Category Archives: Reviews

TSO, Angela Hewitt & Marta Gardolińska

Posted on March 27, 2025 by barczablog

I went home satisfied from tonight’s Toronto Symphony concert, a program including some items exactly as expected plus a few surprises. For an evening titled “Angela Hewitt Plays Mozart” it was a very solid collaboration between the famous pianist and … Continue reading →

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Gustavo Gimeno wears his heart on his sleeve in Mahler’s Fourth with Toronto Symphony and Anna Prohaska

Posted on March 21, 2025 by barczablog

Last night the Toronto Symphony celebrated an honour to their music director Gustavo Gimeno from his homeland, while affirming connections to Toronto, his new home. Gimeno was appointed Commander of the Order of Civil Merit (Encomienda de la Orden del … Continue reading →

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Baroque and Folk: adventures with Tafelmusik and Miloš Valent

Posted on March 8, 2025 by barczablog

I was completely blown away by the latest Tafelmusik concert I saw and heard tonight. It’s a reminder that, while we associate Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra with music from long ago, that doesn’t mean they can’t surprise you with something new. … Continue reading →

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Illia Ovcharenko recital in Toronto

Posted on March 5, 2025 by barczablog

Tonight Illia Ovcharenko played at the Jane Mallett Theatre in Toronto. I can give you the list of items in the program, but it can’t possibly convey the experience, between the pieces you might know and the ones we’ve never … Continue reading →

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Toronto Operetta Theatre’s Gondoliers prescription for what ails you

Posted on March 1, 2025 by barczablog

I arrived at the Jane Mallett Theatre in a bad mood. I don’t think I’m the only one finding the news on television hard to take. Between the arguments between Zelensky and the White House, or the outcome of the … Continue reading →

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Thomas Adès leads Toronto Symphony on interplanetary voyages

Posted on February 27, 2025 by barczablog

The program for tonight’s Toronto Symphony concert conducted by Thomas Adès was a fascinating mix. In a concert bearing the title “Holst’s The Planets”, for the well-known work that would conclude our evening, we heard two of Adès’s big recent … Continue reading →

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Rachel Fenlon’s Winterreise

Posted on February 12, 2025 by barczablog

Tonight Music TORONTO presented Rachel Fenlon’s solo performance of Schubert’s Winterreise. This isn’t the usual winter journey. One normally expects a singer and a pianist to undertake this romantic cycle of 24 songs. It’s less usual to have a female … Continue reading →

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Jan Lisiecki plays Beethoven concerti

Posted on February 6, 2025 by barczablog

I’m going to stop calling Jan Lisiecki a young pianist. I just looked up his birthday, saw that on March 23rd he turns 30. But it’s not about the numbers. Tonight I heard the first of two concerts from Jan … Continue reading →

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A first look at La Reine-Garçon

Posted on February 3, 2025 by barczablog

I attended the Canadian Opera Company’s presentation of La Reine-Garçon, their co-production of a new opera with a libretto by Michel Marc Bouchard and music composed by Julien Bilodeau. Today, February 2nd, is Bouchard’s birthday. In addition to this libretto … Continue reading →

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New COC Butterfly gets it right

Posted on January 27, 2025 by barczablog

Everything clicked today in the Canadian Opera Company presentation of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly at the Four Seasons Centre. I’ve been enjoying the music of this opera all my life in spite of shortcomings, never having experienced a production that was … Continue reading →

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