Category Archives: Personal ruminations & essays

Embedded in David Warrack’s oratorio Abraham

Posted on October 29, 2015 by barczablog

Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built againt it  — Rumi I am home after standing & singing alongside the Elmer Iseler Singers. It’s … Continue reading →

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Embedded in Oshawa Opera

Posted on October 19, 2015 by barczablog

I spent an afternoon observing auditions for Oshawa Opera alongside Artistic Director Kristine Dandavino and Michael Robert-Broder.  For the AD, an extra set of eyes and ears offer additional perspectives.  Or as she herself said, she’s the one who makes … Continue reading →

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Enough tenors for now: COC 2015 Ensemble Studio Finalists

Posted on October 17, 2015 by barczablog

It should be no surprise that the eight finalists just announced for the the COC’s 2015 Ensemble Studio competition don’t contain any tenors in the group. No wonder, when last year the top three places in the competition went to tenors, … Continue reading →

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The wit and wisdom of Eldritch Theatre’s Doctor Wuthergloom

Posted on October 11, 2015 by barczablog

Praetorius Wuthergloom is a 142 year-old widower, an itinerant mediciner of supernatural blight & exorcist–the titles he gives himself—whose most recent extravaganza ended tonight, alas, with the closing performance of his show at the Red Sandcastle Theatre. Be not afeared, … Continue reading →

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Still Alice’s Alzheimer’s

Posted on October 3, 2015 by barczablog

There’s a film from a few years ago called Away From Her, starring Gordon Pinsent & Julie Christie. IMDB tells me it was made in 2006. I waited quite awhile to see it because the subject was very close to … Continue reading →

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Gábor Maté: Ayahuasca and the authentic self

Posted on September 28, 2015 by barczablog

Sunday morning instead of church I went to hear Doctor Gábor Maté address a mixed crowd at the George Ignatieff Theatre. Maté has a huge following from his writings & lectures exploring such pathways as the role of trauma & stress … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal ruminations & essays, Psychology and perception | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

You may say I’m a dreamer

Posted on September 22, 2015 by barczablog

It may be election time, but it isn’t a time of vision as far as I can see. The two big contenders to replace Harper –the Liberals & NDP—are offering a few key policy choices on child-care, marijuana, restoring the … Continue reading →

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En Bateau / in a boat

Posted on September 5, 2015 by barczablog

I was playing a delightful piano piece and for no apparent reason was suddenly overcome, and started to cry. Debussy’s “En bateau” is a lovely piece, about recreation. It’s the end of the summer for North Americans as we observe … Continue reading →

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Bill Blair at the door

Posted on September 1, 2015 by barczablog

He wasn’t knocking on the door. He was in an SUV. One of the members of the Lberal team had come to our front door and we immediately said we wanted a sign. I had planned to wait until I … Continue reading →

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Introducing you to opera

Posted on August 11, 2015 by barczablog

How should one be introduced to opera?  It’s a question I’ve thought about, one I have seen tossed around lately. American opera educator & broadcaster Fred Plotkin was asked the question “how does one become an opera buff?” Here are … Continue reading →

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