Category Archives: Psychology and perception

AMPLIFIED OPERA @ birth: The Way I See It 

Posted on October 11, 2019 by

I was among the audience present at the Ernest Balmer Studio for the birth of Amplified Opera, the brain-child of Teiya Kasahara & Aria Umezawa, in the first of three different programs to launch a new opera company. Directed by … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Psychology and perception, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Not quite forgotten: Liszt’s Valses oubliées

Posted on October 6, 2019 by

The composer centennials & bicentennials may be artificial stimuli to research, but the effect is real. Knowing that everyone is suddenly focusing upon a particular period seems to inspire all sorts of interesting studies, conferences where people share their research … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Music and musicology, Psychology and perception | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The miraculous simplicity of Hearing Beethoven

Posted on August 14, 2019 by

I’m very grateful for the serendipity that led to Robin Wallace’s book even if the fate governing its creation is cruel indeed. A shy and short-sighted musicologist named Robin married a nurse named Barbara. She was losing her hearing.  I … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays, Psychology and perception, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Robert Lepage’s 887 this time

Posted on May 4, 2019 by

Have you seen Robert Lepage’s 887? This show’s been all over the world. I missed the first Toronto incarnation in 2015 but saw it & raved about  it last time, brought to Toronto via Canadian Stage (one of the co-producers) … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Architecture & Design, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Politics, Psychology and perception, Theatre & musicals | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Evolving past jealousy in opera

Posted on March 13, 2019 by

I was thinking about jealousy today.  It’s funny how sometimes a word can come up over and over again. I confessed to some envy in my last review, admiring the way Stephen Walsh wrote about Debussy.  I don’t know if … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Politics, Psychology and perception | 1 Comment

Vitals

Posted on November 16, 2018 by

Whenever I see a new theatre piece, whether spoken or musical, I’m juggling a few balls, responding to the work that was composed / written the interpretation / direction of that piece the performances / acting in the piece Whatever … Continue reading →

Posted in Psychology and perception, Reviews, Theatre & musicals | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Circa Humans

Posted on November 10, 2018 by

Tonight I saw Humans by the Circa Ensemble a visiting troupe from Australia. I read the following brief preamble from Yaron Lifschitz, the Artistic Director of Circa.  While it was poignant before the show, it was positively illuminating to re-read … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal ruminations & essays, Psychology and perception, Reviews, Theatre & musicals | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment