Category Archives: Reviews

When The Sun Comes Out

Posted on June 27, 2014 by barczablog

On the occasion of World Pride in Toronto, Queer Innovative Theatre has brought Leslie Uyeda’s recent opera When The Sun Comes Out to Toronto for two performances at the intimate Ernest Balmer Studio. If you’ve read about it you’ve probably … Continue reading →

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AtG Pelléas et Mélisande

Posted on June 22, 2014 by barczablog

Against the Grain have done it again. Their outdoor production of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande is highly original, illuminating the opera is several unforgettable ways.  Joel Ivany’s director’s note in the program says “Upon getting to know this opera, it … Continue reading →

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Richard Wagner: A Life in Music

Posted on June 14, 2014 by barczablog

I just finished Martin Geck’s Richard Wagner: A Life in Music in Stewart Spencer’s 2013 translation. Published only in 2012 as Richard Wagner: Biografie you can judge for yourself how good this book must be, that its translation was pushed … Continue reading →

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Grey Gardens

Posted on June 9, 2014 by barczablog

In the 1970s two film makers made a remarkable documentary. I’d never heard of it until yesterday, but had it presented to me in all its garish intimacy. Albert and David Maysles’ Grey Gardens (1975) is a film taking its name from the … Continue reading →

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A risky business

Posted on June 7, 2014 by barczablog

The risky business? Posting here after going out to a karaoke bar with my daughter, here in Stockholm. I couldn’t help noticing how unconditional the crowd were. They would have been fine if i were tone-deaf.  So i could sing … Continue reading →

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East o’ the Sun and West o’ the Moon

Posted on May 31, 2014 by barczablog

This afternoon I had the pleasure of watching the new Norbert Palej opera from the Canadian Children’s Opera Company: East o’ the Sun and West o’ the Moon with libretto by K T Bryski. It is a traditional folk tale … Continue reading →

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A Poet’s Love

Posted on May 28, 2014 by barczablog

Writing in Opera’s Second Death, Slavoj Zizek claims that opera served a purpose at one point, before Freud & the invention of psychotherapy.  Watching “A Poet‘s Love”, tonight’s concert from Talisker Players & baritone Alexander Dobson , I had parallel … Continue reading →

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Franz Liszt and Marie d’Agoult letters

Posted on May 25, 2014 by barczablog

I first encountered the romance between Franz Liszt and Comtesse Marie d’Agoult in Impromptu, a film full of famous artists in the script (Chopin, Liszt, Sand) and on the screen (Judy Davis, Hugh Grant, Mandy Patinkin & Bernadette Peters).  Impromptu … Continue reading →

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Second time lucky

Posted on May 23, 2014 by barczablog

Presented with more or less identical performances on two different occasions, what is it exactly that can make one so different from the other? Where I whined & complained the first time, I had a wonderful experience seeing the Canadian … Continue reading →

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Les Adieux

Posted on May 21, 2014 by barczablog

The Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio had their annual noon-hour concert to commemorate the departure of some of their members, titled “Les Adieux”. The three performers? Michael Shannon, piano Cameron McPhail, baritone Sasha Djihanian, soprano For most of the concert … Continue reading →

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