Canadian Opera Company production of Verdi’s Macbeth directed by Sir David McVicar. I never knew this opera could move me so … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Reviews | Tagged Adam Luther, Alexandrina Pendatchanska, Canadian Opera Company, Clarence Frazer, Four Seasons Centre, Giuseppe Verdi, Louis Quilico, Macbeth, Matthew Cairns, Quinn Kelsey, Tracy Cantin, Vartan Gabrielian, William Shakespeare | 7 Comments

Surprising Chevalier

Posted on April 25, 2023 by barczablog

How could I resist seeing Chevalier, the new film about Joseph Bologne? He’s been called the “black Mozart”. He was given the title Chevalier de St Georges by Marie Antoinette, composer of operas, symphonies, a virtuoso violinist and master swordsman. … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Opera, Reviews | Tagged Chevalier, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, Christoph Willibald Gluck, Kelvin Harrison Jr, Stefani Robinson, Stephen Williams, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Leave a comment

Resurrection Again

Posted on April 10, 2023 by barczablog

Handel’s oratorio The Resurrection received its belated Canadian premiere in Opera Atelier’s production brought to Koerner Hall, an early work long neglected. Although the production had been prepared in 2021 it had to be filmed because in-person performance wasn’t possible … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Reviews, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged Allyson McHardy, Carla Huhtanen, Colin Ainsworth, David Fallis, Douglas Williams, George Frideric Handel, Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg, Koerner Hall, Marshall Pynkoski, Meghan Lindsay, Opera Atelier, Resurrection, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra | Leave a comment

Glorious Of the Sea

Posted on March 26, 2023 by barczablog

Of the Sea opened tonight to tumultuous applause from the Bluma Appel Theatre crowd, a co-production of Obsidian Theatre & Tapestry Opera. Kanika Ambrose (libretto) and Ian Cusson (music) have collaborated to bring a beautiful myth to life. I heard … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Reviews, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged Bluma Appel Theatre, Chantale Nurse, Ian Cusson, Jennifer Tung, Jorell Williams, Justin Welsh, Kanika Ambrose, LibLab, Of the Sea, Paul Williamson, Philip Akin, Suzanne Taffot, Tapestry Opera | Leave a comment

L’Amant anonyme

Posted on March 20, 2023 by barczablog

Voicebox Opera in Concert presented the last performance of their season series dedicated to Mozart and the operas of his time, L’Amant anonyme by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges aka Joseph Boulogne, sometimes called “The Black Mozart”. His life story … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | Tagged Alexander Cappellazzo, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, David Fallis, Dion Mazerolle, Holly Chaplin, Robert Cooper, The Black Mozart, Voicebox Opera in Concert | 2 Comments

Opera York’s Magic Flute

Posted on March 6, 2023 by barczablog

It was worth the drive to Richmond Hill yesterday to see Opera York’s production of The Magic Flute, their first in-person return to the stage since the pandemic. While Friday night’s snow-storm likely reduced attendance, Sunday’s matinee was sold out. … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | Tagged Holly Chaplin, Opera York, OperOttawa, Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, Ryan Downey, The Magic Flute, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | 1 Comment

Excited by Canadian Opera Company 2023-24 season announcement

Posted on February 26, 2023 by barczablog

When I saw the email on Thursday from the Canadian Opera Company announcing their 2023-2024 season it moved me to say this on Facebook: That’s more like it! COC’s 2023-24 season: Fidelio, La Boheme, Cunning Little Vixen, Don Pasquale, Don … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Press Releases and Announcements | Tagged Alexander Neef, Canadian Opera Company, Perryn Leech | Leave a comment

Questions for Norman E Brown — OperOttawa’s Alcina

Posted on February 20, 2023 by barczablog

I wanted to shine a spotlight on OperOttawa, a relatively new company, by talking to their founder and Artistic Director, Canadian baritone Norman E. Brown. OperOttawa present Handel’s Alcina on March 5th in Ottawa, so I wanted to ask Norman … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera, Press Releases and Announcements | Tagged Alcina, Carole Portelance, Domenico Cimarosa, Erinne-Colleen Laurin, Frederic Lacroix, George Frideric Handel, Il Matrimonio Segreto, Jack Hui Litster, Kathleen Radke, Morgan Strickland, Norman E Brown, Opera Lyra, OperOttawa | 1 Comment

Salome returns to tumultuous welcome

Posted on February 4, 2023 by barczablog

The Canadian Opera Company’s co-production of Richard Strauss’s Salome returned last night in the first of seven performances to huge applause. It’s a star vehicle for Ambur Braid in the title role, a wonderful first outing for Michael Schade as … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Reviews | Tagged Ambur Braid, Atom Egoyan, Canadian Opera Company, Johannes Debus, Karita Mattila, Michael Kupfer-Radecky, Michael Schade, Richard Strauss, Salome | Leave a comment

Salome: from Matthew and Mark, through Oscar, Richard and Atom

Posted on February 1, 2023 by barczablog

It can be enjoyable to trace the changes in the way a story is adapted and/or interpreted. Salome begins in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Matthew 14:1-11 (NIV)1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Architecture & Design, Books & Literature, Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged Atom Egoyan, Canadian Opera Company, Oscar Wilde, Regietheater, Richard Strauss, Salome, The Ten Commandments | Leave a comment