Tag Archives: Simone Osborne

#COCgingerbread: Joel Ivany softens a Grimm tale of cruelty

Posted on February 9, 2020 by barczablog

It’s called “Hansel and Gretel”, not “kill the witch”. And in the original the witch isn’t even the nastiest character. You may already know that the new Canadian Opera Company production of Humperdinck’s Hansel & Gretel modernizes the setting to … Continue reading →

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Make-believe Hansel and Gretel

Posted on February 7, 2020 by barczablog

Oh to be a child again. I saw the opening night of the Canadian Opera Company’s new Hansel and Gretel tonight before a delighted sell-out crowd at the Four Seasons Centre. While there were children present both in the show … Continue reading →

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Parenthood, poverty, Hansel & Gretel: a conversation with Joel Ivany

Posted on January 26, 2020 by barczablog

In a few days Joel Ivany, Artistic Director of Against the Grain Theatre, will be premiering his new Hansel and Gretel at the Four Seasons Centre, in a Canadian Opera Company production. Singled out for last year’s Against the Grain … Continue reading →

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Mahler’s decade

Posted on November 13, 2015 by barczablog

Michael Sanderling led the Toronto Symphony in a program of works from the first decade of the twentieth century featuring soprano Simone Osborne. We heard a diverse assortment of musical styles represented even though the works have a few things … Continue reading →

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COC Ballo voices

Posted on February 21, 2014 by barczablog

Back on February 2nd (aka Groundhog Day: when the cowardly little varmints ran back into their little holes) I had a choice.  I could have gone to see the opening of the Canadian Opera Company’s Ballo in maschera, which purported … Continue reading →

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A contrasting pair

Posted on March 9, 2012 by barczablog

The Canadian Opera Company will be offering a pair of one act operas in their spring season that have some things in common. Both works are set in Florence. Both works are based on literature Both have a character named … Continue reading →

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Rigoletto, second cast

Posted on October 18, 2011 by barczablog

I had another look/listen to the Canadian Opera Company’s Rigoletto Oct 17th in a performance that was substantially different from the cast that opened earlier this autumn: a different tenor a different soprano a different baritone a different conductor Christopher … Continue reading →

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10 Questions for Simone Osborne

Posted on August 20, 2011 by barczablog

Simone Osborne  will be taking the lead role of Gilda in the Canadian Opera Company’s new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s Rigoletto in September 2011.  I ask her ten questions: five about her and five about her upcoming role. 1) Which … Continue reading →

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Adrianne’s Ariadne

Posted on May 13, 2011 by barczablog

You know you’re an opera fan when___ .  There are lots of ways to complete the sentence, but how about this one(….?): you know you’re an opera fan when you come out of the Lion King, humming Ariadne auf Naxos.  … Continue reading →

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