Tag Archives: Judy Garland

BELTing Over the Rainbow

Posted on March 11, 2026 by barczablog

BELT Monday night March 9th invited us to “another unforgettable night of communal singing at Crow’s Theatre” to “learn and perform the beloved classic “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from The Wizard of Oz.” After spending Saturday morning March 7th studying … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Popular music & culture | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Somewhere over the… moon?

Posted on October 11, 2019 by barczablog

Both works currently playing at the Canadian Opera Company feature a famous aria known by people who might otherwise not know the whole work. In Turandot it’s “nessun dorma”, a piece associated with Luciano Pavarotti, and maybe a little bit … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Popular music & culture | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Faster, Higher, Stronger

Posted on July 26, 2012 by barczablog

Is it a competition?  To some extent. Both Richard Wagner & Claude Debussy used the metaphor of the circus acrobat to describe the virtuoso dynamic with an appreciative audience.  Whether we’re speaking of singers or instrumentalists, there is an implicit … Continue reading →

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The comedy of competence: several species of drag

Posted on July 29, 2011 by barczablog

Amy Winehouse reminds me of Judy Garland.  They both had big powerful voices, larger than life really.  They were both known for excessive use of make-up and drugs.  Given that Garland and her daughter Liza Minelli have a huge following … Continue reading →

Posted in Essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments