Category Archives: Opera

Famous tunes at the TSO

Posted on April 11, 2016 by barczablog

And the beat goes on. While there may have been a change of leadership, the Toronto Symphony hot streak continues, with bold performances onstage & at the box office. Sunday afternoon I attended the second of a pair of concerts … Continue reading →

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Lucio Silla: slaying the tyrant at the Elgin Theatre

Posted on April 10, 2016 by barczablog

Tonight I saw Opera Atelier’s Lucio Silla, an opera receiving its Canadian premiere production at the Elgin Theatre. I’ve wondered what was so special about this opera, having heard about previous Opera Atelier presentations of the work in Europe, and … Continue reading →

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Questions for Ashlie Corcoran: Löhle’s das ding

Posted on April 7, 2016 by barczablog

Ashlie Corcoran, Artistic Director at the Thousand Islands Playhouse since 2012, Co-Founder and Artistic Producer for Theatre Smash, directs both theatre and opera, working across Canada and internationally. Next season Ashlie will return to Toronto to direct the Canadian Opera … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera | 1 Comment

Isis and Osiris, Gods of Egypt

Posted on April 3, 2016 by barczablog

I saw the second of two performances in the world premiere run of Isis and Osiris, Gods of Egypt, a new opera composed by Peter Togni from a libretto by Sharon Singer, presented by Opera in Concert – Voicebox. There … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | 4 Comments

Travelogue, or Bicycle Opera take Toy Piano Composers for a ride

Posted on April 3, 2016 by barczablog

If you can judge a book by its cover – or a small performing arts company by its poetic name – then it’s a match made in heaven, this idea for Travelogue: a collaboration between Bicycle Opera Project (opera with … Continue reading →

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Questions for Peter Togni: Isis and Osiris

Posted on March 15, 2016 by barczablog

Peter Togni, a well-known name from his time on the CBC, also known as Peter-Anthony Togni, is a busy Canadian composer of spiritually rooted and contemplative music. You can read a detailed biography here.  Originally from Pembroke, Ontario, he currently … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Knocking at the Hellgate

Posted on March 13, 2016 by barczablog

While the Toronto Symphony has been doing New Creations Festival for a dozen years or so, things seem substantially different in 2016.  One of the comments I sometimes hear from my colleagues is a concern that when so many of … Continue reading →

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Opera as blood sport: the Hutcheons contra Regietheater

Posted on March 5, 2016 by barczablog

I raced at top speed, not from jungle to city but from one end of the U of T campus to the other after work, afraid I’d be late for the (lecture about) opera, somewhat like the hero of Werner … Continue reading →

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Toronto Symphony and the music of change

Posted on February 28, 2016 by barczablog

I will eventually talk about the music performed at tonight’s Toronto Symphony Concert at Roy Thomson Hall but I must first observe a few things that were different. At intermission I met two guys from Richmond Hill named Michael. Yes, … Continue reading →

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Last tango in Siviglia

Posted on February 24, 2016 by barczablog

There’s a curious mix of adventure and nostalgia that goes with the annual Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio performance of one of the season’s operas. After having seen a production with a cast of seasoned professionals, each year we get … Continue reading →

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