Paul N Murphy
@paulnoelmurphy.bsky.social
Filmgoer, concertgoer, opera buff, theatre fan. Toronto-based, Edmonton-born. 🇨🇦🇮🇪🇺🇦
Introduce yourself with 5 concerts you’ve seen:
PJ Harvey (5x)
Marc-André Hamelin (playing Morton Feldman’s “For Bunita Marcus”)
David Bowie (3x)
The Pogues with Joe Strummer
Sonny Rollins
PJ Harvey (5x)
Marc-André Hamelin (playing Morton Feldman’s “For Bunita Marcus”)
David Bowie (3x)
The Pogues with Joe Strummer
Sonny Rollins
Introduce yourself with 5 concerts you've seen:
King Crimson (20x, 1981-2021)
Miles Davis
Leontyne Price
Astor Piazzolla
Butthole Surfers
King Crimson (20x, 1981-2021)
Miles Davis
Leontyne Price
Astor Piazzolla
Butthole Surfers
November 28, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Introduce yourself with 5 concerts you’ve seen:
PJ Harvey (5x)
Marc-André Hamelin (playing Morton Feldman’s “For Bunita Marcus”)
David Bowie (3x)
The Pogues with Joe Strummer
Sonny Rollins
PJ Harvey (5x)
Marc-André Hamelin (playing Morton Feldman’s “For Bunita Marcus”)
David Bowie (3x)
The Pogues with Joe Strummer
Sonny Rollins
Captivating Toronto Symphony Orchestra concert of Prokofiev pieces last night - knife-edge intensity in the Third Symphony, aching lyricism in the Romeo and Juliet suite.
November 23, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Captivating Toronto Symphony Orchestra concert of Prokofiev pieces last night - knife-edge intensity in the Third Symphony, aching lyricism in the Romeo and Juliet suite.
Excellent Jan Lisiecki concert at Koerner Hall this afternoon. Enjoyed the Szymanowski and the Messiaen in the first half, and he played the Chopin very beautifully.
November 16, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Excellent Jan Lisiecki concert at Koerner Hall this afternoon. Enjoyed the Szymanowski and the Messiaen in the first half, and he played the Chopin very beautifully.
Saw this Soulpepper show last night - excellent cast in a so-so play. Honestly think it would benefit from an intermission; in part to alleviate the feeling of narrative aimlessness, also because 130 minutes in the Young Centre’s low-padding and zero-legroom seats is very uncomfortable.
November 16, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Saw this Soulpepper show last night - excellent cast in a so-so play. Honestly think it would benefit from an intermission; in part to alleviate the feeling of narrative aimlessness, also because 130 minutes in the Young Centre’s low-padding and zero-legroom seats is very uncomfortable.
I really enjoyed this afternoon’s performance of a new ballet piece having its world premiere at the National Ballet of Canada this week. Loved the use of Mahler in the second half and was knocked out by the ecstatic finale.
November 8, 2025 at 9:31 PM
I really enjoyed this afternoon’s performance of a new ballet piece having its world premiere at the National Ballet of Canada this week. Loved the use of Mahler in the second half and was knocked out by the ecstatic finale.
Saw this Canadian musical last night and thought it was quite delightful - certainly more enjoyable than the last couple of Broadway touring shows that have come through Toronto (boring Back to the Future, execrable MJ)
October 30, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Saw this Canadian musical last night and thought it was quite delightful - certainly more enjoyable than the last couple of Broadway touring shows that have come through Toronto (boring Back to the Future, execrable MJ)
Saw a Canadian Opera Company performance this evening of Robert Carsen’s arrestingly beautiful production of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice. Iestyn Davies as Orfeo was just stunning.
October 22, 2025 at 2:22 AM
Saw a Canadian Opera Company performance this evening of Robert Carsen’s arrestingly beautiful production of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice. Iestyn Davies as Orfeo was just stunning.
Charmed by Opera Atelier’s English-language performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute this afternoon.
October 19, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Charmed by Opera Atelier’s English-language performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute this afternoon.
Very beautiful Toronto Symphony Orchestra concert last night. Good that Welser-Möst visited from Cleveland to conduct; wish we saw him more often.
October 19, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Very beautiful Toronto Symphony Orchestra concert last night. Good that Welser-Möst visited from Cleveland to conduct; wish we saw him more often.
Last night’s concert: Goerne and Trifonov performing Die Winterreise
October 17, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Last night’s concert: Goerne and Trifonov performing Die Winterreise
Deep admiration for Ted Dykstra and Alexander Thomas as Estragon and Vladimir in Waiting for Godot that I saw this afternoon at Coal Mine Theatre.
October 12, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Deep admiration for Ted Dykstra and Alexander Thomas as Estragon and Vladimir in Waiting for Godot that I saw this afternoon at Coal Mine Theatre.
Hooray, new Pynchon
October 7, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Hooray, new Pynchon
Saw the Canadian Opera Company’s performance of Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette this afternoon. Enjoyed the music and singing, can’t quite say the same about the production - I like when opera directors take risks, but Amy Lane’s conception of the piece didn’t really work for me.
October 5, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Saw the Canadian Opera Company’s performance of Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette this afternoon. Enjoyed the music and singing, can’t quite say the same about the production - I like when opera directors take risks, but Amy Lane’s conception of the piece didn’t really work for me.
Saw Dave Malloy’s Octet at Crow’s Theatre this afternoon. Outstanding direction, music direction, and performances from the entire ensemble of actors.
October 4, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Saw Dave Malloy’s Octet at Crow’s Theatre this afternoon. Outstanding direction, music direction, and performances from the entire ensemble of actors.
First chamber music concert of the Fall season at the Jane Mallett Theatre in Toronto last night was a powerful, intense one: the Ehnes String Quartet with a programme of three heavyweight pieces.
October 1, 2025 at 11:16 AM
First chamber music concert of the Fall season at the Jane Mallett Theatre in Toronto last night was a powerful, intense one: the Ehnes String Quartet with a programme of three heavyweight pieces.
Saw this at Crow’s Theatre this afternoon and thought it was good spooky fun. Byron Abalos is excellent.
September 28, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Saw this at Crow’s Theatre this afternoon and thought it was good spooky fun. Byron Abalos is excellent.
First TIFF screening in the Wavelengths programme this year has me buzzing: Rhayne Vermette’s second feature LEVELS. Chiaroscuro lighting, brooding sound design, occulted symbols and meanings portending the apocalypse — loved it.
September 6, 2025 at 1:07 AM
First TIFF screening in the Wavelengths programme this year has me buzzing: Rhayne Vermette’s second feature LEVELS. Chiaroscuro lighting, brooding sound design, occulted symbols and meanings portending the apocalypse — loved it.
Glad to see this Soulpepper production of a cryptic, confounding Pinter play yesterday evening.
August 24, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Glad to see this Soulpepper production of a cryptic, confounding Pinter play yesterday evening.
Glad to see the remount of this production at the Royal Alexandra last night - I really liked it when I saw it last year at the Crowsnest, and was hugely impressed with how well it plays in the bigger space.
August 21, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Glad to see the remount of this production at the Royal Alexandra last night - I really liked it when I saw it last year at the Crowsnest, and was hugely impressed with how well it plays in the bigger space.
Casablanca
Singin’ in the Rain
Withnail and I
Singin’ in the Rain
Withnail and I
Name 3 Films you've seen 10 times.
August 20, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Casablanca
Singin’ in the Rain
Withnail and I
Singin’ in the Rain
Withnail and I
Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts in Toronto tonight.
August 18, 2025 at 3:32 AM
Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts in Toronto tonight.
first album you ever bought with your own money?
August 16, 2025 at 1:13 AM
first album you ever bought with your own money?
Saw this exquisite production in Stratford yesterday afternoon. Highlight of this year’s Festival.
July 20, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Saw this exquisite production in Stratford yesterday afternoon. Highlight of this year’s Festival.
Saw this in Stratford last night and thought it was delightful.
July 19, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Saw this in Stratford last night and thought it was delightful.
Saw this in Stratford last night. Some “wow, cool” visual moments as expected from a Robert Lepage production - but for me the design elements overwhelmed the performances.
July 18, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Saw this in Stratford last night. Some “wow, cool” visual moments as expected from a Robert Lepage production - but for me the design elements overwhelmed the performances.