Dmitri Hvorostovsky cancels Enescu Festival recital

September 4, 2017, 11:47 am

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Dmitri Hvorostovsky as Iago at the Vienna State Opera in 2013

Barihunk Dmitri Hvorostovsky has pulled out of his September 22 recital at the Georges Enesco Festival "due to medical problems." The announcement comes just days after the Vienna State Opera announced that Marco Cario would be replacing the Siberian singer as Ankarström in Verdi's Un ballo in maschera. Hvorostovsky’s recital will be taken over by soprano Kristine Opolais.

Hvorostovsky was diagnosed with a brain tumor in the summer of 2015 and subsequently cancelled concerts in Kaliningrad, Minsk and Vienna, as well as performances in the Met's  production of Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin. He made a brief return for a concert in Toronto and appeared at the Met Gala.

That leaves a September 26th recital at the Russian Federation in Moscow as the only remaining item on his calendar.

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Google honors baritone Eduard Khil with doodle

September 6, 2017, 6:37 am

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Eduard Khil and his Google doodle

Google paid Russian baritone Eduard Khil the ultimate honor with creating a doodle for him on September 4th, which would have been his birthday. Khil was born in 1934 and died five years ago.

Despite having studied at the Leningrad Conservatory (now the Saint Petersburg Conservatory), having won numerous singing awards and going on to a career at the Saint Petersburg State Theatre Arts Academy, he became most famous for singing “I Am Glad Because I Am Finally Returning Back Home.” The song was posted on YouTube in 2009 and became known as the “trololo,” due to Khil repeating the phrase “trololo.” The track became an internet sensation and appeared on several television programs including “Family Guy,” "The Colbert Report" and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”

Lottery Fever clip from Family Guy featuring the Trololo Song:

The Trololo video first appeared on February 21, 2010, the most prominent of those being the "Trololo" website trololololololololololo.com that helped push the video into popular awareness, receiving more than 3,000,000 hits in its first month.

After his singing career faded in the early 1990s, Khil re-entered private life and worked in a cafe in Paris, singing cabaret. For his 75th birthday in 2009, Khil was awarded the "Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 4th Class" by Russia and the next year he performed in the St. Petersburg Victory Day Parade. Upon his death from a stroke in 2012, condolences came from all corners of the world, including from Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Battle of the Baritones at Wigmore/Kohn Competition?

September 6, 2017, 10:16 am

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John Brancy, Josh Quinn and Julien van Mellaerts

Three of the most talented young baritones in opera have made it to the final round of the Wigmore Hall/Kohn Foundation International Song Competition, which will be held on Thursday, September 7th. John Brancy, Josh Quinn, Julien van Mellaerts and compete alongside mezzo-soprano Clara Osowski, setting up a Battle of the Baritones (plus a low-voice female singer!).

You can watch the final round live online at the Wigmore/Kohn website at 6 PM GST/1 PM EST/10 AM PST.

You can watch the semi-final round HERE. Josh Quinn performed  Schubert's Memnon, Poulenc 4 Poèmes de Guillaume Apollinaire, Finnissy's Outside Fort Tregantle and Schubert's Der Zwerg. John Brancyperformed Schubert's Liebeslauschen and Erlkönig, Frank Bridge's Love went a-riding, Faure's Dans la nymphée and Wolseley Charles' The green-eyed dragon. Julien van Mellaerts performed Der Einsame and Wandrers Nachtlied II, Gurney's In Flanders, Butterworth's Is my team plouging? and Poulenc's Les gars qui vont a la fete.

Baritones Sweep Wigmore/Kohn Song Competition

September 7, 2017, 8:52 pm

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The "Battle of the Baritones" at the Wigmore Hall/Kohn Foundation International Song Competition ended up with baritones taking all three of the top prizes. It repeats the baritone trifecta of the last competition in 2015, when Swiss bass Milan Siljanov took 1st Prize, German baritone Samuel Hasselhorn took 2nd Prize, and British baritone James Newby took 3rd Prize.

What started with 150 singers from 42 countries ended up coming down to the baritone trio, plus mezzo-soprano Clara Osowski, who walked away for the Richard Tauber prize for the best Schubert singing. You can watch the entire final round HERE.

First Prize went to New Zealand baritone Julien Van Mellaerts who received £10,000 and a Wigmore Hall recital offered at the discretion of the Director, Second Prize went to American baritone John Brancy who received £5,000 and Third Prize went to American baritone Josh Quinn who received £2,500.

The Wigmore Hall/Kohn Foundation International Song Competition has been around for fourteen years and attracts some of the top young vocal and piano talent in the world. Singers compete in tandem with an accompanist. This Competition recognizes the song tradition as a whole and requires contestants to perform in at least three languages. At the same time it honors the Lied’s place at the heart of the song repertoire and celebrates the Shakespearean stature of Schubert in the genre.

Baritones have historically fared well at the competition, with the amazing German baritone Dominik Köninger winning the top prize in 2011, Gavan Ring taking 2nd Prize in 2013, the famous 2015 trifecta and this year's repeat of baritones taking all three top prizes.  The Competition is held only in odd numbered years.

Iowa Public Television to broadcast "Billy Budd" with Craig Verm

September 14, 2017, 6:14 am

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Craig Verm as Billy Budd(photos: Des Moines Metro Opera)

On September 29th, Iowa Public Television will broadcast the world premiere of the newly orchestrated version of Benjamin Britten's Billy Budd. The opera features barihunk Craig Verm, whose promo photo from this production were featured in our 2017 Barihunks Calendar. The episode will be available online.

The production, which was filmed in July, features a number of other singers familiar to readers, including Zachary James as the evil John Claggart, Michael Adams as Donald, Emmett O'Hanlon as the Novice's Friend and barihunk turned hunkentenor Chris Carr as Maintop. The all-male cast included 70 singers and was the largest ensemble in the 45 year history of the Des Moines Metro Opera. [Zachary James is slated to appear in our 2018 calendar].

The Iowa Public Television coverage includes behind-the-scenes footage and perspectives on the making of Billy Budd, the stage experience, the opera’s complex emotional themes, as well as interviews with Des Moines Metro Opera General and Artistic Director Michael Egel, conductor David Neely, stage director Kristine McIntyre and principal cast members.

Craig Verm as Billy Budd(photos: Des Moines Metro Opera)

“'Billy Budd' is a true masterpiece,” said Craig Verm, the baritone featured in the title role. “It’s epic in its scope of onstage forces of orchestration, of story, of morality, and of good and evil. It’s gripping. It’s magical.”

In 2007, Verm first appeared in the opera as the Novice's Friend in Pittsburgh opposite the Billy Budd of Nathan Gunn and the thrilling Claggart of Greer Grimsley. The production was directed by the woman who inspired Barihunks, Francesca Zambello.

Billy Budd had its world premier at London’s Royal Opera House on December 1, 1951 conducted by the composer with the role of Captain Vere sung by Britten’s partner Peter Pears. Billy Budd received its United States premiere in 1952 at the Indiana University Opera Company with Jack Gillaspy in the title role.

A number of famous barihunks have sung the role of Billy Budd, who many believe was secretly desired by the evil Claggart. Famous barihunk Billy Budd's include John Chest, Simon Keenlyside, Richard Stilwell, Nathan Gunn, Rod Gilfry, Bo Skovhus, Thomas Hampson, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Peter Mattei, Lauri Vasar, Lucas Meachem, Jacques Imbrailo, Daniel Belcher, Roderick Williams, Iurii Samoilov and Liam Bonner. 

Q&A with Barihunk and Fitness Instructor Zacharias Niedzwiecki

September 16, 2017, 7:36 am

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Zacharias Niedzwiecki

Chicago-based barihunk Zacharias Niedzwiecki is new to our site and came to our attention earlier this year when he performed in Purcell's The Fairy Queen at Long Beach Opera. He received his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University, where he performed in numerous productions, including the role of Connie Rivers in the collegiate premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon's The Grapes of Wrath, Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance as The Pirate King, Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann as Schlémiel, Kurt Weill's Mahagonny Songspiel as Jimmy/Cypress Stark, and Puccini's La Bohème as Colline.

Niedzwiecki is in his second year as a member of the Professional Diploma in Opera Program at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts in conjunction with Chicago Opera Theater. Last season he made his debut this with Chicago Opera Theater in Frank Martin’s The Love Potion as Duke Hoël, covered the role of Oberon in Purcell’s The Fairy Queen with Chicago Opera Theater and Long Beach Opera, and appeared in the US premiere of Phillip Glass’ The Perfect American.

This season you can see Zacharias with Chicago Opera Theater in Menotti’s The Consul as Assan, the world premiere of Kevin Puts’ Elizabeth Cree as both Mr. Etcher and Karl Marx. He will also be covering multiple roles with the Lyric Opera of Chicago in Gregory Spears’s opera Fellow Travelers.

Niedzwiecki is also a cycle instructor and yoga teacher keeps his body as fit as his voice. He answered some questions for us about his career, his fitness routine and a little about his personal interests.

Zacharias Niedzwiecki in Long Beach Opera's The Fairy Queen (photo: Liz Lauren)

1. What drew you to a career in opera?I was first drawn to the beauty of opera. When I was young, I thought that it was the most beautiful art form I ever experienced. I wanted to somehow be that beautiful too, so I aspired to be an opera singer. Somehow those aspirations became reality. 

2. You are a cycle instructor and yoga teacher. Tell us about that and what got you started in fitness? I first got started in fitness simply to get in shape. I didn't feel entirely comfortable in my own skin so I made the choice to change that. Years later is just part of my lifestyle, besides teaching fitness working out everyday is just part of my routine. Some people read the paper with their coffee in the morning, I workout. 

Zacharias Niedzwiecki teaching yoga

3. Do you feel that being in shape helps you on stage?I absolutely feel that being in shape helps many aspects of stage. I first started with vinyasa yoga. I read so many articles about singers who have worked out and became too tight to be successful in an operatic career. I didn't want that so I chose yoga as a way to tone and refine my movements. Being in shape allows in my opinion for you to have more bodily awareness on stage and at the same time look good doing it. 

4. How do you respond to people who say that working out can restrict proper breathing for singers? As far as restricting proper breathing for singers I completely understand this thought, it's valid. For that reason I believe a work out regimen should be balanced. That's why I combine workouts in yoga, cycling, and interval training. Yoga itself is about breath and movement, lengthening the body and flexibility. Therefore I feel it is essential to incorporate yoga into all workouts routines. If and when I lift, I only lift so much that I can still have proper form and not so much weight that I ever strain. Regardless the voice should come first, if you notice something has begun to restrict your breath stop doing it. 

Zacharias Niedzwiecki

5. Do you think the advent of HD broadcasts has changed the expectation of how a singer should look? Absolutely, I believe it has cause viewers to once again rethink this art form. Opera is an aural art form and a visual art form. With this in mind, it now being broadcasted, and our more health conscious society I feel the expectation have shifted for you to not only sound incredible, but for you to also look the role and look good doing it. 

6. Are there any roles in particular that you really hope to get to perform someday? There are a couple, I would absolutely love to perform the role Hawkins Fuller from Fellow Travelers by Gregory Spears. The story is heart wrenching, the music is gorgeous and I would love to perform as a gay character. I would also like to perform the role of Escamillo from Carmen by Bizet. 

7. What other passions do you have aside from music? I am an avid botanist, my apartment in Chicago is filled with plants. I really enjoy learning about plants and spending time researching about them. I feel growing up gardening vegetables and flower at home in Northern Michigan instilled this passion.

Zacharias Niedzwiecki

8. What do you listen to other than opera? I listen to all kinds of music. Teaching both yoga and cycling and having to make these very different playlists I have to listen to and search through a large variety of music. I really enjoy lately electronic house with female vocals and more chill ambient music like Olafur Arnalds. 

9. Tell us something about yourself that people would be surprised to know. I took a year off from singing when I was 23 and became a research field technician of a Jaguar population density study in Panama. I lived there for about a year in the mountains, hiking everyday setting up camera traps along the mountain ridges.

Anthony Reed takes his act to San Francisco nightclub

September 17, 2017, 4:20 pm

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Bass-barihunk Anthony Reed(Photo: Andrew Bogard)

The San Francisco Opera continues its popular Opera Pop-Up series with bass-barihunk Anthony Reed and director Aria Umezawa, who are teaming up for Operatronica. The latest offering is geared toward those who are curious about opera and like EDM music.

The duo will hit San Francisco's nightclub Mezzanine along with DJ troupe Loves Company, who will grind out some opera related late night beats. General admission is $20 and VIP access is available for $40. Tickets include a swag bag and a chance to meet the artists.

For those who want to hear Anthony Reed in a traditional opera, he's performing Orest's tutor in Richard Strauss'Elektra and Doctor Grenvil in Verdi's La traviata with the San Francisco Opera. Tickets are available online and performances run through September 26th.

Crossing with Rod Gilfry makes NY debut at BAM

September 17, 2017, 8:24 pm

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Rod Gilfry as Walt Whitman in Crossing

Matthew Aucoin's opera Crossing is making its New York premiere at the Brooklyn Academy of Music from October 3-8. The ageless barihunk Rod Gilfry returns in the role of Walt Whitmen, whose Civil War diary that he kept while working as a nurse inspired the opera.

Crossing explores how the individual experiences of soldiers are remembered and told. As Whitman listens to wounded veterans share their memories and messages, he forges a bond with a soldier who forces him to examine his own role as writer and poet. The opera, directed by Diane Paulus, begins with Walt Whitman's prologue, delivered while facing the audience in front a bunch of rickety hospital beds. Whitman sings, “What is it, then, between us?,” a key line from his poem “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry.” While caring for the injured soldiers, Whitman is drawn to a haunted-looking soldier names John Wormley, who is sung by tenor Alexander Lewis. The opera deals with a number of "crossings," including between poet and reader, performer and audience, and the contradictory elements of Walt Whitman himself.

The cast also includes a spate of barihunks, including Davone Tines as a South Carolina slave, Hadleigh Adams, Michael Kelly as a soldier, Ben Lowe, Matthew Patrick Morris and Jorell Williams. Tickets are available online.

The opera heads to California for its West Coast premiere in May 2018 for a concert performance at the Los Angeles Opera, which also stars Rod Gilfry. The opera originally premiered in May 2015 at the Shubert Theater in Boston.

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Richard Rittelmann & Julie Adams team up for "Stop Bullying" fundraiser

September 21, 2017, 7:07 am

≫ Next: Buon Compleanno, Ettore Bastianini

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Richard Rittelmann & Julie Adams

Barihunk Richard Rittelmann and rising soprano star Julie Adams are teaming up for a campaign fundraiser to "Stop Bullying in Schools" sponsored by the Golden Gate Opera. The concert will be at Servino Ristorante in Tiburon, which has spectacular view across the bay to San Francisco.

The duo will perform selections from Puccini's La bohème, Rossini's The Barber of Seville, Dvorak's Rusalka, Korngold's Die Todte Stadt, Wagner's Tannhauser, Bernstein's West Side Story and others.

The Hungarian-French baritone recently presented Julie Adams with the Richard Rittelman Award at the James Toland Vocal Competition in Oakland, which provided the soprano with an all-expense paid trip to perform at the new cultural center “L’Espace du Theiy” in Provence, France. Adams, who was a Metropolitan Opera Auditions winner, also took away the top prize at the James Toland Competition.

You can donate to the Stop Bullying campaign or purchase tickets online.

Buon Compleanno, Ettore Bastianini

September 24, 2017, 7:40 am

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Ettore Bastianini

It is no secret that one of our favorite barihunks of all-time is Ettore Bastianini. We feature him whenever we have an excuse, but what's better than his birthday. Like the German tenor Fritz Wunderlich, we lost him long before his artistry was fully realized. Bastianini died of throat cancer at the age off 44, long before many baritones celebrate their greatest successes.

Bastianini was considered one of the finest Verdi and verismo voices of his day. He made his recital debut as a bass in Siena in 1945 and his stage debut later that year in Ravenna as Colline in Puccini's "La bohème." He later moved into the baritone range where he voice seemed better suited. His top notes thrilled audiences throughout his career for their ringing splendor.

 

He was a regular at La Scala between 1954-1963 and the Vienna State Opera between 1958-1964. In the United States, he performed regularly at Metropolitan Opera between 1954-1957 and at the Lyric Opera of Chicago between 1955-1958.  His last performance was in 1965 at the Metropolitan Opera.
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Only 6 days left for singers to submit photos for our 2018 Barihunks Charity Calendar. Send HI RES photos to Barihunks@gmail.com 

Michael Adams to make Utah Opera debut as Marcello

September 28, 2017, 5:58 am

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Baritone Michael Adams

American barihunk Michael Adams will be making his debut with the Utah Opera as Marcello in Puccini's La bohème, a role he debuted in 2016 at the Grand Théâtre de Genève. He was recently featured in Opera News as being among "25 Rising Stars: Opera's Exciting New Voices."

Adams was recently seen as Donald in Britten's Billy Budd at the Des Moines Metro Opera, a performance that will be broadcast on Iowa Public Television on September 29 at 8:30 PM CST.  The cast includes barihunks Craig Verm in the title role, Zachary James as the evil John Claggart and Emmett O'Hanlon as the Novice's Friend, as well as barihunk turned hunkentenor Chris Carr as Maintop.

Last month, the Washington National Opera announced that Adams would be one of the incoming members of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program, which began this month. Adams will be performing Melisso in Handel's Alcina in November and the Pilot in Portman's The Little Price in December with the company. He also is currently under a fest contract at the Deutsche Oper Berlin.
 
Joining him in the cast of La bohème will be Samuel Schultz as Schaunard, Ao Li as Colline, Jennifer Black as Mimì, Scott Quinn as Rodolfo and Celena Shafer as Musetta. Tickets are available online and performances are on October 7, 9, 11, 13 at 7:30 PM and October 15 at 2 PM.  

Edward Nelson featured in San Francisco Symphony's Oktoberfest

September 29, 2017, 7:28 am

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Barihunk Edward Nelson looking sexy onstage and offstage

Barihunk Edward Nelson is heading up an all-star cast of singers for an Oktoberfest celebration at San Francisco's Davies Symphony Hall on October 3rd. The American singer will be joined by the San Francisco Symphony Chorus and opera stars soprano Julie Adams, mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack and tenor David Blalock.

Bavarian-born associate conductor Christian Reif will lead the orchestra in its first ever Oktoberfest, complete with German food and beer, as well as a polka dance party. Nelson will perform “Fin ch'han dal vino” from Mozart's Don Giovanni  and Ambroise Thomas'"Ô vin, dissipe la tristesse" from Hamlet, both of which have themes around drinking wine. 

Other selections on the program include  Lumbye's Champagne Gallop, Johann Strauss, Jr.'s  Champagne Polka, Romberg's “Drinking Song" and "Libiamo ne' lieti calici" from Verdi's La traviata

Tickets and additional information is available online.

Barihunks calendar and photo book now on sale!

September 30, 2017, 9:00 pm

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Coverboy Jason Duika

Barihunks has released its 2018 calendar, which includes nineteen of opera's hottest singers, hailing from seven countries. Baritones and basses include Alexander Elliot, Brad Baron, Marco Vassalli, Malte Roesner, Cody Quattlebaum, Gianluca Margheri, Jason Duika, Joa Helgesson, Ken Mattice, Règis Mengus, Robert Brouwer, Sam Roberts-Smith, Thomas Weinhappel, Zacharias Niedzwiecki, Zachary James and Zachary Gordin. Most of our calendar ahave included one honorary hunkentenor, but we added three this year, including Derek Chester, Daniel Lopez and John Tibbetts. The calendar is available HERE.

Zacharias Niedzwiecki

Due to requests from our readers, we've added a Barihunks Photo Book, which includes numerous additional photos not included in the calendar. The 20-page photo book is available HERE.

All proceeds will go to promote baritones and musical commissions for low voice.

Jarrett Porter and Brent Michael Smith featured in Hercules vs Vampires

October 1, 2017, 6:30 am

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Jarrett Porter and Brent Michael Smith (taken at Glimmerglass for Barihunks)

The Arizona Opera will present the campy mixed media event Hercules vs Vampires this month in time for Halloween. The production will be performed on October 15th in Tucson, and on October 21st and 22nd in Phoenix. On October 14th, students can receive a special discount for the final dress rehearsal.

Barihunk Jarrett Porter will sing Hercules, while fellow barihunk Brent Michael Smith takes on the dual duty of the God of Evil and Procrustes, the stretcher who hammers out metal.

Hercules vs. Vampires combines opera and midcentury pop culture, synchronizing live music with cult fantasy film Hercules in the Haunted World, a 1961 sword-and-sandal epic starring bodybuilder Reg Park. When the actors projected on the silver screen open their mouths to speak, the audience will hear their lines sung by the cast of the Arizona Opera.

Watch Hercules in the Haunted World in its entirety: 

Directed by the great Italian filmmaker Mario Bava, the film itself is fantastic in every sense of the term, swaddled in glorious early-1960s Technicolor. Action-packed and wildly operatic in scope, the film follows Hercules on a heroic journey to rescue his beloved from a fiendish mastermind of terror, played onscreen by horror legend Christopher Lee.

Porter is a first year Marion Roose Pullin Studio Artist at the Arizona Opera, where he is also appearing as Maximilian in Bernstein's Candide, as Sciarrone in Puccini's Tosca, and as Fiorello in Rossini's The Barber of Seville. He recently appeared at the Glimmerglass Festival as Sam in Oklahoma! alongside fellow barihunk Jarrett Ott.

Brent Michael Smith from the 2017 Barihunks Calendar

Brent Michael Smith, who is featured in our 2017 Barihunks Calendar, recently appeared at the Glimmerglass Festival as Ariodate in Handel's Xerxes and as The Commentator in Derrick Wang’s Scalia/Ginsburg. This season, he joins the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, where he will sing Ferrando in Verdi's Il trovatore, Fafner in Wagner's Das Rheingold and Truffaldino in Richard Strauss'Ariadne auf Naxos. 

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar is now on sale and available HERE. Due to customer demand, we have also created a 20-page Barihunks Photo Book, which features additional photos not included in the calendar. It is available HERE. Both the calendar and photo book feature nineteen of the sexiest singers from seven countries (16 barihunks and 3 hunkentenors!).

Trio of Barihunks returns for BariToned (one night only!)

October 5, 2017, 7:09 am

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Joe Hager, Edward Miskie and Brian Krinsky

Barihunks' 2017 Calendar model Edward Miskie is back with his show "BariToned: I Hate Men," which sold out back in May. The show features three 6'4" tall barihunks, Joe Hager, Brian Krinsky and Miskie and is directed by Broadway's Dan Pardo. 

 

The show returns to The Green Room in New York City on October 6th at 8pm. Tickets are $20 with no food and beverage minimum. Tickets are available online.  

 

The show includes Broadway hits with such favorites as “Always True To You In My Fashion” by Cole Porter from Kiss Me Kate, “Bring On The Men” by Frank Wildhorn from Jekyll & Hyde, “Wash That Man” by Rodgers and Hammerstein from South Pacific, and “Big Spender” by Cy Coleman from Sweet Charity, all mashed up together to create songs about men and their proclivities, all delivered with some gender-bending fun. 

Edward Miskie from the 2017 Barihunks Calendar

Miskie is a New York-based Pennsylvania native who has performed Julian Marsh in 42nd Street, Cinderella's Prince/The Wolf in Into The Woods, Fred Graham in Kiss Me Kate, Adam Pontipee in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and many more. We recently posted about his book"Cancer, Musical Theatre, and Other Chronic Illnesses" which is available on Amazon and Kindle.  

Brian Krinsky also hails from Pennsylvania and was on the national tour of Anything Goes as Billy Crocker and Beauty and the Beast as the Beast/Gaston understudy. He is a regular at the White Heron Theatre Company in Nantucket where he recently portrayed Versati in "The Underpants."

 

Joe Hager is a New York-based Kansas native who has performed Dennis Dupree in Rock of Ages with Norwegian Cruise Lines for the last seven years. Additional credits include the National Tour of Beauty and the Beast as Gaston, the international tour of Phantom of the Opera as Monsieur Richard,  Tom MacKennle in the Seven Year Itch at the York Theatre. Additional credits include Javert in Les Miserables at the Palace Theatre, Sky Masterson in Guys & Dolls at the Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre, Macheath in The Three Penny Opera at the Brevard Music Center, and Marcello in La boheme at Hidden Valley Opera.

 

You can also follow these sexy guys on social media @YouHaveBeenBariToned and at www.YouHaveBeenBariToned.com.  

 

Miskie isn't in the 2018 Barihunks Calendar, but 20 other sexy men are included in our hottest collection of men yet. It's available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!

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John Chest to kick off Oratorio Society of New York's new season

October 5, 2017, 5:47 pm

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John Chest(left, as Guglielmo with the Merola Opera)

Barihunk John Chest, who represented the United States at this year's BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, will join soprano Susanna Phillips with the Oratorio Society of New York for a program of two masterpieces of choral music by Brahms. The November 6th concert will kick off the Oratorio Society's 2017-18 season at Carnegie Hall. Tickets are available online.

The program will include the composer's Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny) and his Ein deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem). The Oratorio Society performed the American premiere of Ein deutsches Requiem in 1877, eight years after its premiere in Cologne, Germany.

John Chest wraps up a run as Guglielmo in Mozart's Così fan tutte at the Bayerische Staatsoper on October 6th.

Barihunks Jason Duika and Zacharias Niedzwiecki

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!

Barihunk trio in Hawaii Opera Theatre's "Carmen"

October 5, 2017, 8:52 pm

≫ Next: Wayne Tigges singing title role in The Flying Dutchman in Atlanta

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Darren Stokes, Brian James Myer and Matt Treviño

Darren Stokes will be singing the role of Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen at the Hawaii Opera Theatre, joined by fellow barihunks Matthew Treviño as Zuniga and Brian James Myer as El Dancaïro.   

Bass-barihunk Darren Stokes, who was a chemist before singing opera full-time, is new to the site. He is an alumnus of the Ryan Opera Center of the Lyric Opera of Chicago and was awarded the Leo M. Rogers Scholarship for Outstanding Apprentice at the Sarasota Opera. This season he toured Germany as Crown in Gershwin's Porgy & Bess, a role he reprised that season in Ithica, New York. He made his mainstage debut at the New York City Opera as Sciarrone in Puccini's Tosca and toured as Escamillo with the company throughout Europe and the Middle East. 

Darren Stokes

The cast for Carmen also includes Kate Aldrich in the title role, Kip Wilborn as Don José and the stunning Talise Trevigne as Micaëla. Performances are on October 13, 15 and 17, and tickets are available online.  

The 2018 Barihunk Calendar and Photo Book

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!

Wayne Tigges singing title role in The Flying Dutchman in Atlanta

October 6, 2017, 7:14 am

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Wayne Tigges as the Dutchman

Wayne Tigges, who just scored a huge triumph as Ray Cohn in New York City Opera's production of Péter Eötvös's Angels in America, will be taking on a completely different role at the Atlanta Opera. 

Tigges will be taking on the title role in Richard Wagner's The Flying Dutchman with an all-star cast that includes soprano Melody Moore as Senta,  Jay Hunter Morris as Erik and the booming bass of Kristinn Sigmundsson as Daland (you have to hear it to believe it!). The production will be directed by Atlanta Opera's General and Artistic Director Tomer Zvulun before moving on to Houston and Cincinnati. 

Wayne Tigges sings "Die Frist is um" from Flying Dutchman:

Based on a Norwegian ghost story, The Flying Dutchman tells of the famed ghost ship doomed to wander the seas until its captain can find a wife. The ghost captain finds his love in a sailor's daughter, Senta, who is trapped in an arranged marriage, but finds escape from her mundane life through her obsession with the Dutchman. When the ghost ship makes port in her hometown, Senta is confronted with the consequences of her love.

Performances are on November 4, 7, 10 and 12 and tickets are available online.

Zacharias Niedzwiecki on the cover of our new photo book

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!

First UK performance of Rameau's Dardanus features barihunk trio

October 6, 2017, 9:45 pm

≫ Next: Thomas Meglioranza to perform Schubert's Winterreise

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Timothy Nelson, Grant Doyle and Frederick Long

The English Touring Opera will present the first U.K. performance of the 1744 version of Rameau's Dardanus. Considered one of the composer's best operas, the story surrounds Jupiter’s son Dardanus who is in love with Iphise, the daughter of his enemy Teucer – a love that, though reciprocated, is forbidden.

The production will feature the bass-barihunk trio of Grant Doyle as Teucer, Timothy Nelson as Anténor and Frederick Long as Isménor. The cast also includes Galina Averina as Iphise and Anthony Gregory in the title role. The opera runs from October 6-November 7 at various locations.

Rameau and his librettist Charles-Antoine Leclerc de La Bruère revised the opera after an unsuccessful premiere at the Paris Opéra in 1739. Much of the operas unfavorable reception can be traced to the so-called lullistes - conservatives who accused him of destroying the French operatic tradition established by rival composer Jean-Baptiste Lully under King Louis XIV in the late 17th century. The revised version has a simpler plot, fewer supernatural features and a greater focus on the emotional conflicts of the main characters.

Mathias Vidal sings "Lieux funestes" the most famous piece from Dardanus:

Timothy Nelson earned a degree in Physiology from Cardiff University before studying with voice at the Royal College of Music International Opera School, where he was awarded the McCulloch Prize for Opera and was a Jerwood Young Artist at the Glyndebourne Festival. He has sung numerous roles at the London Handel Festival, as well as the title role in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Ramiro in Ravel’s L’Heure Espagnole and Don Pomponio in Rossini’s La Gazzetta at the Royal College of Music International Opera School.

Frederick Long received his degree in music from the University of Bristol, a Recital Diploma from the Royal Academy of Music, before continuing his training at the National Opera Studio.
He has recently performed Zebul in Handel's Jephtha​and Schaunard in Puccini's La bohème​for Iford Arts, as well as Papageno in Mozart's The Magic Flute for Mid-Wales Opera.

Grant Doyle has performed numerous roles with the English Touring Opera, including the title role in Rossini's The Barber of Seville, Orestes in Gluck's Iphigénie en Tauride, Marcello La bohème, Hector in Tippett's King Priam, Eduardo in Rossini's L'assedio di Calais, Paolo in Verdi's Simon Boccanegra, Emireno Ottone and Nello in Donizetti's Pia de' Tolomei.

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!

Thomas Meglioranza to perform Schubert's Winterreise

October 7, 2017, 8:21 am

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Reiko Uchida and Thomas Meglioranza (photo: Christopher Greenleaf)

American barihunk Thomas Meglioranza will join pianist Reiko Uchida for a performance of Schubert's Winterreise on Sunday, October 7th at the Howland Cultural Center in Beacon, NY (about 90 minutes north of NYC). The duo collaborated on a 2007 recording of Schubert songs that includes classics like Sehnsucht and Die Einsame. 

Last season Meglioranza performed an all-Hugo Wolf recital at Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival, as well as role of Lord Henry in Lowell Liebermann's The Picture of Dorian Gray with Odyssey Opera, Saint John in Louis Karchin's Jane Eyre with the Center for Contemporary Opera, and Handel's Messiah at Saint Thomas Church in New York City. He made his debut with the New York New Music Ensemble singing James Primosch's Dark the Star, and Ars Lyrica Houston singing J.C.F. Bach's solo cantata, Pygmalion.

Thomas Meglioranza sings Gute Nacht from Winterreise:

A native New Yorker, Meglioranza is of Thai, Italian and Polish heritage. He graduated from Grinnell College and the Eastman School of Music and is a Visiting Artist in Voice at the Longy School of Music of Bard College. He was a winner of the Walter W. Naumburg, Concert Artists Guild, Franz Schubert/Music of Modernity, and Joy In Singing competitions.

Derek Chester & Marco Vassalli from the 2018 Barihunks Photo Book

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!