Watch Dmitri Hvorostovsky in The Demon from Moscow

February 3, 2015, 5:20 pm

≫ Next: Sexy photos of Soloman Howard in Approaching Ali

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Dmitri Hvorostovsky onstage and backstage for The Demon

We have photos and we have the video!!!

Yes, we have this sexy backstage photo of über-barihunk Dmitri Hvorostovsky as he readied for his role debut in Anton Rubinstein’s 1871 opera The Demon this week at the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow. There is still one more performance on February 5th, but for those who can't jet off to Moscow, here is the video of the entire performance.

In the semi-staged performances Hvorostovsky sings the haunting and seductive title role under the baton of Mikhail Tatarnikov with the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia accompanying. Also featured in the cast are soprano Asmik Grigorian, contralto Larisa Kostyuk, countertenor Vadim Volkov, tenor Vasily Efimov, and basses Alexander Tsymbalyuk and Dmitry Skorikov. Dmitry Bertman directs.

The setting of the Demon is somewhere between heaven, hell and earth – just as the demon himself is a fallen angel, an inwardly torn character, a negating power and adversary of the angel at the same time. Unable to love and still be humble, he falls in love with Tamara, who is about to marry Prince Gudal’s son, and kills the bridegroom. The bride escapes to a convent and is visited by the demon, who promises to renounce evil and pictures their future as eternity and boundless power. Tamara, yielding to temptation, is killed when he kisses her. In the struggle for her soul, the angel keeps the upper hand, for "he who loves belongs to paradise". For the demon, nothing has really changed: he carries on living in eternal damnation and loses his hope in the shape of Tamara, with whom he shared his solitude, his longing for love, his thirst for knowledge and the sadness resulting from it all.

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Sexy photos of Soloman Howard in Approaching Ali

February 4, 2015, 8:07 am

≫ Next: David Shipley named Jette Parker Young Artist

≪ Previous: Watch Dmitri Hvorostovsky in The Demon from Moscow

Soloman Howard in Approaching Ali

Bass-barihunk Soloman Howard just wrapped up a reprisal of his performance as boxing great Muhammad Ali in DJ Sparr's Approaching Ali with the North Carolina Opera. Howard sang in the world premiere of the opera in the Summer of 2013 at the Kennedy Center.

Sparr's one-hour opera was created under the auspices of the American Opera Initiative, Washington National Opera’s program for commissioning contemporary American opera. The libretto is by Mark Campbell and Davis Miller, based on Miller’s own autobiographical novella.

Soloman Howard in Approaching Ali

Fortunately for our readers, a number of amazing pictures appeared in Raleigh's Indy Week magazine of the singer accompanied by this article.

The opera tells the story of a young boy in North Carolina in the early 1960s who overcomes the loss of his mother and the trauma of being bullied when he sees Muhammad Ali on television. More than 20 years later, as a writer on the brink of middle age, he seeks to rekindle that spirit by visiting his boyhood hero in person at the home of Ali’s mother in Louisville.

Soloman Howard had a successful debut this season as the King in Verdi's Aida at the Met. This summer he'll sing Banco in Verdi's Macbeth and Sarastro in Mozart's The Magic Flute at the Glimmerglass Festival.

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David Shipley named Jette Parker Young Artist

February 4, 2015, 4:16 pm

≫ Next: Barihunks hit the road with English Touring Opera

≪ Previous: Sexy photos of Soloman Howard in Approaching Ali

David Shipley

British bass-barihunk David Shipley was one of five applicants out of 370, who were chosen to join the prestigious Jette Parker Young Artists Programme at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Applicants from 59 countries competed for the coveted slots in a process that started back in August 2014. A shortlist of just twelve singers auditioned in the final round on the Royal Opera House’s main stage, in front of a panel including Royal Opera House Music Director Antonio Pappano and Director of Opera Kasper Holten.

The other four who were selected are a Russian soprano Vlada Borovko, Irish soprano Jennifer Davis, Australian mezzo-soprano Emily Edmonds and Korean tenor David Junghoon Kim.

As a Jette Parker Young Artist, from September 2015 Shipley will spend two years at the Royal Opera House, performing in a variety of main-stage productions, concerts and recitals; covering lead roles; and receiving world-class coaching in all opera disciplines including languages, stagecraft and role interpretation.

David Shipley is currently a scholar on the opera course at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, studying with Janice Chapman. He previously studied at the Royal Academy of Music.

The Royal Opera House has announced five additions to the Jette Parker programme, which trains young singers and pays them a salary for two years.
The five are a Russian soprano Vlada Borovko, Irish soprano Jennifer Davis, Australian mezzo-soprano Emily Edmonds, Korean tenor David Junghoon Kim and a British bass David Shipley (pictured). They were picked from some 370 applicants from 59 countries.
- See more at: http://slippedisc.com/2015/02/just-one-brit-among-five-covent-garden-trainees/#sthash.IhTduqVW.dpuf

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Barihunks hit the road with English Touring Opera

February 4, 2015, 6:43 pm

≫ Next: Kevin Thompson returns to San Francisco for Entführung

≪ Previous: David Shipley named Jette Parker Young Artist

Nicholas Lester (left) & Peter Brathwaite (photos from English Touring Opera)

The English Touring Opera is kicking off their new Spring season with some barihunks in key roles.

Peter Brathwaite, who has been a regular on this site and appeared in two of our charity calendars, will take on roles in two Donizetti rarities, Kaidamà in The Wild Man of the West Indies(Il furioso all'isola di San Domingo)and Incognito in The Siege of Calais. This will be the first staging of The Wild Man of the West Indies in Britain in the modern era.

The Siege of Calais tells the story of the sacrifices under siege of the citizens of Calais – and of the sacrifices of citizens everywhere, forced in extreme situations to decide what to give up for their country and their families.

Jan Capiński

Jan Capiński, who is new to this site will appear as Armando in The Siege of Calais. Herecently completed his M.A. in Opera Performance at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, graduating with distinction. He is currently training on English National Opera's Opera Works professional development program. Capiński was spotted by Scottish Opera while still a student and asked to cover the role of Pluto in Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld, before going on to perform the role twice with the main cast, marking his professional debut.

Click HERE to hear Jan Capiński sing Smirnov's aria from Walton's The Bear. You can also follow him on his blog or on Twitter @JanCapinski.

Nicholas Lester, who is also new to this site, will alternate the role of Marcello in Puccini's La bohème with Grant Doyle, who has appeared on this site numerous times. He studied at the Adelaide Conservatorium of Music and at the National Opera Studio, London where his studies were sponsored by Glyndebourne Festival Opera as the recipient of the Anne Woods/Johanna Peters Award. He has also appeared with the Welsh National Opera, English National Opera, Scottish Opera, Nationale Reisopera and Opera Holland Park.

The tour opens in London at the Hackney Empire in March and travels through May to Truro, Norwich, Cheltenham, Suffolk, Leicester, Coventry, Exeter and Buxton. Visit their website for additional cast information and performance dates.

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Kevin Thompson returns to San Francisco for Entführung

February 5, 2015, 12:11 pm

≫ Next: Adonis: Introducing bass-barihunk Chris Webb

≪ Previous: Barihunks hit the road with English Touring Opera

Kevin Thompson returns to the SF Bay Area as Osmin

Bass-barihunk Aaron Sørensen just wrapped up a successful run singing his first Osmin in Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail with the Houston Symphony. Now it's Kevin Thompson's turn to make his role debut in one of the most difficult roles for bass. The opera runs from February 13-22 at West Bay Opera in Palo Alto, California, which is a quick drive for anyone in the San Francisco Bay Area. It certainly will be worth the trip.

Thompson is returning the Bay Area where he was a huge success while with the Merola Opera training program in San Francisco. During his stint with Merola, he performed Falstaff in Nicolai's The Merry Wives of Windsor and a stunning Basilio in Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia. Eugene Brancoveanu, another former Merola graduate and fellow barihunk, will make his company directing debut with this production. He last appeared with the company singing Papageno in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte.

Die Entführung aus dem Serail premiered in 1782 and contains three arias for Osmin, one of which goes down to the lowest reaches of the bass range. Mozart wrote the role of Osmin for the formidable bass Ludwig Fischer, who was a friend of the composer.

The first aria is "Wer ein Liebchen hat gefunden," which advises the listener to reward your loved one with kisses and make her life great, as well as to locking up your woman's other lovers, lest they tempt her to forget her faithfulness.

Kevin Thompson sings Beethoven's Agnus Dei from the Missa Solemnis:

In the aria "Solche hergelaufne Laffen" Osmin graphically explains why he does not like Pedrillo. It's is mainly because Osmin and Pedrillo are both in love with Blondchen and Pedrillo is in better favor with both Blondchen and the Pasha.

After Pedrillo, Belmonte, Blondchen, and Konstanze are captured trying to escape, Osmin sings of the delight that he will have when they are all hanged in the aria "O wie will ich triumphieren," which dips down to a Low D (D2). Click HERE to listen to an amazing version by Kurt Moll.

The cast at West Bay Opera also includes Nikki Einfeld (another Merola graduate) as Kostanze, Michael Desnoyers as Belmonte, Tapan Bhat at Pedrillo adn Chelsea Hollow as Blonde. Tickets are available online.

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Adonis: Introducing bass-barihunk Chris Webb

February 6, 2015, 9:32 am

≫ Next: AVA's Bohemian Barihunks shine at Met Auditions

≪ Previous: Kevin Thompson returns to San Francisco for Entführung

Bass-barihunk Chris Webb

Chris Webb is new to our site and part of a group of young singers that the U.K.'s Opera Lyrica is taking on two tours of Britain. The singers will perform in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, as well as Blow's Venus and Adonis. Appropriately, Webb will be singing Adonis.

Webb attended Clare College Cambridge, where he sang in the chorus and appeared as a soloist with baroque music specialist Sir Roger Norrington on BBC Radio 3 with the Academy of Ancient Music. He has been appearing with a number of vocal ensembles, including the Zürcher Sing-Akademie and the a cappella group Over the Bridge.

Early music has played a big part in his burgeoning career, having sung Giove in Cavalli's La Calisto with the Hampstead Garden Opera, Melisso in Handels'Alcina with Musica Poetica London and Sleep/Winter in Purcell's Fairy Queen with Ars Eloquentiae.

His current tour with Opera Lyrica runs from February 15-21 and will take him to London, Oxford, Hampshire and Wiltshire. Additional performances are scheduled for May. Visit their website for additional information. This also marks Opera Lyrica's first appearance on our site.

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AVA's Bohemian Barihunks shine at Met Auditions

February 6, 2015, 6:15 pm

≫ Next: Honorary Barihunk Joyce DiDonato sings out against hate

≪ Previous: Adonis: Introducing bass-barihunk Chris Webb

Nathan Milholin, Anthony Schneider, Jared Bybee and Michael Adams(L-R)

The Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia is kicking off a twelve day run of Puccini's La bohème featuring four barihunks who all recently shined in the Metropolitan Opera Auditions.

On February 2nd, we ran a feature on Michael Adams winning the New Orleans District regionals. He'll be singing Schaunard on opening night, Thursday, February 7th.

His Colline will be Nathan Milholin, who was regional finalist at the Philadelphia District auditions. He's sharing the role with Anthony Schneider, who also was a finalist at the Philadelphia District auditions.

We certainly can't forget about Marcello, who will be sung on opening night by Jared Bybee, another winner at the Philadelphia District auditions.

Adams and Bybee have both been featured on this site before, but Milholin and Schneider are new to our readers. Milholin, who hails from Greensboro, North Carolina, is a first-year resident artist at AVA. Bass Anthony Schneider, grew up in Auckland, New Zealand and Vienna, Austria, and is a second-year artist at AVA.

Tickets for all performances are available online.

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Honorary Barihunk Joyce DiDonato sings out against hate

February 6, 2015, 6:42 pm

≫ Next: NPR features segment on Dallas Opera world premiere

≪ Previous: AVA's Bohemian Barihunks shine at Met Auditions

Honorary Barihunk Joyce DiDonato

Joyce DiDonato is one of only three non-baritones to be bestowed "Honorary Barihunk" status and for good reason. The latest is her recent performance at the Stonewall Inn in New York City in honor of Mark Carson, a gay man who was killed nearby in a senseless hate crime.

The idea of a murder happening blocks away from the Stonewall Inn is incomprehensible to me," DiDonato says. "It shouldn't happen anywhere. It tells me that we're not done talking, and we are not done working for people to comprehend what equality is about and why it is important."

Joyce DiDonato performing at the Stonewall Inn on NPR:

The mezzo-soprano sang "When I am Laid in Earth" from Henry Purcell's opera Dido and Aeneas, which includes the line "Remember me, but ah! forget my fate."

This isn't the first time that the singer has taken a very public and very musical stand on the issue. In 2013, she performed "Over the Rainbow" at the Proms in London devoting it to LGBT voices silenced by Russia's anti-gay laws. At the Santa Fe Opera, she dedicated a performance to a gay New Mexican teen who committed suicide after being bullied.

By the way, the first four letters of Joyce's last name spell DIDO.

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NPR features segment on Dallas Opera world premiere

February 8, 2015, 7:13 am

≫ Next: Xavier Rivera in free San Francisco concert

≪ Previous: Honorary Barihunk Joyce DiDonato sings out against hate

Andrew Bidlack (left) & Craig Verm (right) in Everest

The Dallas Opera just wrapped up the world premier of composer Joby Talbot and librettist Gene Scheer's Everest at the Dallas Opera. The opera confronts the tragic events surrounding an ill-fated Everest expedition and features actual climber and barihunk Craig Verm, who made his debut with the company. NPR recently ran a segment on the production, which you can listen to online.

Gene Scheer was fascinated by the infamous 1996 expeditions. He wrote the libretto for Everest after traveling around the world to interview survivors of that doomed climb. Everest is British composer Joby Talbot's first opera, after a career that has has included writing for film, television and ballet. Talbot tells NPR that he was especially eager to create a sound world around the peak.

Boehrihunk: John David Boehr

The cast included hunkentenor Andrew Bidlack, mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, bass Kevin, barihunk John David Boehr and was conducted by the Nicole Paiement.

Craig Verm and Kevin Burdette team up again on March 13 and 15 at the Florentine Opera in Milwaukee for Robert Aldridge's Elmer Gantry. Tickets and additional information are available online. John David Boehr (aka Boehrihunk) can next be seen on February 11th performing scenes and arias in Opera Viva! with Minnesota Opera at the Covenant Village of Golden Valley.

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Xavier Rivera in free San Francisco concert

February 11, 2015, 10:00 am

≫ Next: Tulsa Opera showcasing barihunks for Valentine's Day (and some hunkentenors!)

≪ Previous: NPR features segment on Dallas Opera world premiere

Xavier Rivera: Pearl Fishers selfie

You can hear 2015 Barihunk calendar model Xavier Rivera for free on Friday, February 13th at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He'll be performing the Zurga-Laïla duet from Bizet's The Pearl Fishers. The concert starts at 7:30 PM.

The program will also include other artists in arias and duets from Humperdink's Hansel and Gretel,
Rachel Portman's The Little Prince. Gounod'sRoméo et Juliette and Massenet's Manon.

The Puerto Rican native recently appeared in San Juan in Puccini's La bohème and has performed in Mozart's Requiem with the Oakland East Bay Symphony and the Coronation Mass in the San Francisco Master Chorale in San Josè and Castro Valley, California.

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Tulsa Opera showcasing barihunks for Valentine's Day (and some hunkentenors!)

February 12, 2015, 8:12 am

≫ Next: Introducing British barihunk Felix Kemp

≪ Previous: Xavier Rivera in free San Francisco concert

Kasey Yeargain (left in tee shirt) with Stefan Barner;Backstage for Romeo & Juliet (right)

What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day, but with a classic love story like Romeo & Juliet (although we hope your romance ends better). The Tulsa Opera is presenting the Gounod classic on this weekend for lovers, with performances bookending the holiday on February 13 and 15.

Barichunk to barihunk Kasey Yeargain continues to be a fan favorite with the company and he takes on the role of Paris, Juliet's other suitor and the favorite of Romeo's dad. This summer he'll be singing Jud Fry in Rodgers and Hammerstein' Oklahoma! with the Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma from June 23rd - June 27th.

Also in the cast are hunkentenor, Daniel Montenegro as Romeo and Stefan Barner as Tybalt.

Jeremy Milner

Also in the cast of Romeo & Juliet is Tulsa native Jeremy Milner, who is new to this site. The bass-barihunk recently débuted the role of Hagen in Götterdämmerung with the Grand Théâtre de Genève and performed in Shostakovich's The Nose at the Metropolitan Opera.

He'll be appearing in Don Carlo with Opera Philadelphia from April 24 to May 3. He's become a regular with the company, having performed performed Colline in La bohème, Zuniga in Carmen, Minotauros in Henze’s Phaedra, Lodovico in Otello, Grenvil in La traviata, Simone in Gianni Schicchi, and Le fauteuil in L’enfant et les sortilèges.

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Introducing British barihunk Felix Kemp

February 12, 2015, 11:19 am

≫ Next: Simon Keenlyside cancelling all performances through April

≪ Previous: Tulsa Opera showcasing barihunks for Valentine's Day (and some hunkentenors!)

Felix Kemp showing his Wagnerian side

We discover new barihunks in a variety of ways, with the most common way still being from readers. It used to come almost exclusively from emails and Facebook, but lately we're seeing more suggestions appear on Twitter.

That's how British barihunk Felix Kemp came to our attention. In fact, it came from fellow barihunk James Newby, who we introduced to readers in August 2013 and recently featured on the site.

Kemp lives in London and studies singing with Neil Baker at postgraduate level at Trinity Laban, where he's supported by the Kathleen Roberts vocal scholarship. He also receives coaching from mezzo soprano Wendy Dawn Thompson.

Felix Kemp

Recent concerts have include the bass solos in Bach's St John Passion in Oslo, Bach's Magnificat in London and Bach's Christmas Oratorio in the English town of Leighton Buzzard. Last summer he performed as part of the Grange Park chorus in Britten's Peter Grimes and Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades. He also participated in masterclasses with British Youth Opera.

In 2014, Felix won the audience prize at the John Kerr Award for English Song competition, and performed in a masterclass with Sir John Eliot Gardiner as part of the Greenwich International Early Music Festival.

Engagements this season include bass solos in Mozart's Coronation Mass and Solemn Vespers Tunbridge Wells, Dvorak's Stabat Mater in Leeds, and Wagner's Parsifal in Valencia with the Philharmonia Chorus as part of their Professional Singers' Scheme. He returns to Grange Park Opera this Summer to appear in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin and Fiddler on the Roof alongside Bryn Terfel.

You can follow both James Newby (@jamesn103) and Felix Kemp (@Felix_Kemp) on Twitter.

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Simon Keenlyside cancelling all performances through April

February 12, 2015, 11:42 am

≫ Next: Wes Mason takes on Stanley Kowalski in Streetcar

≪ Previous: Introducing British barihunk Felix Kemp

Simon Keenlyside

Simon Keenlyside has posted a message on his fan site that he is cancelling all of his performances through April in order to rest his vocal chords. He is withdrawing from Verdi's Falstaff is Munich, his March concert at Avery Fisher Hall in New York, as well as Don Carlo at the Met and in Munich.

We wish him a speedy recover and look forward to his expected return for Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin in Munich.

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Wes Mason takes on Stanley Kowalski in Streetcar

February 13, 2015, 7:27 am

≫ Next: John Brandon's singing Valentine in Monroe, Louisiana

≪ Previous: Simon Keenlyside cancelling all performances through April

Wes Mason backstage during Streetcar rehearsals

The revised chamber version of André Previn’s opera A Streetcar Named Desire, is opening at the Kentucky Opera tonight. This version, first presented by the Merola Opera in San Francisco last season, was prepared by Peter Grunberg, a music coach at San Francisco Opera and assistant to conductor Michael Tilson Thomas.

Taking on the critical role of Stanley is barihunk Wes Mason, who has been blogging about his preparation for the role, as well as his special relationship with the city of New Orleans, where the opera takes place. You can read those here and here.

He's joined by Maria Kanyova as Blanche, Marco Cammarota as Mitch and Anya Matanovic as Stella. Tickets are available online.

Wes Mason sings Duparc's Phydilé:

When Mason wraps up on Sunday, he'll trade Stanley's muscle tee shirt for some board shorts, as he heads to the Hawaii Opera Theatre for Jonathan Dove's Siren Song. The opera focuses on the love letters of a sailor who is writing to a gorgeous model who may not be all she seems. Performance run from March 20-29.

He then heads back to the Fort Worth Opera, where we first discovered him in another new work, Jorge Martín's Before Night Falls. He'll be making his role debut in Ambroise Thomas'Hamlet. Performance are May 2 and May 10 and additional information is available online.

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John Brandon's singing Valentine in Monroe, Louisiana

February 13, 2015, 3:04 pm

≫ Next: Zachary Altman's sexy shepherd in Daphne

≪ Previous: Wes Mason takes on Stanley Kowalski in Streetcar

John Brandon

Barihunk John Brandon will be part of the Louisiana Opera's "Lovin' Broadway" Valentine's Day party in Kilbourne Hall at Grace Episcopal Church. Brandon will join soprano Betsy Uschkrat, tenor Tyler Smith, soprano Claire Vangelisti, tenor Julian Jones and accompanist Richard Seiler for an evening of Broadway solos and duets.

Brandon, who made his debut with Louisiana Opera last May in Pagliacci will returen this summer to sing the title role in Rossini's The Barber of Seville on June 5 and 7 at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

For information or will-call reservations, call 318-342-3247

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Zachary Altman's sexy shepherd in Daphne

February 13, 2015, 4:31 pm

≫ Next: First video of Wes Mason as Stanley Kowalski

≪ Previous: John Brandon's singing Valentine in Monroe, Louisiana

Zach Altman (center) and a dancer in Basel

Barihunk Zach Altman is appearing in German director Christof Loy's regie theater production of Richard Strauss' Daphne at the Basel Theater. Loy, who Loy was voted "Director of the Year" by the critics of the German music magazine Opernwelt is well-known in Germany for his "contemporary" productions of masterpieces like Idomeneo, Don Giovanni, Der Rosenkavalier and La bohème.

Altman, who appears as one of the shepherds certainly holds his own with any of the members of the Basel dance troupe, all of whom appear in the opera bedecked only in white shorts.

Dancers with soprano Agneta Eichenholz

Zach Altman (center)

We won't bore you with too many words and we'll let the pictures do the talking. The opera runs through June 23rd. Altman will be appearing as Tarquinius in their upcoming production of Britten's The Rape of Lucretia and Guglielmo in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte. Altman better stay in shape, as Cosi is directed by Calixto Bieito, who is known for showing some skin in his productions.

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First video of Wes Mason as Stanley Kowalski

February 14, 2015, 10:39 am

≫ Next: Watch Dan Kempson discuss singing "iconic" Stanley Kowalski role in Streetcar

≪ Previous: Zachary Altman's sexy shepherd in Daphne

Wes Mason and Anya Matanovic

The cast of Kentucky Opera's A Streetcar Named Desire

We recently posted about Wes Mason performing Stanley Kowalski in the revised chamber version of André Previn’s opera A Streetcar Named Desire at the Kentucky Opera. We have the first pictures and video of the performance for you to enjoy.

He's cast mates are Maria Kanyova as Blanche, Marco Cammarota as Mitch and Anya Matanovic as Stella. Tickets

Wes Mason sings "You should just know..." from A Streetcar Named Desire (Rehearsal Footage):

There is one additional performance on Sunday, February 15 and tickets are available online.

You can next catch Wes Mason with the Hawaii Opera Theatre for Jonathan Dove's Siren Song in March and in Ambroise Thomas' Hamlet with the Fort Worth Opera Festival in May.

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Watch Dan Kempson discuss singing "iconic" Stanley Kowalski role in Streetcar

February 15, 2015, 6:52 am

≫ Next: Properly introducing John Viscardi

≪ Previous: First video of Wes Mason as Stanley Kowalski

Dan Kempson in A Streetcar Named Desire with Townsend Opera

Today's matinee marks the third an final day of André Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire, which was done in collaboration between the Fresno Grand Opera and Townsend Opera in Modesto. The opera played to enthusiastic crowds in Modesto and gushing reviews.

The cast includes Dan Kempson as Stanley Kowalski, Carrie Hennessey as Blanche DuBois, Kiera Duffy as Stella, James Callon as “Mitch,” Sharmay Musacchio as Eunice Hubbel and Robert Norman as Steve Hubbel. In a stroke of genius casting, the two companies were the first to cast Kempson as Stanley Kowalski, affording people in Northern California to get the first glimpse of him in the role.

Dan Kempson in A Streetcar Named Desire with Townsend Opera

The Townsend Opera has just posted a two-part video where Dan Kempson discusses his career, as well as preparing for the role of Stanley Kowalski, first played by Marlon Brando in the 1951 movie of the same name. You can watch Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

Tickets for the February15th matinee performance are available online.

Kempson can next be seen from March 13-29 in the world premiere of Somtow Sucharitkul's The Snow Dragon with the Skylight Music Theatre in Milwaukee. The opera centers on the relationship between Dora Marx, a jaded children’s counselor who has lost her sense of direction, and Billy Binder, a physically abused foster boy whose rage is so powerful it has opened a doorway into another world called the Fallen Country. Kempson plays the evil Ringmaster, who Billy must defeat to overcome his problems.

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Properly introducing John Viscardi

February 20, 2015, 7:53 am

≫ Next: André Courville to get devilish at AVA

≪ Previous: Watch Dan Kempson discuss singing "iconic" Stanley Kowalski role in Streetcar

John Viscardi (photo Arielle Doneson)

We kind of introduced American barihunk three years ago while he was at the Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) in Philadelphia, when we featured him in a photo of students mocking a Vanity Fair spread of famous opera singers. However, it was just pointed out to us that we've actually never profiled the lyric baritone as we have Scott Conner and Wes Mason, who also appeared in the photo.

We just learned that he's been cast as Valentin in Gounod's Faust at the Michigan Opera Theater with Matt Boehler as Méphistophélès, which is running from May 9-17. This will be his debut with the company.

In the 2013/14 season, Viscardi performed Torero in Osvaldo Golijov'sAinadamar and Abdallo in Verdi's Nabucco with Opera Philadelphia, and made his debuts with the Shreveport and Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestras. He was also featured soloist in “Eve and Friends” with Maestro Eve Queler at Alice Tully Hall, and an Apprentice Artist with Santa Fe Opera. One of our favorite events was a joint concert with fellow barihunk Wes Mason in Philadelphia.

His repertoire includes Dr. Malatesta in Don Pasquale, Belcore in L’elisir d’amore, Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, the title role in Billy Budd, Pelléas in Pelléas et Mélisande, and Yeletsky in Pique Dame.

(l-r) Alexandra Maximova, Scott Conner, Maria Aleida, Nelson Ebo, Wes Mason, John Viscardi, and Chrystal Williams

Previous seasons have showcased Viscardi in Babes in Toyland as the Toy Soldier in his Lincoln Center debut at Avery Fisher Hall, as Prunier in La Rondine with Des Moines Metro Opera, The Dancing Master and Lamplighter in Manon Lescaut with the Opera Company of Philadelphia, and Lensky in Eugene Onegin with Opera Naples.

His awards include 4th place in the 2014 Giulio Gari Foundation Vocal Competition, Audience Favorite in the 2014 Annapolis Opera’s Vocal Competition, receipt of Santa Fe Opera’s 2013 Anna Case McKay Memorial Award, the Bertha Koempel Award in the 2012 Liederkranz Foundation Competition, a 2012 George London Foundation encouragement award, the Lys Symonette Award from the 2011 Kurt Weill Foundation- Lotte Lenya Competition, 2nd Place Prize in the 2011 Giargiari Bel Canto Competition, 1st place in the 2010 Mario Lanza Scholarship Competition, and 3rd place in the 2010 Giargiari Bel Canto Competition.

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André Courville to get devilish at AVA

February 20, 2015, 8:16 am

≫ Next: Michael Weyandt to sing world premiere of "Barihunk Song"

≪ Previous: Properly introducing John Viscardi

André Courville being a little devilish

Our post this morning about AVA graduate John Viscardi performing Valentin in Gounod's Faust with the Michigan Opera, prompted almost an immediate reply from a Philadelphia opera fanatic who informed us that current AVA student André Courville will be performing bass role of Méphistophélès. He'll be performing the role from April 25-May 9 at the Helen Corning Warden Theater in Philadelphia, Centennial Hall in Haverford and Central Bucks East H.S. in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Additional information can be found online.

If you can't wait until April, you catch the Louisiana native as the bass soloist in Bach's Mass in B minor with

Vox Ama Deus a the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia form March 2-April 3.

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