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Category Archives: Personal ruminations & essays
A Tafelmusik Christmas
Do you remember how, at the end of It’s a Wonderful Life (that great film encouraging us to be grateful, to appreciate what we have): George Bailey celebrates and appreciates a return to normalcy after the end of his nightmare? … Continue reading
Cheryl is back with a new team
I had my first salon hair-cut in over a year. While the pandemic helped some billionaires increase their billions, as some businesses increased profits—so long as they were able to use the word “essential” to describe their work—many others have … Continue reading
Quality of Life and Playing God
Pet-owners often make profound decisions about their dog or cat, given that the law treats animals as property, ours to dispose of as we wish. I shudder when I think about it, ashamed of the time 32 years ago when … Continue reading
Levity in Longevity
I’m not a philosopher although I do enjoy asking questions. “Longevity” has nine letters, including the six letters of “levity”. Is a sense of humour the secret to a long life? All I know right now is that I’m confronted … Continue reading
Posted in Animals, domestic & wild, My mother, Personal ruminations & essays
Tagged levity, longevity, Squiggle
6 Comments
In captivity: Nabucco with TCO
Our society and our culture are seeking recovery now, trying to heal. Yes there has been illness & death. But even if we’re safe & healthy (very fortunate to be safe in this city, in this country) we’re troubled in … Continue reading
A season like no other: templates
Before the Canadian Opera Company begin their virtual season this fall, it’s worth looking at what the other big companies have been doing. The COC are promoting “A Season Like No Other” in this unique time when everyone is living … Continue reading
Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Press Releases and Announcements
Tagged A Season like no other, Canadian Opera Company, Espiral, Gianni Schicchi, Gotterdammerung, Ian Cusson, In Winter, Joel Ivany, Johannes Debus, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Mozart Requiem, OKAN, Pagliacci, Russell Braun, Sir Andrew Davis, Tamara Wilson, Twilight: Gods, Yuval sharon
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Garden of Vanished Pleasures aka the poetry of Derek Jarman
I wondered whether one needs to know Derek Jarman, as I watched Garden of Vanished Pleasures for the first time. It’s the new Soundtreams Online Broadcast through Crow’s Theatre that is available from now until October 10th. I wondered whether … Continue reading
Posted in Books & Literature, Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Reviews
Tagged AIDS, Cecilia Livingston, COVID19, Daniel Cabena, Derek Jarman, Donna McKevitt, Garden of Vanished Pleasures, Lindsay McIntyre, Mireille Asselin, Rachel Kerr, Rebecca Cuddy, Soundstreams, Tim Albery
2 Comments
Encounter with Donald Arthur
I met Donald Arthur through the Toronto Wagner Society, our guest after publication of the memoirs he translated & edited for Hans Hotter, the great Wagner baritone. I jumped at the chance to offer Donald a bed overnight in our … Continue reading
Kreutzer rather than Bridgetower
2020 was to have been the Beethoven year, the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birth in 1770. But of course the plans for operas, plays or concerts collided with the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. Thank goodness Toronto Summer Music … Continue reading
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