Category Archives: Reviews

A Tafelmusik Tribute to Jeanne Lamon

Posted on June 3, 2022 by barczablog

Tonight I watched a Tafelmusik concert recorded in April, celebrating the life of Jeanne Lamon. I knew the curated experience from Alison Mackay and Christina Mahler would be meaningful, and they exceeded expectation. R.H. Thomson narrated a kind of documentary … Continue reading →

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RUR A Torrent of Ideas

Posted on May 29, 2022 by barczablog

Tapestry Opera and OCAD University have a new site-specific opera on display. I chose the verb carefully given that many think of the medium as something one hears, when its tradition has often been one of spectacle, design, the Deus … Continue reading →

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Mind-boggling Mother of Us All

Posted on May 23, 2022 by barczablog

It was excellent, this Canadian premiere of The Mother of Us All, Virgil Thomson’s setting of Gertrude Stein’s poetic libretto. The opera tells us about Susan B Anthony starring Meghan Lindsay in the title role, presented under the auspices of … Continue reading →

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Gimeno + Hannigan = Ear-candy

Posted on May 20, 2022 by barczablog

It was a splendid formula. Far be it from me to propose something as reductive as math in the headline, only that the concert is titled “Gimeno + Hannigan”, which is certainly a quick overview. Between them Gustavo Gimeno and … Continue reading →

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Kyle’s Campy Conan

Posted on May 14, 2022 by barczablog

Erika and I went to see Conan and the Stone of Kelior tonight. It’s the last night of the run of the pasticcio opera from Kyle McDonald at Alumnae Theatre. There’s a final matinee Sunday that I would have attended … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Reviews | 4 Comments

Magic Flute revival

Posted on May 12, 2022 by barczablog

This is the third time in roughly a decade for the Canadian Opera Company to offer the Diane Paulus Magic Flute, with its meta-theatrical approach employing flamboyant visuals, from set and costume designer Myung Hee Cho. I hope I can … Continue reading →

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Good news COC Traviata

Posted on May 8, 2022 by barczablog

When Perryn Leech the Canadian Opera Company general director came out before the performance of La Traviata last night, it was the first time I’d seen him in person, after several messages in the virtual world. He spoke briefly to … Continue reading →

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Virtual Bach

Posted on May 7, 2022 by barczablog

While I hoped to go to Tafelmusik’s presentation of the Bach B-minor Mass Thursday night in Massey Hall it was not to be. I was still testing positive for COVID. Instead Friday night I chose to watch a live concert … Continue reading →

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Italian Mime Preview

Posted on April 22, 2022 by barczablog

I was at the preview of Italian Mime Suicide from Bad New Days, co-directed by Kari Pederson and Adam Paolozza. It’s short but intense, part lecture, part performance, sometimes serious sometimes funny. No question about it, I’m out of practice, … Continue reading →

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Truth in our Time—NACO

Posted on March 31, 2022 by barczablog

It’s an ambitious package, this National Arts Centre Orchestra Tour. There’s a world premiere of a Philip Glass symphony, commissioned by the family of newsman Peter Jennings, and three other works collected around the idea of “truth in our time”, … Continue reading →

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