Category Archives: University life

Life is a social media exercise

Posted on March 12, 2016 by barczablog

Life is many things. It might be a dream – as in the title of the classic play Life is a Dream by Pedro Calderon de la Barca (no relation)—but in the collective adaptation of that play that I experienced … Continue reading →

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Questions about Life Is a Dream

Posted on March 7, 2016 by barczablog

Aleksandar Lukac aka Sasha Lukac is a director known on both sides of the Atlantic, a former Artistic Director of the National Theatre of Serbia who now teaches and directs in his own inimitable style at York University. I’ve had … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Popular music & culture, University life | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Opera as blood sport: the Hutcheons contra Regietheater

Posted on March 5, 2016 by barczablog

I raced at top speed, not from jungle to city but from one end of the U of T campus to the other after work, afraid I’d be late for the (lecture about) opera, somewhat like the hero of Werner … Continue reading →

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Questions for Stephanie Martin: Babel

Posted on March 2, 2016 by barczablog

Stephanie Martin is a composer & conductor, associate professor of music at York University. I heard about her because of a brief controversy that has already been settled, concerning her choral symphony Babel to be premiered at Wilfrid Laurier University … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Music and musicology, Spirituality & Religion, University life | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Questions for Christos Hatzis

Posted on February 19, 2016 by barczablog

Christos Hatzis is a Juno award winning composer and professor of composition at the University of Toronto.  I was recently blown away by his score for Going Home Star, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s extraordinary piece in response to the Truth … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Music and musicology, Popular music & culture, Spirituality & Religion, University life | 3 Comments

Questions for Iain MacNeil: Guth’s Figaro

Posted on February 17, 2016 by barczablog

Canadian bass-baritone Iain MacNeil joined the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio in the fall of 2014, after studying at University of Toronto Opera with Canadian soprano Wendy Nielsen.  There’s a more complete biography on his website: here. His career is off … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Music and musicology, Opera, University life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Cakes and Puppets/Buchty a Loutky: La Calisto

Posted on February 11, 2016 by barczablog

The Centre for Drama, Theatre & Performance Studies at University of Toronto are in the midst of a residency by Cakes and Puppets, a Czech puppetry company.  Who are they and what are they presenting in this brief visit? Cakes … Continue reading →

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La bonne chanson @ RBA

Posted on January 21, 2016 by barczablog

Today’s noon-hour concert at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre was the first collaboration between the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble Studio and the COC Orchestra Academy.  As I so often do I’ll begin with a preamble, one that corresponds to the gap … Continue reading →

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Questions for Leanne Pepper @ University of Toronto Faculty Club    

Posted on December 20, 2015 by barczablog

At one time I used to regularly meet Leanne Pepper on the bus on the way home, when she lived a few block away from me in the east end of Toronto.   I’ve known Leanne for a decade or two, … Continue reading →

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Vocalis 2 in the Great Hall

Posted on December 3, 2015 by barczablog

There are so many opportunities to hear great music in this city that the one I chose tonight could easily have slipped under the radar.  There’s so much going on at the Faculty of Music, check out their schedule (click … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, University life | 1 Comment