Category Archives: University life

Festival of Early Drama June 5-7

Posted on May 22, 2015 by barczablog

An anniversary nearly 400 (and 50!) years in the making!Toronto’s Medieval and Renaissance players celebrate their 50th anniversary with the Festival of Early Drama June 5 – 7, 2015Poculi Ludique Societas (PLS) continues its year-long celebration of 50 years of … Continue reading →

Posted in Press Releases and Announcements, University life | 1 Comment

Ten Questions for Wendy Nielsen

Posted on April 21, 2015 by barczablog

Wendy Nielsen is one of the most influential people in Canada’s opera community. After an international career as a soprano that has included starring appearances at the Metropolitan Opera, Nielsen went on to create a private voice studio. Nielsen is … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, University life | Leave a comment

Postcard from Morocco

Posted on March 15, 2015 by barczablog

If identity is performative, a mere construct that we enact, the demonstration of such notions would be wonderful material for the theatre.  And so it is when we come to Dominick Argento’s 1971 opera Postcard from Morocco, currently on offer … Continue reading →

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

10 Questions for Leslie Dala

Posted on February 26, 2015 by barczablog

Conductor Leslie Dala aka Les Dala is especially well-known out west, having conducted at the Vancouver Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria and Vancouver Bach Choir, at Banff Centre and UBC Opera Ensemble.  In October 2014 he conducted Vancouver Opera’s world premiere … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Music and musicology, Opera, University life | Leave a comment

Deep in the Vienna Woods

Posted on February 4, 2015 by barczablog

There’s a well-known waltz-tune by Johann Strauss Jr called Tales from the Vienna Woods.  It begins with an air of mystery, suggestions of the country, woods, birds, and also the use of unsophisticated instruments such as the zither. It’s an … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal ruminations & essays, University life | 3 Comments

Dreams of the Vienna Woods

Posted on November 7, 2014 by barczablog

How can a place signify so much if you’ve never been there?  But when we look forward to a promised land –whether it’s America for the immigrant, Mecca or Jerusalem for the pilgrim, or just a personal utopia—it’s a mental landscape … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, University life | 3 Comments

Martin’s music

Posted on February 4, 2014 by barczablog

I’ve crossed over to the other side.  I’m sitting onstage rather than in the audience for a student production at Ryerson, playing an electronic keyboard alongside capable student singers & musicians.  As I mentioned in a recent post, I’ve been … Continue reading →

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Adapting Martin Chuzzlewit

Posted on January 24, 2014 by barczablog

Just had the first run of Martin Chuzzlewit which I am directing at Ryerson. It is by Charles Dickens in a great adaptation by Michael Hollingsworth. The text has sixty seven scenes and forty characters. Dickens thought the novel his … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, University life | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The Italian Lesson

Posted on October 27, 2013 by barczablog

Yesterday I was on the University of Western Ontario campus, attending a special performance of Lee Hoiby’s The Italian Lesson in a production from Diva Lounge Productions.  UWO welcomed back alumnae Sonja Gustafson (soprano & Diva Lounge founder) and Tanya … Continue reading →

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YouTopia

Posted on September 13, 2013 by barczablog

Tonight at a performance of Bruce Barton’s YouTopia I was reminded of the difference between the mandate of University of Toronto’s “Drama Centre” (recently renamed “Centre for Drama, Theatre & Performance Studies”) and various theatre schools such as Ryerson or … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Reviews, University life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments