Tag Archives: Allyson McHardy

Opera Atelier’s Resurrection

Posted on June 2, 2021 by barczablog

When you study theatre history one of the first things you may encounter is the quem quaeritis trope. It’s so short that I can quote it in its entirety, a tiny four line drama re-enacted at Easter in churches. Angels: … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Architecture & Design, Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged Allyson McHardy, Carla Huhtanen, Colin Ainsworth, David Fallis, Douglas Williams, George Frideric Handel, Gerard Gauci, Jeanette Lajeunesse Zingg, Marshall Pynkoski, Meghan Lindsay, Messiah, Opera Atelier, quem quaeritis trope, Resurrection | Leave a comment

Toronto Symphony–Mendelssohn Choir Messiah

Posted on December 19, 2018 by barczablog

Toronto is Messiah town, as I’ve joked before. Handel’s most popular Biblical oratorio is everywhere at this time of year. Tonight I took in the second of six offered this week by the Toronto Symphony, the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Reviews, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged Allyson McHardy, Andrew Haji, Claire de Sévigné, David Fallis, Ezra Burke, George Frideric Handel, Johannes Debus, Messiah, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Tyler Duncan | Leave a comment

Anna Bolena: saving the best for last

Posted on April 29, 2018 by barczablog

Sondra Radvanovsky is the story. There is no better singing in an opera in Toronto than what you’ll hear if you go see Anna Bolena with the Canadian Opera Company, and she’s not the only great voice. I can talk … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | Tagged Allyson McHardy, Anna Bolena, Benoit Dugardyn, Bruce Sledge, Canadian Opera Company, Christian Van Horn, Corrado Rovaris, Gaetano Donizetti, Ingeborg Bernerth, Keri Alkema, Sandra Horst, Sondra Radvanovsky | 5 Comments

Alcina preview at RBA

Posted on October 14, 2014 by barczablog

The season of Thanksgiving continues, as I feel extraordinarily blessed for the wonderful day I am having. Not only did I have my three best nights in the theatre since the beginning of October (two performances of Falstaff and one … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | Tagged Allyson McHardy, Bradamante, Christopher Bagan, David Fallis, Handel, Janet Baker, Meghan Lindsay, Mireille Asselin, Morgana, Olivier LaQuerre, Ruggeiro, Wallis Giunta | 1 Comment

ATMA Orlando

Posted on February 23, 2014 by barczablog

I’ve been listening to a recording that deserves recognition. It’s an ATMA Classics recording of Handel’s Orlando. Is anyone anywhere recording operas anymore? Perhaps the question sounds a bit silly, but the health of the classical music industry has been … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | Tagged Allyson McHardy, ATMA, George Frideric Handel, karina gauvin, Orlando | 1 Comment

Opera in Concert Hippolyte et Aricie

Posted on February 3, 2014 by barczablog

Today I took the road less traveled. At the same time as the Canadian Opera Company opened their new production of Un ballo in maschera, in the afternoon before the Superbowl, Opera in Concert took us in a less popular … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | Tagged Allyson McHardy, Hippolyte et Aricie, Kevin Mallon, Opera in Concert, Rameau | 4 Comments

No costume necessary

Posted on December 20, 2012 by barczablog

Tonight I witnessed the first of Tafelmusik’s annual presentations of Händel’s Messiah at Koerner Hall, being presented nightly until the 22nd, followed by the annual singalong Messiah on the afternoon of the 23rd at Massey Hall. The four at Koerner … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged Aaron Sheehan, Allyson McHardy, Anton Kuerti, Douglas Williams, Georg Frederick Händel, Ivars Taurins, Joanne Lunn, Koerner Hall, Massey Hall, Messiah, Tafelmusik | 2 Comments

10 Questions for Allyson McHardy

Posted on December 9, 2012 by barczablog

Mezzo-soprano Allyson McHardy has a voice that invites sensuous adjectives. Radiant? Dusky? Sumptuous? You be the judge. In the past year I wrote about her participation in two very different productions by the same composer, namely Händel: Hercules semi-staged by … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews | Tagged Allyson McHardy, Handel, Messiah | 3 Comments

Semele in my nose

Posted on May 25, 2012 by barczablog

I had another chance to see & hear and even smell Zhang Huan’s production of Semele at the Canadian Opera Company. Yes, Semele also smells good (and I’m not just saying that to make a feeble joke). Before the curtain … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged Allyson McHardy, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Handel, Jane Archibald, Maclean's, pina bausch, Semele, Steven Humes, William Burden, Zhang Huan | 1 Comment

Jane Archibald as Semele

Posted on May 12, 2012 by barczablog

You never can tell. I would never have predicted which opera would be my favourite of the seven operas programmed this season by the Canadian Opera Company. Both the adventurous staging and the consistently brilliant singing make Handel’s Semele by … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged Allyson McHardy, Canadian Opera Company, Four Seasons Centre, Handel, Jane Archibald, Rinaldo Alessandrini, Semele, Zhang Huan | 4 Comments