Category Archives: Reviews

BOUND v. 2: power struggles

Posted on November 20, 2018 by barczablog

Against the Grain Theatre premiered version two of BOUND at The Great Hall on Queen St W or as Joel Ivany called it “an ongoing process”.  I didn’t see version 1, and perhaps this summer or next year there will … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Architecture & Design, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Politics, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Space Opera Zero

Posted on November 17, 2018 by barczablog

When I write about the shows I see I’m sometimes overwhelmed by envy, wishing it were me who’s up there singing or playing. We’re never more alive than when we’re dying onstage. And so I’ll often toss off these spontaneous … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Architecture & Design, Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Popular music & culture, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Vitals

Posted on November 16, 2018 by barczablog

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 Dance, theatre & musicals, Psychology and perception, Reviews | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Helen’s Necklace via Canadian Rep Theatre

Posted on November 11, 2018 by barczablog

I knew what I was going to see when I got to the upstairs space on Berkeley St. Oh sure, it was Canadian Rep Theatre’s staging of Carole Fréchette’s play Helen’s Necklace in John Murrell’s translation, directed by Ken Gass. … Continue reading →

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Circa Humans

Posted on November 10, 2018 by barczablog

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 Dance, theatre & musicals, Personal ruminations & essays, Psychology and perception, Reviews | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Steffani: more devotion than drama

Posted on November 9, 2018 by barczablog

I am grateful for the gift of a new voice, a new composer introduced to me by Tafelmusik, Ivars Taurins, and Krisztina Szabo. It’s truly a magical thing. I was pondering the experience of classical music, how so much of … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

A Recipe for Resilience: Yiddish Glory

Posted on October 30, 2018 by barczablog

Do you have any DVDs or books or CDs that you use to cheer yourself up or chase away the blues? I’ve had several I relied upon over the years. And I’ve discovered a special new one. I’m very lucky, … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Politics, Popular music & culture, Reviews, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Opera Atelier: Actéon and Pygmalion

Posted on October 29, 2018 by barczablog

I saw two baroque operas on the same bill, plus something brand new added. Opera Atelier are presenting Charpentier’s Actéon and Rameau’s Pygmalion at the Elgin Theatre in a program exploring Ovidian tales of transformation, tenor Colin Ainsworth starring in … Continue reading →

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A closer look at Hadrian

Posted on October 28, 2018 by barczablog

Today was the closing performance of Hadrian, the new opera by Rufus Wainwright and Daniel MacIvor, presented by the Canadian Opera Company at the Four Seasons Centre. After tonight’s display of healthy nearly-naked male bodies in a homosexual love story, … Continue reading →

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Thomas Søndergård leads the TSO

Posted on October 21, 2018 by barczablog

Tonight was the second of two consecutive concerts of the Toronto Symphony conducted by Danish maestro Thomas Søndergård, a spectacular program devoured by an eager audience showing off the strengths of the orchestra: Thomas Adès: Dances from Powder Her face … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments