Category Archives: Opera

Symbolist horror

Posted on October 12, 2013 by barczablog

What’s in a name? Sometimes we grab onto something in a name, think we know what we have, and miss something else through our assumptions.  We’re so enamoured for instance with the mystique of the rose, but we don’t usually … Continue reading →

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Ten Questions for Marshall Pynkoski

Posted on October 10, 2013 by barczablog

Marshall Pynkoski is one of Toronto’s greatest artists, even if he has been completely misunderstood.  Since its inception in 1985, Opera Atelier has been a kind of lightning rod in Toronto for the conversation about historically informed performance.  With co-artistic … Continue reading →

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Caird & Farley’s Conceptual Bohème

Posted on October 4, 2013 by barczablog

The Canadian Opera Company opened their 2013-2014 season tonight with Puccini’s La Bohème at the Four Seasons Centre.  It’s a new COC co-production with Houston Grand Opera & San Francisco Opera directed by John Caird & designed by David Farley. … Continue reading →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 →

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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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments