Tag Archives: Giuseppe Verdi

From the Met: Jocelyn and Dean create a Hamlet

Posted on June 5, 2022 by barczablog

Adapting a play into an opera can be fascinating work, especially when it’s as well-known a play as Hamlet. I’ve seen several attempts to turn this play into something else including a couple of musicals, an opera long ago, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | Tagged Allan Clayton, Barbara Hannigan, Brenda Rae, Brett Dean, Canadian Stage, Claude Debussy, Giuseppe Verdi, Hamlet, John Relyea, Matthew Jocelyn, Metropolitan Opera, Neil Armfield, New Creations, Nicholas Carter, Otello, Rod Gilfry, Sarah Connolly, Stephane Mallarme, Thomas Ades, Toronto Symphony, William Burden, Zachary Woolfe | Leave a comment

Good news COC Traviata

Posted on May 8, 2022 by barczablog

When Perryn Leech the Canadian Opera Company general director came out before the performance of La Traviata last night, it was the first time I’d seen him in person, after several messages in the virtual world. He spoke briefly to … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera, Reviews | Tagged Arin Arbus, Cait O'Connor, Canadian Opera Company, Giuseppe Verdi, Johannes Debus, Perryn Leech | Leave a comment

News, positive and negative

Posted on April 28, 2022 by barczablog

It’s been a hard week so far. I’m heart-broken with the news in my inbox, that Elisa Citterio is leaving Tafelmusik. I can’t help but wonder about the subtexts for this change. Perhaps it’s just the pandemic and its deadly … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Food, Health and Nutrition, Music and musicology, Opera, Press Releases and Announcements | Tagged Amanda Hale, Carmen, Elisa Citterio, Flying Dutchman, Georges Bizet, Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi, Kye Marshall, Macbeth, Marriage of Figaro, Pomegranate, Quinn Kelsey, Richard Wagner, Sondra Radvanovsky, Tosca | 2 Comments

The Lion Heart: a first look

Posted on March 20, 2022 by barczablog

I watched the live-stream of The Lion Heart, the premiere of a new opera from Corey Arnold (composer & conductor) and Kyle McDonald (librettist and singer of the lead role). Or at least part of it. Alas connection issues prevented … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera | Tagged André Gretry, Blondel, Corey Arnold, Gioachino Rossini, Giuseppe Verdi, Kyle McDonald, Leopold, Nicole Dubinsky, Richard, Richard Coeur de lion, Richard Wagner, The Lion Heart, Tonatiuh Abrego, Tonatiuh Abrego) and the sadistic Leopold (passionately delivered by Andrew Derynck | 3 Comments

In captivity: Nabucco with TCO

Posted on September 27, 2021 by barczablog

Our society and our culture are seeking recovery now, trying to heal. Yes there has been illness & death. But even if we’re safe & healthy (very fortunate to be safe in this city, in this country) we’re troubled in … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Press Releases and Announcements | Tagged Giuseppe Verdi, Ivan Jovanovic, Jennifer Tung, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Nabucco, TCO, Toronto City Opera, Va pensiero, Voicebox Opera in Concert | Leave a comment

Quilico and Pavarotti in Rigoletto

Posted on April 12, 2021 by barczablog

The Metropolitan Opera’s free feed gave us a lovely trip down memory lane last week, with a 1981 Rigoletto starring Louis Quilico, Luciano Pavarotti and Christiane Eda-Pierre. I can’t be the only one who watched, remembering the times Quilico sang … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera | Tagged Canadian Opera Company, Four Seasons Centre, Giuseppe Verdi, Il Trovatore, La Traviata, Louis Quilico, Luciano Pavarotti, Metropolitan Opera, Rigoletto | 4 Comments

Wordless chorus

Posted on May 21, 2020 by barczablog

This subject seems apt right now. The voices in this music have no words, which is a perfect expression for a time when we don’t know what’s to come. Of course we never do, but it’s especially noticeable when we’re … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema, video & DVDs, Essays, Music and musicology, Personal ruminations & essays, Popular music & culture | Tagged Claude Debussy, Danny Elfman, Edward Scissorhands, Giuseppe Verdi, Good Will Hunting, Gustav Holst, Maurice Ravel, Rigoletto, Scrooged, The Planets, The Wizard of Oz, wordless chorus | 1 Comment

TOT Gypsy Baron

Posted on December 29, 2019 by barczablog

The Toronto Operetta Theatre opened their new production of Johann Strauss Jr’s The Gypsy Baron tonight at the Jane Mallett Theatre with a full house in attendance for the first of five performances. It’s a very uneven production of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Politics, Reviews | Tagged A night at the opera, Beste Kalender, Daniela Agostino, Derek Bate, Giuseppe Verdi, Il Trovatore, Jane Mallett Theatre, Johann Strauss, Karen Bojti, Meghan Lindsay, Michael Barrett, Roma, The Gypsy Baron, The Marx Brothers, Toronto Operetta Theatre | Leave a comment

COC Otello

Posted on May 1, 2019 by barczablog

On paper the Canadian Opera Company’s new offering, an English National Opera production of Verdi’s Otello directed by David Alden and starring Russell Thomas, Gerald Finley & Tamara Wilson is as good as it gets. It’s an incredible luxury to … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Reviews | Tagged Andrew Haji, Canadian Opera Company, Carolyn Sproule, David Alden, Gerald Finley, Giuseppe Verdi, Onay Kose, Otello, Owen McCausland, Russell Thomas, Tamara Wilson | Leave a comment

TCO Traviata

Posted on March 29, 2019 by barczablog

Toronto City Opera? While the name is new to me, reading the history I see the lineage, going back over forty years to the legacy of Giuseppe Macina’s Toronto Opera Repertoire. You can read more of their history here. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera | Tagged Alaina Viau, Giuseppe Macina, Giuseppe Verdi, Ivan Jovanovic, Jennifer Tung, La Traviata, Toronto City Opera | Leave a comment