Category Archives: Psychology and perception

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

Pushing our buttons 2: pornographic musings on Actéon and Venus

Posted on October 23, 2018 by

Ten days ago I posted something about erotic opera, especially as it pertains to Actéon, an opera that is to be presented again by Opera Atelier beginning Thursday October 25th at the Elgin Theatre. Near the end of that post … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, domestic & wild, Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Psychology and perception, University life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pushing our buttons: Hadrian, Actéon, Pygmalion and erotic opera

Posted on October 12, 2018 by

Before there was pornography, there was always opera. Slavoj Zizek spoke of opera as redundant once we had psychiatrists, which is how he explains the decline in opera in the 20th century. But maybe there are other reasons opera wasn’t … Continue reading →

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

Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique & the fork in the recreational road

Posted on September 19, 2018 by

I’m responding as much to the serendipity of timing as anything else. Recreational marijuana becomes legal in Ontario next month. The Toronto Symphony are about to begin their 2018-19 season with Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique. Is there a connection? I think … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays, Psychology and perception | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Pain in the neck

Posted on September 8, 2018 by

What is dignity if not a kind of self-respect.  You notice it most when it’s not there, perhaps taking it for granted otherwise. I got my hair cut on the way to a concert. In passing I want to make … Continue reading →

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