Tag Archives: Topher Mokrzewski

Figaro’s Wedding 2019

In 2013 Against the Grain offered the first of their “transladaptations” of one of the trilogy of da Ponte-Mozart operas, Figaro’s Wedding. Tonight AtG premiered something we might call a revival of the work, with a number of intriguing differences, … Continue reading

Posted in Music and musicology, Opera, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pondering wandering

I like the sound of that headline. As I do what it says, pondering wandering, I am a bit lost in the ambiguities. If we knew where we were going it wouldn’t be wandering, would it. The time of year … Continue reading

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Spirituality & Religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Against the Grain: Vivier’s Kopernikus

Claude Vivier’s Kopernikus has been promoted on social media as “Canada’s most famous unknown opera.” And Joel Ivany is quoted saying “I think this is Canada’s greatest opera ever written.” After seeing what Against the Grain did with Vivier I’m … Continue reading

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

BOUND v. 2: power struggles

Against the Grain Theatre premiered version two of BOUND at The Great Hall on Queen St W or as Joel Ivany called it “an ongoing process”.  I didn’t see version 1, and perhaps this summer or next year there will … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Architecture & Design, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays, Politics, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Against the Grain Orphée+

Orphée+? That plus sign might signify an opera updated, enlarged, perhaps even reformed(?). The “+” means some remarkable additions and changes from Gluck’s original, Orphée et Eurydice (or the Italian version aka Orfeo ed Euridice). Gluck created more than one … Continue reading

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Popular music & culture, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Eagerly anticipating Against the Grain’s Orphée⁺ next week

I’m writing about Against the Grain Theatre right now as I think about their imminent co-production of Gluck’s opera, that they are calling Orphée⁺ (the original press release said “an international co-production between AtG, the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and Opera Columbus“, … Continue reading

Posted in Dance, theatre & musicals, Music and musicology, Opera, Personal ruminations & essays | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lost in the East

We always know our spatio-temporal co-ordinates with the help of satellite surveillance and assorted electronic devices.  When was the last time you were lost? Those of us with regular jobs go back and forth along the same streets.  From time … Continue reading

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment