Category Archives: Opera

10 Questions for Elizabeth DeShong

Posted on October 11, 2014 by barczablog

Elizabeth DeShong is singing big roles in the biggest houses. She’s sung Suzuki (the role she’s singing in a Canadian Opera Company production that’s opening tonight at the Four Seasons Centre) at the Metropolitan Opera and San Francisco Opera Company, … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera | 3 Comments

Falstaff’s Communion

Posted on October 10, 2014 by barczablog

I saw the second performance of the Canadian Opera Company’s production of Falstaff tonight, enjoying it even more than the first time. Where my first view was from up in ring 3—ideal to get the big picture but too far … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | 5 Comments

Gerald Finley is Falstaff

Posted on October 4, 2014 by barczablog

Every time Gerald Finley takes on the role of Falstaff it means’ a two hour makeup ordeal .  Finley is like a classier version of Mike Myers’ “Fat Bastard”, and yet so much more. Falstaff? Yes he is Shakespeare’s fat man, a bad … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Paride ed Elena: birthday celebrations for Gluck & Essential Opera

Posted on September 28, 2014 by barczablog

Ambition is a good thing, especially from an opera company.  There will always be Bohemes and Carmens galore, but I especially love having the opportunity to see something new, as I did tonight in my encounter with Gluck’s Paride ed … Continue reading →

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They’re back: Ensemble Studio and COC concerts

Posted on September 24, 2014 by barczablog

The free noon-hour concerts at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre are back, and unfortunately, so’s the flu, as three of the young singers scheduled to sing today had to cancel. It ended up being six rather than nine arias, accompanied by … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | 1 Comment

10 Questions for Kelly Kaduce

Posted on September 20, 2014 by barczablog

I had the good luck to see Rusalka in Montreal in November 2011, starring Kelly Kaduce. In my review I said First and foremost, the production leans happily on soprano Kelly Kaduce, whose voice is always pleasant & in tune, … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Baby Kintyre and some thoughts on popular operas

Posted on September 16, 2014 by barczablog

A few weeks ago, John Gilks shared some thoughts about “that elusive new audience”,  in response to assertions by some that the “ small innovative companies create a significant audience for the larger companies”.  It may be so, although John’s essay looked … Continue reading →

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Two from Menotti: The Telephone and The Medium

Posted on September 13, 2014 by barczablog

Coming home, the gibbous moon in front of me on Gerrard St scared the crap out of me. Oh sure, I know all about this scientific phenomenon, where the moon looks over-sized when close to the horizon, surprising us sometimes. … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | 1 Comment

10 questions for Erin Bardua and Maureen Batt

Posted on September 12, 2014 by barczablog

There was a time long ago in the history of opera, when the singer/virtuoso was the boss.  And that meant a world of divas competing against one another.  Wanting the better aria.  Seeking to upstage one another.  (I wish I … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera | 1 Comment

Kadozuke’s Richard III: right out of today’s headlines

Posted on September 11, 2014 by barczablog

Tatiana Jennings seems prescient. I understand that she and her collaborators in Kadozuke Kollektif and Bad New Days have been working on their adaptation of Shakespeare’s Richard III for awhile, a piece titled Richard III: the pleasures of violence. How … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera | Tagged , | Leave a comment