Category Archives: University life

Bringing the first Jamaican oratorio to life in Toronto: an interview with organist Joshua Duncan Lee

Posted on June 6, 2026 by barczablog

As a follower of Apocryphonia, I heard about the concert presenting excerpts from Samuel Felsted’s Jonah, coming this Friday June 12th at 7:30 pm, at Christ Church, Deer Park. The work is significant not just as the first oratorio composed … Continue reading →

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Multidimensional Michael Patrick Albano: an interview

Posted on May 20, 2026 by barczablog

Michael Patrick Albano is Associate Professor Emeritus with the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto, where you can see his bio and this photo: but that only tells you part of the story. Michael is resident Stage Director of the … Continue reading →

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Lawrence Wiliford shaping art song’s future

Posted on January 13, 2026 by barczablog

Tenor Lawrence Wiliford joined with pianist Steven Philcox and together founded the Canadian Art Song Project (CASP) in 2011. Someday I hope to interview pianist Steven Philcox, who has partnered Lawrence on his CASP journey. A few years ago Lawrence … Continue reading →

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Year(s) of Czech Music at the piano

Posted on December 17, 2024 by barczablog

2024 is the year of Czech Music, a celebration that’s held every decade in the year ending in 4. Speaking of ending, this year’s instalment is swiftly coming to a close, a year that saw the Canadian Opera Company present … Continue reading →

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Ariadne on Naxos in 1969 at the Opera School

Posted on September 17, 2024 by barczablog

The title of the opera is Ariadne auf Naxos, done as Ariadne on Naxos because it was being sung in English. That’s how Richard Strauss’s opera was presented back in March 1969 at the Opera School of the University of … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, University life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

SOLT pedagogy

Posted on July 27, 2024 by barczablog

I attended the La Boheme to open Summer Opera Lyric Theatre’s summer season tonight at the Alumnae Theatre. Guillermo Silva-Marin called it a festival in his pre-show introductory talk. As you can see in the graphic, between now and next … Continue reading →

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Study Acting with Cynthia Ashperger

Posted on January 17, 2024 by barczablog

This is both a trip down memory lane and an attempt to promote some acting classes. When I saw that Cynthia Ashperger is offering acting classes my first impulse was to check my schedule. I’ve worked with her before as … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, My mother, Press Releases and Announcements, University life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mahler, Berg and more at the EJB Library

Posted on November 26, 2023 by barczablog

Thursday Nov 23rd felt like a Thanksgiving celebration. I found a free parking spot on Bernard for one hour. The first 15 minutes were spent walking down Bedford Rd & then Philosopher’s Walk to the Edward Johnson Building for my … Continue reading →

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Lindsay Anne Black: canary in the mine

Posted on June 2, 2022 by barczablog

Whether your Kafkaesque fate is to wake up to the discovery you’ve turned into an insect, or merely that you have to hide inside your house because of coronaviruses and lockdowns, I think we’re ready for Eldritch Theatre’s current theatrical … Continue reading →

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ARC Ensemble –Dmitri Klebanov Chamber Works

Posted on October 26, 2021 by barczablog

Exile doesn’t just occur when you’re distant from your homeland. What about artists ignored or silenced inside their country? I never thought of it that way before reading Simon Wynberg’s excellent essay in the liner notes to ARC Ensemble’s new … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Politics, Reviews, University life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment