Nutty professors

Posted on September 18, 2016 by barczablog

A friend of mine who teaches at a Canadian university asked me to suggest a good text to explain Leitmotifs.

I was stopped short, because it’s a tricky subject.  While Wagner’s mature operas are regularly spoken of using the word in one spelling or another (such as “Leitmotiv”), the concept bandied about as though it were central to the composer’s thinking: in fact it was not his word.  He was aware of the word but had other words that he used, such as Grundthema or Hauptmotiv; they never caught on among musicologists.  We’ll leave aside the  parenthetical observation that this anomaly might be a signal that critical thinking is off track.

And so, accepting this notion of the Leitmotif or Leitmotiv, something that can’t really be found explicated anywhere in Wagner’s voluminous writings (yes he wrote a lot! And there’s been an astonishing amount written about him since), how does one teach it?

I suggested satirist Anna Russell in her famous introduction to the Ring Cycle.  No I wasn’t trying to be difficult although I think my friend may have wondered if I was entirely serious.  But I opined that her famous talk –a send-up of the more pretentious and scholarly talks that people sometimes encounter in the vicinity of opera and classical music—represented the ideal entry into the topic.

Before telling him this I re-listened to it, and was surprised at just how much it seemed to spark. This is the classic one that I recall from my own childhood, a live performance from the 1950s.  I realize now, hearing it again, that it’s had a huge influence on my thinking.

By coincidence I’ve just started teaching “The Most Popular Operas” again, with a first class that begins with none other than Bugs Bunny in his “Rabbit of Seville” cartoon.

Where Russell is gently parodying the studious introduction of a scholar, Bugs –that is Chuck Jones et al—is performing a kind of parody.  In fact the cartoon was a useful illustration of a point we came to in class, when we talked about Handel and his biggest rival in London, namely ballad opera beginning with Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera.  Just as Gay took pre-existing music (for instance, the popular song “Greensleeves”) and then put new words to the tune, parodying opera, so too with Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd, singing new words to the tune of Rossini’s overture to The Barber of Seville.

I’ll set aside all the things one can study in a parody (and I am not pretending we studied them). Bugs Bunny and Anna Russell are perhaps the two key influences on my teaching philosophy.  They’re unpretentious, they interrogate the worst tendencies of opera & classical music, and above all, they seek to entertain.  They make fun of the big words that some people insist on, and put you at ease with your misgivings about high culture.

Maybe I need to revise my published statement of teaching philosophy, to acknowledge my two most important influences & mentors.  And while there are lots of other influences out there, I can’t help thinking, whenever I observe current producers & directors of opera seeming to throw off the burden of all that heaviness while embracing something newer & edgier, that maybe I’m not the only one.

Posted in Opera, University life | 2 Comments

Kubo, because I promised

Posted on September 18, 2016 by barczablog

I feel very much at cross purposes, having promised I would complain about something in a film that I loved.

The film is Kubo and the Two Strings.

Let me get the complaint out of the way, as it’s from the perspective of a child. I would ask you first to watch the trailer.

Now having watched it, you might be surprised to discover that this film terrified some of the children in the theatre. Yes the film is “PG” rather than “Family”, so in fact it’s correctly labeled to alert parental figures. I am not sure that the trailer accurately reflects the level of violence & suspense one experiences in this film, but naturally that’s a different question for a child than for an adult. I found the film roughly as scary as Wizard of Oz, a movie with many of the same features:

  • A good witch
  • A couple of bad witches who are sisters
  • Supernatural forces beyond the control of the protagonist
  • Scary storms

And in fact I invoke L Frank Baum’s masterpiece because this is also a wonderfully deep story, with all sorts of Freudian overtones. Aside from the one caution I offer – that you think twice about taking small children with you—it’s highly recommended.

I would strongly suggest that you avoid reading about this film – and please note I aim to be spoiler-free disliking the hints about storylines and meanings that one can encounter in reviews—in order to be fully overpowered by it. The visual effects are magnificent, but the metaphysical overtones are especially exciting if you don’t have someone tell you what they think it all means, first.

But maybe it’s just a story about storytelling & memory. Either way, you get to decide.

This theatre was full of young children, some rampaging up and down the aisles, some asking their mom to explain as they cried out in fear (this happened at least three times I could hear, from different kids). Clearly I wasn’t the only one who underestimated the film’s power. You might want to aim for the last show of the day, to hopefully find yourself in a theatre audience that can handle the film.

Me? I was having a quasi-religious experience, tearful in places, yet I felt I was being forced to watch Parsifal in a daycare centre.  In other words, i was somewhat distracted.

If you’re a fan of animation, particularly animated films that appeal to adults (thinking of Inside Out or Zootopia,  recent titles that transcend the family-orientation sometimes imposed on the genre) I strongly recommend that you go see Kubo and the Two Strings.

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Personal ruminations & essays, Reviews | 1 Comment

Back to where it all began: Against the Grain Theatre announce seventh season

Posted on September 15, 2016 by barczablog

Against the Grain Theatre goes back to its roots for seventh season in 2016/2017

A classic remount and a residency with the Canadian Opera Company bring AtG back to where it all began

TORONTO — Against the Grain Theatre (AtG) celebrates its seventh season this year by returning to its roots, offering a fully staged remount of its popular La bohème in a bar, a daring chamber concert of song, a new series of operatic pub nights, and a residency at the Canadian Opera Company, where AtG’s founding members got their start in the business.

After presenting Argentinian composer Osvaldo Golijov’s Ayre this past summer at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and taking it on the road to the Ottawa International Chamber Festival, AtG brings this haunting song cycle of Arabic, Ladino, Sardinian and Spanish texts home to Toronto audiences in November. It won some kudos along the way, with Musical Toronto commenting that “along with the quality and verve that we have come to expect from AtG, this music is fertile ground for a clever, young company on the rise.” Soprano and AtG Founding Member Miriam Khalil sings this technically challenging and deeply moving song cycle with accompaniment by an 11-member chamber orchestra. The performance is staged by AtG founder and artistic director Joel Ivany, and an evocative setting praised by audiences and critics alike is lit by AtG resident lighting designer Jason Hand. 

Ayre takes place at Toronto’s breathtaking Ismaili Centre, 49 Wynford Drive, on Nov. 10, 11 and 12, 2016. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. with performances of additional works by Golijov offered by students of the Royal Conservatory of Music commencing the program at 8 p.m. For tickets, which range from $40-$70, please visit www.againstthegraintheatre.com. Ayre is presented in partnership with the Aga Khan Council for Canada and the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music.

A special preview of Ayre will be offered on Nov. 10, 2016 at 12 p.m. as part of the Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, presented by the Canadian Opera Company (COC) at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Details about the series may be found at www.coc.ca.

The season continues with a return to AtG’s roots: a fully staged production of Puccini’s La bohème, performed out of the Tranzac Club in Toronto’s Annex district. This remount hearkens back to AtG’s first season, when its Tranzac Club production of the beloved classic (with its new English libretto by Joel Ivany) put the company on the map. Joel Ivany directs, and Topher Mokrzewski music directs. Dates, casting and ticketing information will be released at a later date.

As part of its mandate to keep opera fresh, fun and accessible, AtG launches a new initiative this fall: Opera Pub. Launching on Oct. 13, 2016 at the Amsterdam Bicycle Club at 54 The Esplanade, Opera Pub nights are relaxed, casual nights out that offer up your favourite beer on tap with a side of operatic arias and ensembles, performed by both established and emerging opera talent. The festivities begin at 9 p.m. and will continue on the first Thursday of every month.

“This season highlights what AtG does best,” says AtG Founder and Artistic Director Joel Ivany. “We push the envelope, tackle relevant themes within our community and strive for artistic excellence. Being able to present the music of Golijov is an honour, as he’s one of world’s leading dramatic composers. You won’t hear Ayre performed this way ever again.  La bohème hasn’t been performed by us since our inaugural season and this feels like the perfect time to bring it back.  We look ahead to the future by initiating new endeavours and continue building on our growing relationships.”

In some of the most exciting news of AtG’s season, the company will be participating in a new residency program offered by the COC. Designed as a pilot project, the COC will act as an incubator for AtG during a two-year residency at the COC’s administrative offices at 227 Front St. E. in Toronto.

The COC’s pilot company-in-residence program is designed to support an individual opera company during the critical transition from its initial formation to growing into a more established organization with a viable infrastructure. The residency program is specifically aimed at opera companies that have been in existence for five years or less and offers, in addition to dedicated administrative space and resources, mentorship involving different departments and opportunities for job shadowing, as well as invitations to observe and/or participate in company meetings and events.

“This residency program is a formalization of a long-time mentorship that has existed between the COC and Against the Grain Theatre. Partnering with AtG during the program’s pilot stage gives the COC an opportunity to lend support to an emerging company while also receiving valuable feedback on how this kind of residency works and if it’s a viable structure we can build upon,” says COC General Director Alexander Neef. “It’s an exciting time for opera right now with so many independent opera companies establishing themselves within the arts community. Our hope with this residency program is to put a system in place that helps nurture those companies as they grow and seek to establish a sustainable future.”

“Building a company is tough in any industry, but especially in opera,” says AtG General Manager Joanna Barrotta.  “The COC’s leadership in mentoring young companies like ours gives us a stable platform to continue our growth, and allows us to make a meaningful contribution to the opera ecosystem.”

ABOUT AtG
In December of 2010, Toronto’s opera scene received a jolt of energy with the formation of Against the Grain Theatre (AtG). With a goal to reinvigorate the operatic art form by presenting an eclectic array of musical works in unconventional spaces and innovative ways, AtG staged its first performance to a sold-out audience of 50 people, and with that the company was off and running. Since that first season, AtG has packed every single one of its productions with standing room-only crowds, winning a consistent level of critical and public acclaim, and picking up two Dora Mavor Moore Awards along the way. The arts community has embraced the AtG, as has a much wider, more diverse audience of people who may have never considered attending an opera. Founded by an adventurous collective of friends and artists, the company’s mission is to preserve the company’s unique ability to be serious in intent and execution, yet fun and irreverent in spirit.

For more information, please visit AtG online at www.againstthegraintheatre.com, on Twitter @AtGTheatre and on Facebook at facebook.com/AtGTheatre.

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THE SECRET GARDEN in concert

Posted on September 14, 2016 by barczablog

secret_garden

Podium Concert Productions presents
THE SECRET GARDEN
New Company to focus on Musical Theatre ‘in Concert’ Presentations
Inaugural Production set for January 2017
Podium Concert Productions (Peter da Costa and Mark Camilleri) proudly presents the Tony Award®-winning musical THE SECRET GARDEN, in concert for three performances only at the newly renovated and acoustically enhanced Trinity-St. Paul Centre/Jeanne Lamon Hall, January 13–15, 2017, with a world-class orchestra, hand-picked and led by Mark Camilleri, on stage with Canada’s brightest stars of stage and musical theatre.
THE SECRET GARDEN is Grammy–winning composer Lucy Simon’s and Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Marsha Norman’s (‘Night Mother) reimagining of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic children’s novel into an enchanting musical tale of forgiveness and renewal. Orphaned in India, 11 year–old Mary Lennox returns to Yorkshire to live with her embittered, reclusive uncle Archibald and his sickly son Colin. “Dreamers” — spirits from Mary’s past — guide her through her new life as she discovers the estate’s many wonders, including a magical garden that beckons the children with haunting melodies.
Rarely produced due the size and scope of the production, THE SECRET GARDEN is the perfect show to launch Podium Concert Productions, dedicated to creating exciting and exhilarating performances that combine the symphony experience with musical theatre.
The cast and creative team includes Director Steve Ross (Sunday in the Park with George/Talk is Free Theatre) and Musical Director/Conductor MarkCamilleri; Adam Brazier (Artistic Director Confederation Centre for the Arts, The Woman in White) as Archibald Craven and soprano Erin Fisher (ViVA Trio, Cosi fan tutte & Idomeneo/COC,) as Lily Craven; with Louise Camilleri, Gabi Esptein, Kevin Forestell, Kyle Golemba, Matthew Nethersole,Denise Oucharek, Steve Ross, Kate Suhr and Shawn Wright.
•• This weekend Podium Concert Productions will hold an open call audition for the young roles of Mary Lennox and Colin Craven.  Auditions will be held Sunday, September 18 from 2-6pm at the Randolph Academy for the Arts, Annex Theatre, 736 Bathurst Street (1 block south of Bloor). Sign-up begins at 1pm. Audition Sides can be found  here.  For more information please contact info@podiumconcerts.com
Podium Concert Productions
Shows that Deserve to be Heard
 presents
THE SECRET GARDEN in Concert
Trinity-St. Paul Centre, 427 Bloor Street West (at Spadina Avenue)
January 13-15, 2017
Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm, Sunday at 6:30pm
Tickets start at $39
For more info, and to purchase tickets, visit podiumconcerts.com/
For Groups discounts contact info@podiumconcerts.com
Media Contact: media@flip-publicity.com
 
About Podium Concert Productions: Led by award-winning producer Peter da Costa and veteran music director Mark Camilleri, Podium Concert Productions aims to produce a series of Broadway musicals in concert featuring Canada’s brightest stars of stage and musical theatre sharing the spotlight with an orchestra of world-class musicians.
The founder of da Costa Talent Management and co-founder of Show Choir Canada, Peter da Costa has built his career on creating opportunities, seeking new ventures that capitalize on his extensive industry experience. With offices in Toronto and Vancouver, da Costa Talent Management today enjoys a cross-country presence that benefits the agency’s roster of award-winning triple threat talent. Podium Concert Productions is one of several productions in development, including a TV series and an original live theatrical show.
A music director, pianist, composer, arranger, accompanist, engineer, producer, conductor, and recording studio owner of Imagine Sound Studio, Mark Camilleri’s credits include music directing The Toxic Avenger (Dancap Productions); Cinderella (Ross Petty Productions); Disney’s High School Musical (Drayton Entertainment), Funny Girl in Concert; A Rhapsody in Gershwin; The Very Very Best of Broadway, with Marvin Hamlisch, Martin Short and Audra McDonald; Back The Mack, with Matt Dusk, Sophie Milman, Jim Cuddy, Measha Brueggergosman and Johnny Reid; the Canadian Screen Awards; associate music directingMamma Mia, Dirty Dancing (Mirvish Productions); and conducting major symphony orchestras across Canada.

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“Press releases and announcements” are presented verbatim without comment.

Posted in Personal ruminations & essays | Leave a comment

Together We’re Unlimited: A benefit concert

Posted on September 12, 2016 by barczablog

Merle Garbe & Jeff Gilburd present
TOGETHER WE’RE UNLIMITED
A Benefit Concert in Support of Thyroid Cancer Research

 Toronto, August, 2016 – TOGETHER WE’RE UNLIMITED is a benefit concert in   celebration of Hope and Possibilities, with all proceeds designated to the Canadian Cancer Society in support of Thyroid Cancer Research.

Co-producer Jeff Gilburd, a long-time usher at the Toronto Centre for the Arts and Harbourfront Centre, was recently diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer. He has come together with friends and members of Toronto’s arts community to put on a night of musical theatre to raise money to help eradicate this often-overlooked type of cancer.

The Concert will showcase twelve of Toronto’s and Canada’s leading musical theatre performers, who have appeared on stages around the world, including Stratford and Shaw Festivals, Mirvish, Dancap, and Broadway — Louise Pitre, Jeff Madden, Mark Cassius, Thom Allison, Ma-Anne Dionisio, Graham Scott Fleming, Vanessa Sears, Gabi Epstein, Kelly Holiff, Joe Matheson, Shawn Wright.  The show will be hosted by George Masswohl, and musical direction is by Jeannie Wyse.

According to Co-Producer Merle Garbe, “We are so delighted that these amazing performers have all donated their time and talents to help this great cause.  This benefit was Jeff Gilburd’s idea, and it is a real tribute to him and his huge heart that so many artists care about him and wish to honour him by appearing in this show. It is a labour of love for all of us.”

This event in the exceptional acoustically-excellent George Weston Recital Hall, has been made possible through the generous sponsorship of the Toronto Centre for the Arts and Dancap Productions. The evening will also include a Silent Auction. We are now counting on the support of the community at large.

Tickets can be purchased in person at the Toronto Centre Box Office, online at http://www.encoreshows.com, or by phone at 1-855-985-2787.  A service charge will apply on phone orders. VIP seats ($65 each) include entrance to a post-show reception with the cast members.

WHAT: Together We’re Unlimited: A Benefit Concert In Support Of Thyroid Cancer Research
WHERE: Toronto Centre for the Arts (George Weston Recital Hall) – 5040 Yonge Street
WHEN: Monday, September 19 at 7:30 p.m.
COST: $20-$65
CONTACT: Merle Garbe – Tel: 416-804-2722 | merlegarbe8@gmail.com

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“Press releases and announcements” are presented verbatim without comment.

 

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Encounter with Hilary Kilbourn

Posted on September 9, 2016 by barczablog

I posted a press release earlier this week, concerning someone who passed through my life briefly. One paragraph in particular caught my eye:

About The Hilary Kilbourn Memorial Fund

Hilary continues to cast her spell over the Island through good works funded by the Hilary Kilbourn Memorial Fund. This fund was initiated by her family upon Hilary’s death in 2006. Contributions from the Fund have been made to Shadowland Theatre to support programming for Island youth. The Fund enables wonderful concerts to be offered at the church.

I was saddened to hear of her death: a decade ago.

I looked up her obituary.

Our paths crossed long ago. I saw her audition for a play in 1977, without ever speaking to her.

At the time I was one of the musicians working on a production of a work by Auden & Isherwood called The Dog Beneath the Skin, Michael Sidnell’s first show as director of the Graduate Centre for Study of Drama. It was done in a style that Brecht and Weill would have liked, with lots of outsized props and artifice, including songs in a popular style.

There was already quite a wonderful band creating songs for the show, so they shouldn’t have needed me: except for one puzzling little segment of the play. The text explicitly calling for something resembling Wagner opera, and so I was brought in to attempt the reconstruction. And that’s a whole other story, a really fun story I might tell another time.

But my small part in this show was the reason I was present for a magical moment during an audition. It was someone who was not eventually cast. Of course I mean Hilary Kilbourn.

If I recall correctly there was some reading but also a kind of an improvisation, reacting to an empty picture frame hung upstage. The actor was asked to walk by and then their response should help us to see what was there, to feel their responses.

Hilary Kilbourn made me believe she saw something divine in that blank frame. She walked by, then turned, and saw something profound. Afterwards she would explain to us what she’d seen, a kind of allegorical glimpse of the miraculous that she enacted for us as though she were Joan of Arc in the midst of a visitation from above.

I was young, perhaps easy to impress (still am I think). All I know is that if, at that moment, she had asked – no commanded—me to take up arms against the English I would have done so readily.

I felt drunk watching her perform.

And when she didn’t get cast I challenged the director, surprised.

But I realize that he was sensitive to her. Hilary had bipolar disorder, although i only understand this now, reading the obituary.

I had shouted at the director, asking why Hilary wasn’t cast, asking whether Hilary was too good to be cast.

He shouted “no of course not” right back at me.

I was young and foolish (as in the song). I think the purpose of the exercises in the audition was to see how well they would take direction. Gifted though she was, this was an ensemble production, and I believe he could feel her estrangement, as she wandered the stage as if in a beautiful trance.

Years later, everyone has gone on to other things, some of that wonderful team have passed away. It’s curious that I can’t help recalling that brief encounter with Hilary as a sign of a future even though she’s gone.She had some very special talents.

I can’t help feeling we will meet again.

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Personal ruminations & essays, Spirituality & Religion | 2 Comments

Hilary Kilbourn Memorial Benefit

Posted on September 7, 2016 by barczablog

September 6, 2016

Hilary Kilbourn Memorial Benefit

To raise money to purchase a grand piano

Toronto Island, ON.  September 18, 2016 3:00-5:00PM

Toronto Island, ON – The St. Andrew-by-the-Lake Community proves time and again that great music is priceless & timeless. They believe the time has come to purchase a grand piano to enhance the vibrant music program at St. Andrew-by-the-Lake.

 

“We are grateful for the fine quality of sound that the architecture of St Andrew allows. Musicians comment on it and are eager to return to play within its walls. Martin Luther said, ‘Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.’ We wish to join together the beauty of space and sound at St Andrew with the fine performances of musicians and encourage people to feel the great treasures of word and music in this building.” The Reverend Michael Marshall

Along with a host of passionate musicians, donors and volunteers, a Piano Fundraising Party is to be held at the Church of St. Andrew-by-the-Lake on September 18th from 3:00 – 5:00. All proceeds will be used to acquire a new grand piano for the music program at St. Andrew-by-the-Lake.

Works of Mozart, Debussy, Gounod, and Jazz standards will be performed by Vadim Serebryany, Melissa Scott, Gilles Thibodeau, Kristin Day, Louis Lawlor, Jonathan Krehm, Rachel Krehm, Mike Milligan and Roger Sharp.

Throughout the event delicious light refreshments will be served. There will be a live auction of local art vacation retreats, unique experiences and wine from a local vintner.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased either in advance from Roger Sharp at 416-779-3886/ rogerandersonsharp@gmail.com, or at the door.

Those who wish to contribute may make a donation to the Hilary Kilbourn Memorial Fund http://www.standrewbythelake.com/donate.html

 

About The Hilary Kilbourn Memorial Fund

Hilary continues to cast her spell over the Island through good works funded by the Hilary Kilbourn Memorial Fund. This fund was initiated by her family upon Hilary’s death in 2006. Contributions from the Fund have been made to Shadowland Theatre to support programming for Island youth. The Fund enables wonderful concerts to be offered at the church.

About St. Andrew-by-the-Lake

St. Andrew by-the-Lake (www.standrewbythelake.com) is a family church rooted in its Anglican traditions of worship and community service.  It serves the Toronto Island community as well as many parishioners who live in the City of Toronto and surrounding region.

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“Press releases and announcements” are presented verbatim without comment.

Posted in Press Releases and Announcements | 1 Comment

Brady, Kaepernick, Eastwood and Trump 

Posted on September 5, 2016 by barczablog

 

The arts confuse us regularly, somewhat like life itself.  One minute we’re kept at a distance by a performance using some alienating device calling attention to the artifice, the next we’re sucked into the world we’re watching.  I believe we’re still in the long shadow of the romantics, who were so enthusiastic in their encouragement of our identification that we end up confused and even addicted to the illusion.

If the “willing suspension of disbelief” that occurs in a theatre during a performance is literally a matter of lifting and holding something –like weight-lifting—then we opera fans are especially strong of mind.  I believe genuine opera fans are either trained by our exposure to this artform to have stronger and healthier imaginations, or naturally selected.

  • We have to deal with characters who sing
  • We have to deal with characters of every size and shape
  • We have to deal with characters of every age

So to repeat, whether we are trained by this to be able to suspend logic and hold these concepts in the thin air of our minds OR simply selected (those who are drawn to opera come back for more while those who find it implausible and unbelievable walk away shaking their heads): opera is a special form in this regard.

I wonder, is it the same mental capacity that comes into play when we are asked to ignore aspects of a person?  I mention this because there are some curious examples in the news, that are similar to what some opera fans are doing all their lives.

The biggest and best example I know of concerns Richard Wagner, the composer who often challenges us:

  • By writing remarkable music
  • By telling stories of astonishing depth
  • All the while he’s drawing us closer, he pushes us away By being a complete jerk, thinking for example of his anti-Semitism
  • And lurking in our memories is Wagner’s biggest fan: Adolph Hitler. Yes Wagner could have written the soundtrack for the Third Reich.

Do we let the character of the artist stop us from enjoying their art? There is a phenomenon that criticism teaches us called the “biographical fallacy”.  Tempting as it might be to extrapolate from the life of an artist to an understanding of their work, it is not a good idea.  Wagner is a good demonstration, that one can separate what a person does from who they are, even if part of us never forgets.

I find the same thing coming up outside the realm of opera.

The quarterbacks:
Tom Brady is one of the most successful quarterbacks in the history of the NFL, winner of several Superbowls. Colin Kaepernick is not, a younger player whose early promise has not panned out in the desired championship for the 49ers.

Both have been in the news for their political views.  Brady plays golf with his pal Donald Trump.  Kaepernick famously refused to stand for the American National Anthem, drawing a great deal of ire, while stirring up a controversy about freedom of speech.  Whatever positions they took (and I am no fan of Trump, and an admirer of Kaepernick’s bravery, in taking such a stand in the conservative stronghold as the NFL), these are separate from the enjoyment of their performance.  Painful as it is to admit, Brady is a pleasure to watch, a brilliant tactician, while Kaepernick has never had comparable success.

In other words, the aesthetics of the performance are a separate category from the positions taken by the performer, not unlike the separation we are challenged to make in our head for someone like Wagner.

The actor-director:
Clint Eastwood’s films represent an impressive body of work. Like Marty McFly (in Back to the Future), I confess that I’ve long admired and enjoyed Eastwood’s work in the westerns from the 1960s: although nowadays I am more likely to ascribe my responses to the collaborative team that includes the director (Sergio Leone) and the composer (Ennio Morricone) alongside the actors.

Yet in his attempts to influence the public, I’d say Eastwood has not been at all impressive.  In a previous election we watched him self-destruct at a GOP convention in the presence of an empty chair that easily upstaged him.  More recently he complained about Hillary Clinton’s voice.

The candidates:
There’s an unmistakable echo of 1964 in the current campaign. Back in ’64 the GOP candidate Barry Goldwater said he would use nuclear weapons in the Vietnam war.  Lyndon Johnson capitalized on this in his campaign, winning in a landslide.

This time around it’s Donald Trump and his passionate pronouncements. Is he someone who could be trusted with the nuclear codes?

The intriguing thing –as far as the pattern I’ve been demonstrating—is that at least in theory, a person can transcend their history.  Wagner was more than just an anti-semite, Brady and Eastwood are more than just a friends / fans of Trump.

But voting isn’t theatre, is it?  We can suspend disbelief, ignore who a person is while surrendering to their performance, or the fantasy of what they promise.  I have to think that one of the attractions of Trump is that he is very theatrical.  If one looks at policies and qualifications it should be no contest.

But Trump keeps getting headlines regardless of the content of what he says, because of his aesthetics, the outrageous quality of his extreme positions.   As Tom Green pointed out:

If you say something negative, that information travels faster. If you say something bigoted, and you’re a presidential candidate … everybody has to talk about it. The outrage is actually what’s been promoting his candidacy.“

The conversation around Trump sometimes gets lost in irrelevant details

  • Do you like his voice more than Hillary’s?
  • … his hair??!!
  • … the size of his hands??!!

What I see on social media suggests that at least some people are very clear, with a focus on policy rather than theatre. But social media can’t be trusted, given that one is usually preaching to the choir.

I can’t wait for the debates, to see whether he is able to invite a suspension of disbelief.  I am afraid to see whether this will be an operatic moment or not, whether the audience remain within their senses or opt to surrender to myth and illusion.

Posted in Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Politics, Popular music & culture | Leave a comment

Questions for Sabatino Vacca as SOLO begins

Posted on September 4, 2016 by barczablog

Sabatino Vacca is a busy man, Music Director of the Cambridge Symphony, Milton Philharmonic and the Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestras, and now the Artistic Director of the brand-new Southern Ontario Lyric Opera, or “SOLO”.  For the launch of SOLO’s first season a semi—staged production of Verdi’s La Traviata is only a few days away, with a fully staged production of Puccini’s Tosca to follow in March 2017.  With the loss of Opera Hamilton in 2014, SOLO may help fill the vacuum, performing in the Burlington Performing Arts Centre.

Sabatino has conducted orchestras in the Czech Republic, Symphony Hamilton, the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony, the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Brampton Symphony Orchestra. For Opera York he has served as Artistic Director for productions of Carmen, Suor Angelica/Gianni Schicchi, La Traviata, The Barber of Seville, Tosca, Rigoletto, La Bohème, and Madama Butterfly, and as Conductor for Le Nozze di Figaro, Così Fan Tutte,  Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci for Bel Canto Opera. For Brampton Lyric Opera he has conducted Pagliacci, and Rigoletto. For Opera Kitchener he has conducted Madama Butterfly and La Bohème. He is also currently on staff with Wilfrid Laurier University, has worked as an opera coach for the University of Toronto, as well as the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.  A recent soloist for Symphony Hamilton  (in Liszt’s Totentanz at the piano), he also recently completed arrangements for Quartetto Gelato’s latest CD. Sabatino is the recipient of the Spirit of Ontario Award for the Arts by the National Congress of Italian Canadians.

On the occasion of SOLO’s inaugural production September 17th I asked him some questions to discover more about him and his professional life.

1-Are you more like your father or your mother?

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Conductor Salvatore Vacca

I am flattered to reflect on my parents, and to think I have inherited qualities from both, as they shared many worthy and honourable characteristics. They were very opposite in many ways which complimented each other’s personalities. My mother could be very emotional and extroverted, while my dad was generally level-headed and more reserved. I have definitely inherited more of my father in this regard, and have never really been the social butterfly my mother could be.

I’m happy to say that they both shared a love and passion for music, especially opera! What a gift they passed on for which I’m ever grateful. Who knows what I would have ended up doing otherwise.

2-What is the best thing or worst thing about what you do?

I REALLY enjoy the challenge of building something from the ground up, developing a vision while at the same time being open and receptive to unexpected twists and turns in the journey. That’s when the creative juices really start to flow! The realization of how endless the possibilities are is both daunting and inspiring at times. It brings with it a great responsibility and motivation. One has to be careful to never lose sight of the bigger picture when one is immersed in the smaller details. If one is not careful it’s very easy to be left feeling dry and parched and wondering how you got there.

3-Who do you like to listen to or watch?

It’s fascinating to watch just how different conductors can be. Conducting styles often reflect the personality of a conductor, which then shapes the personality and style of an ensemble. I suppose the opposite can also be true to some extent, an ensemble can also exert its style and influence on a conductor. It’s very much give and take.

4-When you’re just relaxing and not working what is your favourite thing to do?

Play with my 3 year old son, soon to be 4. He’s at such an articulate and interactive age. I also enjoy gardening and looking after my vegetable garden. Part of what goes with that is coming up with an outdoor summer project every year. Last year I redid my deck, this year I redid my stairs leading up to the backyard lawn. I took my time with it and spread it out over several weeks a little at a time. I really miss that part of the outdoors during the winter.

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More about presenting La Traviata for Southern Ontario Lyric Opera.

1-Please talk about how you reconcile the different sides of yourself, as you function as a director of a show, where you are also artistic director of the company.

As I mentioned previously I REALLY enjoy taking something new and building it from the ground up. It’s been absolutely delightful to see our Board for Southern Ontario Lyric Opera (SOLO) grow this past year, one at a time. They’re a GREAT team and I look forward to Board meetings!! Essential roles have mostly been filled, we are still looking around for someone with grant-writing experience, but as with many other tasks I’ll be covering that for now.

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Conductor Salvatore Vacca

I’m the Music Director for 3 local orchestras: the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra, Cambridge is where I reside; the Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra; and the Milton Philharmonic orchestra which I founded 2 years ago. With each group I’ve gained a lot of experience beyond the music side of things, and have discovered skills and talents I didn’t know I had. All of this experience I’ve been able to bring to SOLO. I enjoy getting into the advertising aspect and the challenge of getting the word out about our upcoming Traviata performance and our company in general. This also involves creative outreach possibilities in the community. It’s our mandate to be really involved with the community and not just pop up a couple of times a year and proclaim “here we are, come and see our show.” We are very much starting to build a community profile and build lovely partnerships along the way. Part of this work is through our Chorus who act as ambassadors for the company. They have performed 2 concerts at a local seniors home, something we will be doing more of. The Chorus has participated in a local outdoor festival in Burlington. We performed the national anthem for a city council meeting which gave us great exposure to all the Burlington city councillors and Mayor. We didn’t change the lyrics! The company was also asked to organize and perform a fundraising concert to help sponsor a Syrian refugee family at a local church in Hamilton, which turned out to be the church where I grew up, so it was a bit of a homecoming experience. The Chorus will be taking part in Culture Days concerts in early October, and we’ll probably be doing some outreach concerts around Christmas time.

Currently and for the past little while I’ve been working on SOLO related tasks any moment I can and will continue at this pace until our Traviata performance is done.

Is it stressful? Not really, I don’t have the time to get stressed.

2- Tell us about Traviata and why you wanted to make it SOLO’s debut piece.

Audiences love Traviata and it has not been performed in the area for 10 years, 2006 was the last time Opera Hamilton had performed it. The music is timeless and direct with lots of memorable tunes. Traviata is easy to take in if you’ve never been to a live opera performance before. It’s easy to relate to the characters in the opera and their motivations. We can all empathize with Violetta and admire how honourable she is, and we see many sides to her throughout the opera. She really comes to life through her impending death! We come to love – hate – love Alfredo. We can sympathize with Papa Germont. What parent wouldn’t be as protective of their child and family reputation as he is. We may not wholly agree with him but we can understand where he is coming from.

As a debut work for us Verdi’s other popular middle period works were also in the running, namely Rigoletto and Il Trovatore. I decided against the former mainly because it only requires a male chorus and I knew how much our ladies of the chorus wished to perform and not be left out. The latter opera requires some real heavy duty mature voices for one and I wanted to try and keep things on the lighter side vocally. The characters and story line are also not as real as with Traviata. The music is still memorable and powerful but overall does not have the same kind of connection with audiences as Traviata does.

3-Tell us about your cast for the SOLO production of Traviata.

I am very pleased with our cast. I’ve worked with each of our 3 main leads before and felt they would have a good chemistry together on stage in these roles.

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Soprano Allison Cecilia Arends will sing the role of Violetta for SOLO

Allison Arends has a great voice for the role of Violetta, and also the personality to play her many sides. Allison is a warm and engaging presence on stage (and off) and brings a great depth to the role.

Riccardo Iannello is a perfect counterpart to our heroine, bringing a passionate youthful naiveté to the role.

Jeffrey Carl is a commanding presence on stage with a rich baritone voice capable of great nuance and colour.

4-What is your favourite moment in Traviata?

Is it okay to say pretty much the whole opera? Sorry. Right from the get-go Verdi draws us into the world of Violetta Valery in the Prelude with a solemn opening for strings alone written in a high register. It is disputed among scholars whether Verdi took a cue from the Prelude to Lohengrin. Soon Verdi combines the “Amami Alfredo” theme in the cellos with more festive music in the upper strings, the latter shows Violetta’s other more social side, which then sets us up for the party scene. Verdi had a knack for writing great party music, i.e. the opening of Rigoletto, the end of Un Ballo in Maschera. There’s also more party music at Flora’s later in Act II; fun stuff! Another thing that strikes me about his opera scores in general is his sense of rhythm and off beat accents. If he were more contemporary I think he would be at home in a more jazz medium.

It might be easier for me to answer if there is a moment which is not particularly my favourite. Perhaps it would have to be Germont’s Cabaletta which is usually cut, it doesn’t seem as inspired as the rest of the opera.

5-Is there a teacher or an influence you’d care to name that you especially admire?

Definitely!! When I was at Opera School at U of T training as a coach Professor James Craig was a very big influence. In fact he got me involved with conducting which at the time was not even on my radar. Within the first few weeks I was there he asked me to prepare and conduct one of the choruses we were preparing for a concert. I quickly caught the conducting bug and have forever “blamed” him for it!!! We developed a friendship which continued long after he retired until he passed away in 2012. We spent time working through Traviata a work he was especially fond of and had conducted many times. He was very generous with his knowledge, and had lots of experience on which to draw. He was also one of the funniest persons I have ever met, often had me rolling in laughter when we went out for lunch or dinner together. He trained many generations of great Canadian singers who have had or are having major international careers.

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Southern Ontario Lyric Opera (SOLO) present Verdi’s La Traviata at Burlington Performing Arts Centre September 17th at 7:30 p.m. (click for ticket information)

Posted in Interviews, Opera | Leave a comment

Taking up Lance’s nationalist challenge to the CBC #Canada150

Posted on August 31, 2016 by barczablog

Lawrence Wiliford (AKA Lance Wiliford) posted the following on Facebook today:

I challenge @CBCMusic @CBCclassical @CBCArts to air 15 mins/day of music by Canadian classical composers during 2017. Not film or crossover.#Canada150. Canadian Music Centre Canadian League of Composers/La Ligue Canadienne des Compositeurs The Huffington Post Canada Canada Council for the Arts | Conseil des Arts du Canada Canadian Art Song ProjectJustin Trudeau Mélanie Joly Canadian Heritage (I urge others to issue this same challenge to the CBC).

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Tenor Lawrence Wiliford (photo: Bruce Zinger)

Lance has been putting his money where his mouth is as co-artistic director of the Canadian Art Song Project,  whereby Canadian composers (let alone singers) are encouraged and supported through concerts, commissions & recordings of new vocal compositions: unlike the CBC.

I don’t know whether anyone has issued the same challenge, but I’m jumping in here.

2017 is significant as the 150th anniversary of Confederation aka the sesquicentennial. A few important promises have been made:

  • The Toronto Symphony begin in January 2017 with “Canada Mosaic”, a celebration of Canadian music including 20 unique programs, over 40 newly commissioned orchestral works, in a co-operative venture partnering with 40 other Canadian orchestras, and including an e-learning platform
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7BiMpFGaOM&feature=youtu.be
  • The Canadian Opera Company are programming Somers’ Louis Riel, one of two operas originally commissioned for the centennial.
    web_louisriel
    • Tafelmusik offer a new multimedia concert—Visions & Voyages: Canada 1663 – 1763 —by Alison Mackay (she’s the one holding the double-bass)
    1617-visions-voyages-updated

And yet the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation / Radio Canada is arguably a much bigger richer institution than the three Toronto institutions I mentioned.

What are you going to do CBC? I think we have a right to know what – if anything—you’re planning. How about it, CBC..!?

I had a look through my google-lens. Here’s something they announced, which doesn’t mention Canadian composers or music as far as I can see: but it’s still only the end of August. Perhaps there’s time for some kind of response?  I remember a CBC that used to be the steward of music in this country, encouraging and funding all sorts of creativity.

It could be so once again.

Posted in Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays, Popular music & culture | 6 Comments