Tag Archives: Opera by Request

William Shookhoff discusses political operas: Menotti’s The Consul from Opera By Request

Posted on October 10, 2025 by barczablog

Opera by Request will be presenting Giancarlo Menotti’s The Consul, an opera premiered in 1950 during the Red Scare, a time with significant parallels to our own. I asked William (Bill) Shookhoff, the Artistic Director of OBR, about the project. … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera, Politics, Press Releases and Announcements | Tagged Brigitte Bogar, Brittany Stewart, College Street United Church, Giancarlo Menotti, Human Rights organizations, Joshua Read, Julia MacVicar, Karina Bray, Kenneth Baker, Lucas Kuipers, Monica Zerbe, music, opera, Opera by Request, Politics, Red Scare, Sebastien Belcourt, Taylor Gibbs, The Consul, William Shookhoff | Leave a comment

Finding out about 3 penny Messiah

Posted on November 30, 2024 by barczablog

Opera by Request and No Strings Theatre are collaborating on their 3 penny Messiah, a smaller scale alternative to what is offered from big groups such as Tafelmusik or the Toronto Symphony, one performance December 7th and a singalong December … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Press Releases and Announcements | Tagged Avery Krisman, Cesar Bello, College Street United Church, Denise Williams, George Frideric Handel, Meagan Reimer, Messiah, No Strings Theatre, Opera by Request, Roanna Kitchen, Singalong, William Shookhoff | Leave a comment

CICM and OBR present Dvořák’s Jacobin

Posted on September 15, 2024 by barczablog

The Canadian Institute for Czech Music (CICM) and Opera by Request (OBR) collaborated to present Antonín Dvořák’s opera Jacobin in a concert performance with orchestra at Jeanne Lamon Hall Friday September 13th. Produced by Professor John Holland of CICM, conducted … Continue reading →

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera | Tagged Antonin Dvorak, Bill Shookhoff, Canadian Institute for Czech Music, Fidelio, Jacobin, John Holland, Opera by Request, Year of Czech Music | 2 Comments

Opera By Request premiere The Seagull

Posted on June 8, 2024 by barczablog

Friday night June 7th I witnessed the Canadian premiere of Thomas Pasatieri’s 1974 opera setting Kenward Elmslie’s libretto adapting Anton Chekhov’s 1896 play The Seagull, presented in concert by Opera by Request at the College St United Church. It can … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Opera, Reviews | Tagged Andrew Tees, Anton Chekhov, Avery Krisman, Bill Shookhoff, Jenny Ribeiro, Katie Mills, Meagan Reimer, Michael Robert-Broder, Monica Zerbe, Opera by Request, Steven Henrikson, The Seagull, Tom Pasatieri | 1 Comment

Canadian Premiere of Tom Pasatieri’s The Seagull, Friday June 7th: An Interview with Bill Shookhoff

Posted on May 23, 2024 by barczablog

Tom Pasatieri’s opera The Seagull will get it’s Canadian Premiere on June 7th with Opera By Request. I interviewed Bill Shookhoff to find out about it. ~~~~~~~ Barczablog: Describe the works of Pasatieri: what is his style like? Bill Shookhoff: … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera | Tagged American Beauty, Andrew Tees, Anton Chekhov, Bill Shookhoff, Frank Corsaro, Jenny Ribeiro, Katie Mills, Kenward Elmslie, Lady Macbeth, Meagan Reimer, Michael Robert-Broder, Monica Zerbe, Opera by Request, Shawshank Redemption, The Seagull, Tom Pasatieri | Leave a comment

William Shookhoff reflects on a recent operatic controversy

Posted on December 30, 2023 by barczablog

This is a guest blog from William (aka Bill) Shookhoff, the pianist and artistic director of Opera by Request. Thank you Bill! ~~~~~~~ Recently, the distinguished Metropolitan Opera of New York City announced that this holiday season would be marked … Continue reading →

Posted in guest blog, Opera | Tagged Die zauberflote, Julie Taymor, Magic Flute, Opera by Request, William Shookhoff, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | 5 Comments

Rossini’s Otello from Opera By Request

Posted on June 26, 2023 by barczablog

Last night I watched a concert presentation of Rossini’s Otello from Opera By Request, a company who demonstrate their importance with every outing. Bill Shookhoff leads from the piano working without a conductor, seated upstage of performers who face the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | Tagged Arrigo Boito, Berio di Salsa, Bill Shookhoff, College Street United Church, Ernesto Ramirez, Gioachino Rossini, Giuseppe Verdi, Meagan Reimer, Opera by Request, Otello, Othello, Paul Williamson, William Shakespeare | Leave a comment

Ernesto and Luciano: similar yet different

Posted on October 8, 2022 by barczablog

It was forty years ago. I was in New York on my honeymoon, seeking a ticket to see the Metropolitan Opera (even a scalper if necessary). But I found tickets at the box office, 7th row (if my memory doesn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Press Releases and Announcements | Tagged Ernesto Ramirez, Luciano Pavarotti, Metropolitan Opera, Opera by Request, Roberto Devereux | Leave a comment

Carlos: By Request

Posted on March 11, 2012 by barczablog

A singing teacher I know tells me that he always gives a speech to his students early on. It’s about the math, the reality of having a career in opera, when there are so many people studying, so few actual … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | Tagged Bill Shookhoff, Don Carlos, Giuseppe Verdi, Opera by Request, Paul Williamson | Leave a comment

Il Trovatore

Posted on July 10, 2011 by barczablog

Verisimilitude may be a tad over-rated. Tonight I witnessed a concert performance of Verdi’s Il Trovatore by Toronto’s Opera By Request. It’s habitual to apologize for what’s missing in these virtual renditions, that have music stands instead of sets, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | Tagged Bill Shookhoff, Carrie Gray, Giuseppe Verdi, Il Trovatore, Karen Bojti, Opera by Request, Steven Sherwood, Yevgeny Yablonovsky | Leave a comment