Category Archives: Opera

Ready for Prime Time: Savitri & Sam

Posted on September 29, 2013 by barczablog

Okay, maybe the headline tells you what show i am about to watch on TV, coming home from a (hint hint) Saturday night opera.   But i really mean it, they’re ready. Tonight I went to see a public presentation … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Bohemian courtship: being Rodolfo, winning Mimi

Posted on September 28, 2013 by barczablog

Who is Rodolfo? He is a young poet in love.  And he is the hero of Puccini’s La Bohème, opening in a new Canadian Opera Company production on October 3rd at the Four Seasons Centre. In this production, three different … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Savitri & Sam Workshop

Posted on September 27, 2013 by barczablog

As promised, here’s the information about the workshop of Savitri & Sam, a new opera under development, with a libretto by Ken Gass & music composed by John Mills-Cockell. This is from Ken Gass: …Because, a) it’s a workshop, and … Continue reading →

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The end of the beginning

Posted on September 26, 2013 by barczablog

I thought about what to call this, the first free concert of the season from the Canadian Opera Company at the Richard Bradshaw Auditorium: Alpha & Omega? (no… too Biblical) Ave Atque Vale? (no…obscure) Alumni Reunion? (hm….partly) The first program … Continue reading →

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10 Questions for Stuart Graham

Posted on September 26, 2013 by barczablog

Stuart Graham is a teacher, a singer & founder of Atelier S.  The Saskatchewan born baritone received his formal education at the Faculty of Music of McGill University with  Bernard Turgeon.  Graham has been heard in recital, oratorio and in … Continue reading →

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

Tapestry Briefs

Posted on September 21, 2013 by barczablog

Back i go to the laboratory. A couple of nights ago I wrote about YouTopia and spoke of the virtues of experimentation. The Tapestry Briefs are a dozen short works from a handful of collaborators who were paired off for … Continue reading →

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10 Questions for John Mills-Cockell

Posted on September 8, 2013 by barczablog

I only found out who John Mills-Cockell was after the fact of encountering his music without knowing who he was.  A tune by Syrinx –“Tillicum”— was my first encounter with sounds that have been near & dear to my heart, … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Post

Posted on September 7, 2013 by barczablog

When i go to write a new piece here on the blog, i follow the tab to “new post”.  We were promised a paperless office, a paperless world long ago, but it never happened.  It’s funny to keep bumping into … Continue reading →

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Filet of Carmen

Posted on September 7, 2013 by barczablog

Considering that the heroine of Bizet’s opera usually ends up stabbed, I want to make clear that the headline refers to Peter Brook’s La Tragédie de Carmen, a much shorter version of the original, and not the violence meted out … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Histories

Posted on September 5, 2013 by barczablog

As I revised the outline for “The Most Popular Operas” (a course I teach here at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, beginning September 18th), I was asked as usual to recommend books. I used to suggest Roger … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Reviews | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments