Category Archives: Reviews

#popstarplay life lessons

Posted on February 22, 2020 by barczablog

I heard a wonderful interview with Vivek Shraya on Q earlier today that gave me some  clues as to what I’d be seeing and hearing tonight in her one-woman autobiographical show How to Fail as a Popstar, aka #popstarplay in … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

AF and why

Posted on February 21, 2020 by barczablog

Huge preamble coming. If you want to skip to the review itself, look under the photo.I went to see AF and am daring to review it. I feel I need to say this after having read Yvette Nolan’s piece, responding … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Personal ruminations & essays, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Jacqueline

Posted on February 20, 2020 by barczablog

Tonight a rapturous audience welcomed the world premiere of Jacqueline, a new opera from Tapestry Opera at the Betty Oliphant Theatre. It’s a deceptively simple piece exploring the relationship of cellist Jacqueline du Pré and her instrument. She was a … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Moonrise Kingdom on Valentine’s Day

Posted on February 15, 2020 by barczablog

I saw the trailer for Wes Anderson’s next film. Google says it opens in the summer. Argh, I wish I could see it now, but, hmm, …a seed was planted. And there we were, staying in on a chilly Friday … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Music and musicology, Popular music & culture, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Vittorio Ghielmi dreaming Jupiter

Posted on February 8, 2020 by barczablog

“Dreaming Jupiter” is the name of the concert program this week from Tafelmusik at Jeanne Lamon Hall, that might epitomize everything about their approach to making music. Where the Toronto Symphony are lately the place you go hear the pieces … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Make-believe Hansel and Gretel

Posted on February 7, 2020 by barczablog

Oh to be a child again. I saw the opening night of the Canadian Opera Company’s new Hansel and Gretel tonight before a delighted sell-out crowd at the Four Seasons Centre. While there were children present both in the show … Continue reading →

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Joker reminds me of….

Posted on February 4, 2020 by barczablog

Resonance is a function of history, right? You’ll pick up allusions and associations depending on what you usually see. So of course it’s no wonder Todd Phillips’ 2019 film Joker reminds me of Wozzeck as someone who’s more likely to … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Politics, Popular music & culture, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

TSO and the joys of youth

Posted on February 3, 2020 by barczablog

At its height one isn’t aware of it at all, but only when it’s fading or gone. The word gets thrown about mostly by those who don’t have it anymore, enviously looking back. (guilty) But the weekend’s Toronto Symphony concert … Continue reading →

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Brilliantly Problematic Porgy & Bess

Posted on February 2, 2020 by barczablog

Don’t let the headline fool you. When you see that the Metropolitan Opera are producing The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess for the first time in almost thirty years, seemingly selling every ticket to every performance, you might well ask them: … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Lost Karaoke Tapes

Posted on January 31, 2020 by barczablog

I’m impressed. Nicole Lizée has more reason to be pompous & full of herself than any composer or performer I know. But she seems to be totally unpretentious. Exhibit “A”: the piece we saw & heard tonight is called “Karappo … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Architecture & Design, Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays, Popular music & culture, Psychology and perception, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments