Category Archives: Opera

Opera Atelier: Actéon and Pygmalion

Posted on October 29, 2018 by barczablog

I saw two baroque operas on the same bill, plus something brand new added. Opera Atelier are presenting Charpentier’s Actéon and Rameau’s Pygmalion at the Elgin Theatre in a program exploring Ovidian tales of transformation, tenor Colin Ainsworth starring in … Continue reading →

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A closer look at Hadrian

Posted on October 28, 2018 by barczablog

Today was the closing performance of Hadrian, the new opera by Rufus Wainwright and Daniel MacIvor, presented by the Canadian Opera Company at the Four Seasons Centre. After tonight’s display of healthy nearly-naked male bodies in a homosexual love story, … Continue reading →

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Workshop Ecology

Posted on October 27, 2018 by barczablog

I’ve been tossing and turning, struggling with several questions in my head. I regularly wake up in the night to fine-tune something that I’ve blogged, fixing a wrong spelling, adding wrinkles & nuances. It’s been a turbulent two weeks, as … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Pushing our buttons 2: pornographic musings on Actéon and Venus

Posted on October 23, 2018 by barczablog

Ten days ago I posted something about erotic opera, especially as it pertains to Actéon, an opera that is to be presented again by Opera Atelier beginning Thursday October 25th at the Elgin Theatre. Near the end of that post … Continue reading →

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Rufus Wainwright’s Hadrian

Posted on October 14, 2018 by barczablog

Tonight I saw the world premiere of Hadrian, an opera commissioned by the Canadian Opera Company with libretto by Daniel MacIvor, music composed by Rufus Wainwright, directed by Peter Hinton and conducted by Johannes Debus. There are some wonderful performances, … Continue reading →

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Questions for Colin Ainsworth: Actéon and Pygmalion

Posted on October 13, 2018 by barczablog

Tenor Colin Ainsworth is one of the most versatile performers I know. While he regularly stars in period performance he has done lots of new works, including Victor Davies’ The Transit of Venus and Rufus Wainwright’s Prima Donna.  He has had … Continue reading →

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Pushing our buttons: Hadrian, Actéon, Pygmalion and erotic opera

Posted on October 12, 2018 by barczablog

Before there was pornography, there was always opera. Slavoj Zizek spoke of opera as redundant once we had psychiatrists, which is how he explains the decline in opera in the 20th century. But maybe there are other reasons opera wasn’t … Continue reading →

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Hadrian’s Dramaturg: Questions for Cori Ellison

Posted on October 6, 2018 by barczablog

Cori Ellison is the Dramaturg for the Canadian Opera Company’s world premiere production of Hadrian¸composed by Rufus Wainwright and with libretto by Daniel MacIvor. Cori Ellison, a leading creative figure in the opera world, was recently appointed staff Dramaturg at … Continue reading →

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Homecoming for Carsen’s Eugene Onegin

Posted on October 1, 2018 by barczablog

Better late than never, the Canadian Opera Company have premiered Robert Carsen’s Eugene Onegin, a production originally premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in 1997. It’s a triumph of Canadian talent on all sides, from the sets & costumes by Michael … Continue reading →

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I Call myself Princess

Posted on September 12, 2018 by barczablog

I watched and listened to the second preview of I Call Myself Princess, Jani Lauzon’s impressive new play with opera, presented at Aki Studio in a collaboration between A Paper Canoe Projects, Cahoots Theatre and Native Earth Performing Arts. Genre … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Politics, Reviews, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment