Category Archives: Reviews

Another Africa

Posted on October 4, 2011 by barczablog

The new Canadian Stage season begins with Another Africa, a program of two contrasting plays presented by Volcano Theatre that were part of The Africa Trilogy at Luminato Festival in 2010.  This is the first time I’ve seen them. While … Continue reading →

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A Man’s World

Posted on September 30, 2011 by barczablog

I saw the new Canadian Opera Company production of Rigoletto directed by Christopher Alden tonight.  It makes a nice companion to the Robert Carsen Iphigenia in Tauris that premiered last week to such acclaim.  Both productions are like close analyses … Continue reading →

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Carsen’s Iphigenia

Posted on September 23, 2011 by barczablog

Robert Carsen has once again held up a mirror to an opera by Gluck with the help of the Canadian Opera Company.  Last season it was an award winning production of Orfeo ed Euridice.  Tonight I saw Iphigenie en Tauride, … Continue reading →

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Glass’ Film Music

Posted on September 18, 2011 by barczablog

I heard  “The Film Music of Philip Glass,“  a concert last night by the  Manitoba Chamber Orchestra at the intimate Glenn Gould Studio conducted by Anne Manson with Michael Riesman, piano soloist.  The concert was recorded for a CD that … Continue reading →

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This is how the world ends

Posted on September 16, 2011 by barczablog

I saw The Turin Horse directed by Béla Tarr at the Toronto International Film Festival. Tarr says it’s his last film.  This is no warm farewell like Fanny & Alexander(Ingmar Bergman’s last film) or The Tempest (Shakespeare’s last play).  It’s … Continue reading →

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Mostly Frenchmen

Posted on August 24, 2011 by barczablog

I am so lucky that I made it to Lincoln Center in New York City this week for the big summer music festival, when Mostly Mozart Festival is admittedly mostly over. This is a festival probing interesting connections and juxtapositions … Continue reading →

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Out At Sea

Posted on August 6, 2011 by barczablog

Out at Sea, Slawomir Mrożek’s absurd fable was just what the doctor ordered. For the past few months I’ve overdosed on politics: I learned a new verb: “kettling” Conservatives won election after election, with a tory trifecta lurking in the … Continue reading →

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Marat/Sade

Posted on July 20, 2011 by barczablog

Last night I watched the opening of Soup Can Theatre’s new production of Peter Weiss’ Marat/Sade, or to use its full title The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under … Continue reading →

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Il Trovatore

Posted on July 10, 2011 by barczablog

Verisimilitude may be a tad over-rated.  Tonight I witnessed a concert performance of Verdi’s Il Trovatore by Toronto’s Opera By Request.  It’s habitual to apologize for what’s missing in these virtual renditions, that have music stands instead of sets, and … Continue reading →

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If you build it will they come…?

Posted on July 8, 2011 by barczablog

Tonight I saw the opening of Guild Festival Theatre, an ambitious company taking the stage in The Greek Theatre in Guildwood Park. This is the former site of the Guild Inn,  in Guildwood Village.  There really was a “guild” at … Continue reading →

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