Tag Archives: theatre

Ho Ka Kei (Jeff Ho) talks about Prophetess: an interview

Posted on September 29, 2026 by barczablog

I am intrigued by Prophetess, a new play from Ho Ka Kei (Jeff Ho) to open October 7th at Tarragon Theatre, described this way on their website: Margaret, the Chair of her English Department — and the Queen of Etymology … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Interviews | Tagged Christine Horne, Ho Ka Kei (Jeff Ho), Joanna Falck, Karen Robinson, Mike Payette, Natasha Mumba, Nina Lee Aquino, Prince Hamlet, Prophetess, Richard Rose, Rick Roberts, Tarragon Theatre, theatre, trace, William Shakespeare | Leave a comment

Tragedy of Hamlet: Prince of Denmark from Shakespeare, Lepage, Côté and Gzowski

Posted on April 26, 2026 by barczablog

The run is so brief as to make this review seem pointless. Friday night I saw the opening of the Tragedy of Hamlet: Prince of Denmark. My blog may be done by Saturday, but anyone seeing a weekend showing already … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Reviews | Tagged 887, ballet, dance, Elgin Theatre, Guillaume Côté, Hamlet, hybrid, John Gzowski, movement vocabulary, music, Robert Lepage, Shakespeare, Show One Productions, The Far Side of the Moon, The Tragedy of Hamlet, theatre, William Shakespeare | Leave a comment

A closer look at the COC’s zany Barber of Seville

Posted on February 22, 2026 by barczablog

Your tickets to the opera really are a case of “location location location”. When I saw the Canadian Opera Company’s Barber of Seville two weeks ago seated in the middle of the downstairs at the Four Seasons Centre, yes I … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Press Releases and Announcements, Reviews | Tagged Ariadne auf Naxos, Barber of Seville, Benjamin Britten, Canadian Opera Company, Cherie Dimaline, classical-music, Cosi fan tutte, Daniela Candillari, Dave Monaco, David Ferguson, Deepa Johnny, Elixir of Love, Four Seasons Centre, Gioachino Rossini, Ian Cusson, Ian Derrer, Joan Font, Joan Guillén, La Traviata, Luca Pisaroni, Luke Sutliff, music, Nathan Keoughan, opera, Perryn Leech, Pietro Adaini, Renato Girolami, Richard Strauss, Robert Lepage, Rossini, theatre, Turn of the Screw | Leave a comment

Interviewing versatile tenor Scott Rumble

Posted on December 7, 2025 by barczablog

I have heard tenor Scott Rumble a few times, a young artist who impressed both vocally and dramatically in Toronto Operetta Theatre’s Die Fledermaus in 2022. Ah how I wish I could have seen him take on the heroic role … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera | Tagged Ariadne auf Naxos, books, classical-music, Die Walküre, Guillermo Silva-Marin, Gwenlynn Little, Imre Kalman, James Patrick Raftery, Jon Vickers, opera, operetta, Orchestra Toronto, Peter Hofmann, Scott Rumble, Siegmund, theatre, Torin Chiles, Toronto Operetta Theatre | Leave a comment

Kyle and Corey reflect on the Lion-hearted King and the operas telling their stories

Posted on November 4, 2025 by barczablog

Kyle & Corey, as in Kyle Derek Mcdonald and Corey Arnold are the two creators of The Lion Heart, an opera being presented in concert in Ottawa November 15-16, one of several things they’re doing. I wanted to ask Kyle … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Interviews, Opera | Tagged classical-music, Corey Arnold, Ethandun, Kyle Derek McDonald, Kyle McDonald, Mathew Li, music, Philip Klaassen, Possession, Richard I, Richard Wagner, Samuel Andreyev, Scott Thompson, The Lion Heart, theatre, William G. Carpenter | Leave a comment

Tapestry Briefs: under where?

Posted on October 17, 2025 by barczablog

I had my first look at the Nancy & Ed Jackman Performance Centre on Yonge St Thursday night with the first of Tapestry Opera’s experimental programs, titled “Tapestry Briefs: under where?” Cute title, right? I was in the audience for … Continue reading →

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Opera | Tagged comedy, Michael Hidetoshi Mori, saturday night live, Tapestry Briefs, Tapestry Opera, theatre | Leave a comment

COC’s highly original Roméo et Juliette

Posted on October 6, 2025 by barczablog

It might be the best-known of all Shakespeare stories, the star-crossed lovers, dying young for love. Romeo and Juliet becomes Roméo et Juliette when a French composer such as Charles Gounod (1867) is telling the story in music. The rental … Continue reading →

Posted in Opera, Reviews | Tagged Alex Hetherington, Amy Lane, Canadian Opera Company, Charles Gounod, Gordon Bintner, Jules Barbier, Kseniia Proshina, Megan Latham, Michel Carré, music, opera, Owen McCausland, Robert Lepage, Robert Pomakov, Roméo et Juliette, Romeo and Juliet, Sandra Horst, Stephen Costello, surtitles, theatre, Yves Abel | 2 Comments

Holly Chaplin and Ryan Hofman talk about their upcoming La Boheme On Tap

Posted on September 12, 2025 by barczablog

La Boheme is being presented at the Redwood Theatre on Friday September19th 8:00 p.m., a co-production with The Redwood Theatre including a silent auction in support of Daily Bread Food Bank. I talked to Holly Chaplin who sings the starring … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera | Tagged Canadian Opera Company, classical-music, Elmwood Spa, genre, Giacomo Puccini, Holly Chaplin, La boheme, La Boheme On Tap, Massey Hall, Moonstruck, music, National Ballet of Canada, opera, Opera Revue, Puccini, Redwood Theatre, Ryan Hofman, SOLO, Southern Ontario Lyric Opera, theatre, Toronto Symphony Orchestra | Leave a comment

Alexander Hajek talks about the upcoming La Boheme On Tap

Posted on September 10, 2025 by barczablog

La Boheme is being presented at the Redwood Theatre on Friday September19th 8:00 p.m., a co-production with The Redwood Theatre in Support of Daily Bread Food Bank. I talked to Alexander Hajek who sings the role of Marcello the painter. … Continue reading →

Posted in Interviews, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays | Tagged Alexander Hajek, Carmina Burana, classical-music, Daily Bread Food Bank, genre, Giacomo Puccini, La boheme, La Boheme On Tap, music, opera, Opera Revue, Puccini, Redwood Theatre, theatre | Leave a comment

Falling for Sky Gilbert’s Shakespeare Lied and other bardish books

Posted on August 17, 2025 by barczablog

I want to explain where I’m coming from, as I review the second of three books from Sky Gilbert about William Shakespeare. Shakespeare Lied appeared in 2024, while Shakespeare Beyond Science came out in 2020. My response this time (over … Continue reading →

Posted in Books & Literature, Dance, theatre & musicals, Reviews | Tagged 1939, books, Heratio, Leslie Hotson, literature, Mr WH, Paul Streitz, Richard Paul Roe, Shakespeare, Shakespeare Beyond Science, Shakespeare by Hilliard, Shakespeare Lied, Sky Gilbert, The Shakespeare Guide to Italy, theatre, William Shakespeare | Leave a comment