Category Archives: Personal ruminations & essays

Thanksszszzz-z-z-z-z

Posted on March 10, 2018 by barczablog

That sound is of course something you hear when you’re not doing it. If you’re asleep you can’t hear snores.  Your snore might wake you up. If you’re living with someone who does snore, and you are hearing this sound? … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal ruminations & essays, Psychology and perception, Spirituality & Religion, University life | Leave a comment

Vanderdecken among the zombies: Wajdi Mouawad’s Abduction

Posted on February 25, 2018 by barczablog

I had a second look & listen to Wajdi Mouawad’s Abduction from the Seraglio,  my second time coming in the closing performance of the run with the Canadian Opera Company at the Four Seasons Centre. I wanted to reflect on what … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Reviews, University life | 5 Comments

Frisch takes us Over the Rainbow

Posted on February 2, 2018 by barczablog

Sometimes we read a book to learn something, to discover answers to questions. And sometimes we read simply to get lost in the conversation. Walter Frisch is taking me on one of those latter sorts of journeys in his 2017 … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Personal ruminations & essays, Popular music & culture, Reviews | Leave a comment

Ave atque vale 2017

Posted on December 31, 2017 by barczablog

Ave atque vale 2017.   And thank goodness the year is ending. While it may have included some celebratory moments –the Sesquicentennial of Canadian Confederation and my father’s 100th birthday—I felt a grim shadow hanging over everything. Can there be any … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal ruminations & essays | 3 Comments

Singalong Messiah

Posted on December 18, 2017 by barczablog

I took advantage of the free fares on the TTC (celebrating the extension on Line 1) to ride downtown to Massey Hall for my first Tafelmusik Singalong Messiah in 20 years or more. And it’s the last one for awhile … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays | 1 Comment

Makeover or decay, vocally and otherwise

Posted on December 16, 2017 by barczablog

I’m preparing to sing something and I am afraid it — that I– will sound terrible. Ah this blog, it’s a big public diary, my therapy. These gut level perceptions in the moment without too much reflection, are assembled after … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays | Leave a comment

Questions for Juan Chioran: Nine In Concert

Posted on December 13, 2017 by barczablog

Juan Chioran was born and raised in Alberti, Argentina. His parents immigrated from Italy after WWII and raised him and his brother in this small town two hours west of Buenos Aires. In 1975, at age 12 he moved with … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal ruminations & essays | 2 Comments

Sir Michael’s lesson in intellectual property

Posted on October 27, 2017 by barczablog

The painting is called Sir Michael’s Tarp, by Orion Martin, 36 inches by 72 inches. When I was shown the painting, it didn’t seem familiar right away.  If I hadn’t been told I would never have made the connection to … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Architecture & Design, Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays, Popular music & culture | Leave a comment

Tessék?

Posted on October 19, 2017 by barczablog

A little something has nagged at me for days after seeing Arabella at the Canadian Opera Company on the weekend, a moment stuck in my head like an ear-worm. It’s not a musical ear-worm, it’s a linguistic one. I have … Continue reading →

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

Dumb luck at the EJB

Posted on October 5, 2017 by barczablog

I found something marvelous and don’t deserve any credit for the discovery. That’s why I say “dumb luck.” We’ve just had the verismo class in the opera course I teach at School of Continuing Studies here at University of Toronto. … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal ruminations & essays | 1 Comment