Category Archives: Reviews

Worth Waiting for Julie

Posted on September 15, 2012 by barczablog

There is much to admire in Louis Dufort’s opera Julie Sits Waiting.  It’s conservative to suggest an opera “belongs” in any sense to the composer, particularly a work that’s clearly a collaborative work across several disciplines.  Call me old-fashioned. But … Continue reading →

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Crossover Kaffe

Posted on September 3, 2012 by barczablog

“Crossover” is a word used to describe artists venturing into a new discipline.  It’s not always a complimentary epithet, considering that What some will celebrate as a new arrival others may perceive as an invasion Expectations aren’t necessarily very high, … Continue reading →

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Contrasting Butterflies

Posted on August 29, 2012 by barczablog

Classrooms can be amazing places for discovery, especially for the teacher.  Sometimes we can’t anticipate what develops right in front of us. Not long ago I showed two contrasting DVD versions of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly to my opera class. Having … Continue reading →

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Herheim’s Bayreuth Parsifal

Posted on August 14, 2012 by barczablog

I saw Stefan Herheim’s Parsifal tonight via the miracle of the internet, a complex take on the opera that rewards the serious viewer/listener.  I found it here, via links that may not be live much longer.  If you want to … Continue reading →

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Coen Oddball

Posted on August 11, 2012 by barczablog

The phrase “Coen Oddball” may seem redundant or non-specific, when that bizarre heading matches so many of the Coen Brothers’ films. Raising Arizona?  oddball comedy Fargo? oddball thriller with pregnant cop stalking killer on frozen lake Oh Brother Where art … Continue reading →

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Above the clouds

Posted on August 10, 2012 by barczablog

Last weekend John Terauds used the occasion of the Simcoe Day holiday to celebrate the quintessential Torontonian composer, Godfrey Ridout. It reminds me of a time long ago, when I took a course taught by two giants at the Faculty … Continue reading →

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Carsen’s Tosca

Posted on July 31, 2012 by barczablog

Toronto is belatedly getting to know one of its own.  Opera Director Robert Carsen, who’s made a name for himself worldwide has only recently directed productions in Toronto. And how romantic is it that—as if to make up for lost … Continue reading →

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Genius Within

Posted on July 27, 2012 by barczablog

After spending so much of the past few weeks thinking about virtuosity –both in my academic research and in the music I have been listening to—I was more than ready to see a documentary studying the quintessential Canadian musician, Glenn … Continue reading →

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Faster, Higher, Stronger

Posted on July 26, 2012 by barczablog

Is it a competition?  To some extent. Both Richard Wagner & Claude Debussy used the metaphor of the circus acrobat to describe the virtuoso dynamic with an appreciative audience.  Whether we’re speaking of singers or instrumentalists, there is an implicit … Continue reading →

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Clouds of laughter

Posted on July 20, 2012 by barczablog

Comedians love Conservative politicians like Harper & Ford.  They’re perfect for the purveyors of satire & political comedy.  And after the kind of week we’ve had in Scarborough I hope we can be forgiven for seeking out a good laugh, … Continue reading →

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