Category Archives: Reviews

Another look at Roméo et Juliette as a departure point for reflections on criticism & dramaturgy

Posted on October 19, 2025 by barczablog

This has been a bit of a bewildering week, astonishing contrasts. I repeat my self-fulfilling mantra “I am a lucky guy,” grateful for what I’ve experienced. Wednesday was Opera Atelier’s Magic Flute, Thursday Tapestry Briefs Under Where, Friday was the … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Essays, Opera, Reviews | Tagged Against the Grain, Amy Lane, Charles Gounod, Colin Ainsworth, criticism, dramaturgy, Eugene Onegin, Hector Berlioz, Holly Chaplin, Kseniia Proshina, Magic Flute, Opera Atelier, Opera Revue, Orfeo ed Euridice, Romeo and Juliet, Tapestry Briefs, testimony | 2 Comments

Opera Atelier’s beautiful Magic Flute returns to the Elgin Theatre

Posted on October 16, 2025 by barczablog

Opera Atelier are back with the Magic Flute for their fall season at the Elgin Theatre, doing what they do best, in the first of four performances at the Elgin Theatre Wednesday October 15th. Accompanied by Tafelmusik Orchestra who play … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Reviews | Tagged Blaise Rantoanina, Carla Huhtanen, Colin Ainsworth, Danielle MacMillan, David Fallis, Dora Rust d'Eye, Douglas Williams, Elgin Theatre, Emanuel Schikaneder, Gerard Gauci, historically informed performance, Jeannette Lajeunesse Zingg, Karine White, Laura Pudwell, Marshall Pynkoski, Meghan Lindsay, Michael Gianfrancesco, Nathaniel Dett Chorale, Opera Atelier, Pelleas et Melisande, Rainelle Krause, Stephen Hegedus, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, The Magic Flute, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Leave a comment

Superb Orfeo revival

Posted on October 13, 2025 by barczablog

I was delighted by the Canadian Opera Company revival of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice Saturday at the Four Seasons Centre. Although I thought I liked it well enough when I saw it in 2011 I never expected the gushing tears … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | Tagged Anna-Sophie Neher, Bernard Labadie, Canadian Opera Company, Catherine St-Arnaud, Christoph Willibald Gluck, Christophe Gayra, classical-music, Four Seasons Centre, Iestyn Davies, music, opera, Orfeo ed Euridice, Ranieri de' Calzabigi, reform opera, review, Robert Carsen, Sandra Horst | Leave a comment

COC’s highly original Roméo et Juliette

Posted on October 6, 2025 by barczablog

It might be the best-known of all Shakespeare stories, the star-crossed lovers, dying young for love. Romeo and Juliet becomes Roméo et Juliette when a French composer such as Charles Gounod (1867) is telling the story in music. The rental … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | Tagged Alex Hetherington, Amy Lane, Canadian Opera Company, Charles Gounod, Gordon Bintner, Jules Barbier, Kseniia Proshina, Megan Latham, Michel Carré, music, opera, Owen McCausland, Robert Lepage, Robert Pomakov, Roméo et Juliette, Romeo and Juliet, Sandra Horst, Stephen Costello, surtitles, theatre, Yves Abel | 2 Comments

Scarborough Philharmonic Voyages

Posted on October 4, 2025 by barczablog

For a little while I was able to go far away from the world, as Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra helped me & the enthusiastic audience escape at their Friday October 3rd season opener, a concert titled “Voyages”. Escapism works for me, … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | Tagged classical-music, Conrad Chow, Elizabeth Raum, Max Bruch, Michael Jones, music, Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Ronald Royer, Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra, University of Toronto Schools, UTS | Leave a comment

Rethinking Mozart 40 & Schubert 5 with Rachel Podger and Tafelmusik

Posted on September 27, 2025 by barczablog

Friday night was an exciting beginning to the Tafelmusik concert season led by their charismatic Principal Guest Director Rachel Podger featuring works of Mozart & Schubert, a concert to be repeated Saturday & Sunday at Koerner Hall. The spectacular performances … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | Tagged Charlotte Nediger, classical-music, Franz Schubert, Koerner Hall, Mozart, Rachel Podger, Tafelmusik, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Leave a comment

Over 800 meals from Boheme On Tap for Daily Bread Food Bank

Posted on September 20, 2025 by barczablog

I have a new perspective on Puccini’s opera since attending La Boheme On Tap last night at the Redwood Theatre, although watching Moonstruck last week while interviewing a couple of the participants highlighted the contrast. Yes Mimi lives in poverty, … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | Tagged Alexander Hajek, Andrew Tees, Ann Cooper Gay, Brahm Goldhamer, Daily Bread Food Bank, Dylan Wright, Giacomo Puccini, Guillermo Silva-Marin, Henry Ingram, Holly Chaplin, Joel Ricci, Kathryn Rose Johnston, La boheme, La Boheme On Tap, Moonstruck, Opera Revue, Peter Barcza, Redwood Theatre, Ryan Hofman | Leave a comment

O Fortuna bless Toronto Symphony to start the season

Posted on September 19, 2025 by barczablog

Forgive me that my headline sounds like a prayer to the Goddess Fortuna. But so far she seems to be smiling upon our fair city and our Toronto Symphony. I feel lucky to live in this city. Toronto Symphony started … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | Tagged Andrew Haji, Carl Orff, Carmina Burana, classical-music, Fortuna, Gustavo Gimeno, Jean-Sébastien Vallée, Julie Roset, orchestra, Roy Thomson Hall, Sean Michael Plumb, Toronto Children's Chorus, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis, Zimfira Poloz | Leave a comment

Robert Lepage’s Macbeth at Stratford

Posted on September 6, 2025 by barczablog

Bruce asked me whether the Scottish play is worth seeing. I had seen it from the front row, able to see every detail of the complex presentation in the Avon Theatre, less Shakespeare’s immortal play than Robert Lepage’s Macbeth. YMMV … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Architecture & Design, Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Reviews | Tagged 887, Avon Theatre, Bertold Brecht, Bluebeard's Castle, Canadian Opera Company, Eonnagata, erwartung, Ex Machina, Gesamtkunstwerk, John Gzowski, Lucy Peacock, Macbeth, Needles and Opium, Richard Wagner, Robert Lepage, Stratford Festival, The Tempest, Tom McCamus, Verfremdungseffekt, William Shakespeare, YMMV | 2 Comments

Rez Gas premieres at the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope

Posted on August 25, 2025 by barczablog

Rez Gas is a new hip-hop flavoured musical, receiving its world premiere production at the beautiful Capitol Theatre in Port Hope, by Cale Crowe and Genevieve Adam. Erika doesn’t like musicals but I persuaded her to come with me to … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Reviews | Tagged Cale Crowe, Capitol Theatre, Dillan Meighan Chiblow, Emma Rudy, Genevieve Adam, Indigenous, Indigenous music, Indigenous theatre, John Wamsley, Jonathan Fisher, Michelle Bardach, Nicole Joy-Fraser, Port Hope, Rez Gas, Santorini, Vinnie Alberto | Leave a comment