Category Archives: Reviews

Life Reflected

Posted on June 19, 2017 by barczablog

Tonight I enjoyed the sole Toronto performance of Life Reflected at Sony Centre, a multi-media anthology produced by the National Arts Centre Orchestra, celebrating four Canadian women as part of the Luminato Festival.  Google tells me that Life Reflected was … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | 1 Comment

TSO: a decade’s lessons

Posted on June 15, 2017 by barczablog

The Toronto Symphony’s Decades Project has taken the orchestra and its listeners on a gradual tour through history.  As we’ve progressed forward 10 years at a time we’re less and less able to escape, as more and more we confront … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | 1 Comment

Toy Piano Composers play with us as they launch CD

Posted on June 8, 2017 by barczablog

When you stop and think about it, it makes sense. We “play” our instruments right? Then surely all instruments are in a real sense toys, broadening the implications of Toy Piano  Composers, a Toronto collective of music makers who just … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | 2 Comments

TSO and Walton’s Decade

Posted on June 4, 2017 by barczablog

I can’t be the only one who made the connection, watching the Toronto Symphony tonight at Roy Thomson Hall.   It felt like a special concert. Sir Andrew Davis was just announced this week as the TSO’s interim Artistic Director for … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Music and musicology, Reviews | 2 Comments

Christopher Cameron: Dr Bartolo’s Umbrella

Posted on June 3, 2017 by barczablog

This one is different. I’ve encountered memoirs written by artists I’ve respected from afar often created with the help of a ghost-writer. But Chris Cameron’s Dr Bartolo’s Umbrella and Other Tales from my Surprising Operatic Life, perhaps a bit like Chris … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Opera, Reviews | 2 Comments

TSO: back in Toronto, eh?

Posted on May 28, 2017 by barczablog

After an exciting tour to Israel and Europe, the Toronto Symphony are back in Canada. “Back in Toronto eh” could just as easily be “back in Toronto A” given what we heard tonight, a program consisting of a pair of … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews | 1 Comment

Bad Jews: laughter and tears

Posted on May 27, 2017 by barczablog

Tonight I was held captive by the eruptions of emotion in Joshua Harmon’s 2012 comedy Bad Jews, receiving its Canadian premiere production at the Small World Music Centre, in the Koffler Centre for the Arts, directed by Michèle Lonsdale-Smith. Yes … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Reviews | Leave a comment

Oksana G review

Posted on May 25, 2017 by barczablog

Tonight was the world premiere of Tapestry Opera’s Oksana G¸ a new full-length opera with music by Aaron Gervais and libretto by Colleen Murphy, stage direction by Tom Diamond and music direction by Jordan de Souza. As an event promoted … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | 2 Comments

Time stands still in Carsen’s middle ground

Posted on May 15, 2017 by barczablog

Every now and then the stars align for something extraordinary.  Yesterday’s final high-definition broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera brought us something unique, with the help of Robert Carsen’s production of Der Rosenkavalier. Carsen has found a niche for himself in … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Reviews | 2 Comments

Cavalli’s Elena from Toronto Consort

Posted on May 13, 2017 by barczablog

Francesco Cavalli’s Elena received its Canadian premiere tonight at the Jeanne Lamon Hall in a partially staged performance that was still more than enough to charm the audience in attendance. As my companion observed it was a nerdy bunch, ready … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | 1 Comment