Category Archives: Opera

Gleeful Purcell: hypothetical & unpretentious

Posted on March 7, 2015 by barczablog

Dido forgive me, but I had such a good time. Tonight’s concert at Trinity St Paul’s Centre felt like an experimental combination of elements, and when I say that I mean it in a good way.  I like ambition, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | Leave a comment

The Wedding Dress of Susanna for the Marriage of Figaro

Posted on March 5, 2015 by barczablog

Opera Lyra and McCaffrey Haute Couture invited the media to attend a fitting, a pre-wedding event in celebration of their new production of The Marriage of Figaro, opening March 21st at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Figaro marries Susanna.  They’re servants … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Press Releases and Announcements | 3 Comments

10 Questions for James Westman

Posted on March 2, 2015 by barczablog

I’ve been hearing the name of Baritone James Westman quite a lot, of late. He’s been in new operas such as Silent Night just this past November in Calgary, or Tovey’s The Inventor. He was soloist in Messiah with the New … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Soundstreams’ Whisper Opera and the meaning of meaning

Posted on February 28, 2015 by barczablog

It’s a cute phrase I heard in a Tom Robbins novel, as someone speaks in passing of “the meaning of meaning”. I love it because it simultaneously references our understanding (and what it means to mean) and yet sounds like … Continue reading →

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10 Questions for Leslie Dala

Posted on February 26, 2015 by barczablog

Conductor Leslie Dala aka Les Dala is especially well-known out west, having conducted at the Vancouver Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria and Vancouver Bach Choir, at Banff Centre and UBC Opera Ensemble.  In October 2014 he conducted Vancouver Opera’s world premiere … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Music and musicology, Opera, University life | Leave a comment

10 Questions for Barbara Hannigan

Posted on February 21, 2015 by barczablog

Barbara Hannigan is one of Canada’s most remarkable exports, a brilliant singer, conductor and actor of rare conviction.  While I haven’t heard her use the word “actor” to describe herself, how can I omit it, when I struggle to describe … Continue reading →

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

Wagnerian truths, whether on the COC stage or your own electronic device

Posted on February 20, 2015 by barczablog

Ah such a long title. I’m already being Wagnerian. He’s everywhere whether you know it or not, Wagner not precisely über alles, but still ubiquitous. We talked about him inevitably last night in class, discussing the dramaturgy of silent film, … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | 7 Comments

“Don Giovanni or Don JianGhomeshi…?“

Posted on February 13, 2015 by barczablog

The quote in the headline is the witty riposte of Ian Henderson as part of the conversation about Dmitri Tcherniakov’s Don Giovanni. You may have thought of it as Mozart’s Don Giovanni,…? ha! but when a modern opera director gets … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | 1 Comment

Old review of Egoyan’s Die Walküre

Posted on January 27, 2015 by barczablog

I posted this –a review of the current production in a different theatre from a decade ago– on a different website.  I am re-posting it because i won’t be able to see the opening of the new production at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Personal ruminations & essays | Leave a comment

Some resist seduction by Tcherniakov’s Don Giovanni

Posted on January 25, 2015 by barczablog

Today’s opening of the Canadian Opera co-production of Don Giovanni directed by Dmitri Tcherniakov met with a mixed reception at the Four Seasons Centre. I heard a few boos, saw some empty seats at the end and heard an earful … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | 10 Comments