Paul Armin Edelmann

Viennese barihunk Paul Armin Edelmann is the son of the great bass-baritone Otto Edelmann, who was his first voice teacher.

From 1992 to 1997 Edelmann was the house baritone at the Stadttheater Koblenz in Germany. His career has subsequently taken him to Vienna, Berlin, Madrid, Cologne, Frankfurt, San Diego and Brussels. He is another barihunk who can look good in a silly Papageno costume. The sexy picture is from Don Giovanni.

Edelman recorded a CD of duets with his brother and fellow baritone Peter Edelmann entitled "Two Voices One Name." He also has solo album out on Oehms Classics.

Marco Di Sapia

Genoa born Marco Di Sapia is about to hit the big time after years of minor roles in big houses and major roles in smaller houses. In 2010, he will play all four villains in the Tales of Hoffman at the Opera House of St.-Etienne.

He definitely has a future as a certifiable barihunk, as he recently performed Don Giovanni at the Republic Theatre in Salzburg. Check out a sound clip of him singing Don Giovanni at http://www.marcodisapia.it.

Martijn Sanders

Dutch baritone Martijn Sanders studied at the Conservatory in Utrecht as well as the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, working with Edith Mathis, among others. He received further instruction in master classes with Thomas Hampson as well as in the Opera Studio in Amsterdam. Shortly after receiving the first prize in the Nico Dostal Competition in Austria, he débuted in 1999 as Papageno in Mozart's "Die Zauberflöte" in the Schönbrunn Palace Theatre and as Dandini in Rossini's "La Cenerentola" with the Rheinsberg Palace Chamber Opera.

Besides further principal roles in Mozart's operas, Martijn Sanders also devotes his attentions to lesser-known works such as Telemann's "Pimpinone" and Gounod's "La colombe" and has also been heard as Escamillo in Bizet's "Carmen". He has remained loyal to the opera houses in the Netherlands, yet has made frequent guest appearances at the Vienna Chamber Opera and the 2004 Belgrade Music Festival, where he appeared in "Zora D" by Isidora Zebeljan. Besides this, Martijn Sanders has made a name for himself as a concert singer, appearing with every major orchestra in the Netherlands such as the Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest.

Dutch barihunk Martijn Sanders sings Don Giovanni

Lee Poulis

I may need to ask blog diva La Cieca to amend the definition of "barihunk" to include baritones who were accepted into the San Francisco Opera's Merola program. Lee Poulis is one more looker out of that prestigious program. Word is that he's even smarter than he is good looking, which means he's pretty darn smart.

Poulis recently won First Prize in the Chester Ludgin International Verdi Baritone Competition (Junior Division) and was previously a finalist in Placido Domingo’s Operalia Competition and winner of the Washington Vocal Arts Society’s Discovery Recital Series. He has already performed at the SF Opera, Washington Opera, LA Opera, Berlin and Bilbao, despite still being in his twenties.

He's performed in a number of barihunk operas including Don Giovanni, Zauberflote, Midsummer Night's Dream and Billy Budd (regrettably, not in the lead). Like Nathan Gunn, he is another barihunk who makes this site on the sole fact that he can look sexy playing Papageno (check out the photo!).

Lee Poulis' career took a huge leap when fellow Merola graduate and mezzo superstar Dolora Zajick encountered him in a master class. Dolora, good eye!

Jérôme Varnier

Jérôme Varnier has made his mark primarily in French and Italian opera, as well as establishing himself as a premier exponent of the French song repertoire. He sings mostly in France and frequently collaborates with conductor Mark Minkowski.

His repertoire extends from the baroque through the 20th century composers Milhaud, Richard Strauss, Janacek, Henze and Busoni. He was a house bass-baritone at the Opéra National de Lyon from 1995 to 2000, where he sung Die Zauberflöte, Carmen, Orfeo, Elektra, Doktor Faust, La Bohème, Don Carlos, The Midsummer Night’s, Ariane et Barbe-Bleue, Falstaff and The Little Cunning Vixen.

His barihunk opera is Don Giovanni.

Damien Pass

What is it about those Aussie boys? Damien Pass is new on the professional opera circuit, landing some small roles at the Opera Theater of St. Louis. Pass graduated from Oberlin and was a finalist in the St. Louis District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and an Encouragement Award winner in the Marilyn Horne Song Competition.

I hope that we see much more of this young barihunk. Much more!

Luca Grassi

I have to confess that Luca Grassi is on the Barihunks site as much for his sexy, mellifluous voice as his looks. Listen to his glorious, rich, dark top voice in the video from Pearl Fishers. This guy is destined for a great career [any American impressarios out there looking for a baritone?]. This is a guy who you would expect to see in a calendar of firefighters or construction workers.

The Italian baritone was launched onto the scene in 1998 after winning the Citta di Roma competition and then going on to score a huge success at the Wexford Festival. He has sung in a number of obscure operas, but his Zurga in Pearl Fishers earns him a spot on Barihunks. He's another Escamillo in Carmen who guarantees that Don Jose will never win the heart of the gypsy girl.

Luca Grassi: "L'orage c'est calme" from Les Pecheurs de Perles

OK, enough of the pretty boys! Here's a scruffy, virile barihunk who can sing as beautifully as any baritone in the world today.

John Relyea

John Relyea is another alumnus of the San Francisco Opera's Merola Opera Program, who began his career singing roles on the SF Opera stage. He is rapidly making become a house favorite at the Metropolitan Opera.

He has yet to venture into barihunk territory other than the Rape of Lucretia, singing roles like the four villains in Les contes de Hoffman, Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Giorgio in I Puritani, Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia and Colline in La Bohème. But he makes the Barihunks site for his eyes alone.

Håkan Vramsmo

Swedish barihunk Håkan Vramsmo studied at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and immediately was offered the opportunity to sing at the opening night of the BBC Proms. He has won a number of lieder competitions and has quickly established himself as a major talent in the field. He has sung the barihunk roles of Don Giovanni and the Rape of Lucretia. He is establishing himself as a Mozart singer to reckon with, receiving rave reviews in Die Zauberflote and Nozze di Figaro.

Christopher Maltman

Winner of the Lieder Prize at the 1997 Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, Christopher Maltman has gone on to record definitive versions of Faure, Schubert, Schumann and a number of British composers. He seems to revel in singing barihunk roles, including Billy Budd, Dead Man Walking, Rape of Lucretia and Therese Raquin. For sheer pleasure watch his DVD of Giulio Cesare with Daniele de Niese. You can also see him in an amazing performance of John Adams' "Death of Klinghoffer."

Daniel Okulitch - La Ci Darem La Mano

Daniel Okulitch

Canadian bass-baritone Daniel Okulitch is a former member of the San Francisco Opera's prestigious Merola Opera training program. He subsequently sang some minor roles on the San Francisco Opera stage. His first claim to fame was as Schaunard in Baz Luhrmann's production of La bohème in 2002. Despite being on the scene for only a few years, he has made his mark in barihunk roles in Don Giovanni and Dead Man Walking [see photo].

Hanno Müller-Brachmann shirtless in Cosi

What woman wouldn't cheat on her man with Hanno?

Hanno Mueller-Brachmann

The Staatsoper Berlin has the great forturne to see German bass-baritone Hanno Mueller-Brachmann on a regular basis. He has excelled in Mozart and Bach, but he has also had huge successes in roles like Oreste in Elektra and Golaud in Pelléas et Mélisande. Like so many Germans, he has established himself as a lieder singer of note. His recording of Die Zauberflote with Claudio Abbado won Gramophone's "Best Opera Recording of the Year" award.

I was thrilled to see him in his American debut at San Francisco Opera as Gugliemo in Cosi fan tutti. Unfortunately, his face was disguised with a hideous beard for most of the performance. I prefer the Brad Pitt look above.

Eduardo Castro

Peruvian barihunk Eduardo Castro has been trying to piece together a career with limited success in some regional opera companies in the United States. He has performed mainly with the Virginia Opera, Amici Opera in Philadelphia and the Maryland Opera Society. He may not have much of a career, but he's some serious eye candy.

Ildebrando d'Arcangelo

If you can make Leporello sexier than his master, than you are a verifiable barihunk. Check out the video of "Brando" singing Leporello, where he is without question the sexiest Mozart servant to ever grace the stage.

Oddly, d'Arcangelo hasn't really ventured much into the big barihunk repertory other than Don Giovanni. We need to get him cast in Iphigenie, Billy Budd, Pearl Fishers and Dead Man Walking. His dark, low voice matches his virile good looks perfectly.

Nickname: Brando (and he has the sexiest lips since the original Brando).

Ildebrando d'Arcangelo sings Vivaldi: Bajazet -Dov'e la figlia?

I'm an early music fanatic, so I have to add this clip. Watch his reaction after he nails the high note. He looks like a footballer who just scored a goal.

Ildebrando d'Arcangelo

"Brando" is being added by request and what a great suggestion. Not only is he sexy, but he has a gorgeous voice and he can act. It's not often that any singer make much of the role of Leporello, but Brando keeps you engaged every minute that he's singing.

Jesse Blumberg

Imagine how thrilled I was when I received my brochure for the American Bach Soloists and I discovered this barihunk! Jesse Blumberg is a recent winner of the 5th International Hilde Zadek Competition, which was juried by mezzo greats Christa Ludwig and Brigitte Fassbaender.

Blumberg recently performed in the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon's the "Grapes of Wrath" at The Minnesota Opera and on December 6, 2007 he'll sing Phillip Glass' "Einstein on the Beach" at Carnegie Hall.. He is rapidly making his mark as a gifted lieder singer, as well as giving thrilling performances in the early music of the Bach family and Monteverdi.

[Photos from www.jesseblumberg.com]

Franco Pomponi

A baritone is an automatic candidate for Barihunks if he looks great without a shirt, but Franco Pomponi can walk on stage in a pair of tights and make someone think that they walked into the ballet. This Julliard graduate has matinee idol good looks that we usually find in a Terence McNally play on Broadway.

His big break was performing in Henze's "The Bassarids" at Theatre du Chatelet. This is no easy piece of music to sing, so the guy is a lot more than a pretty face. His Escamillo is actually sexier than most Carmens (see the posted YouTube video). I sure hope that we see a lot more of this guy on the major stages, and I mean SEE A LOT MORE!

Franco Pomponi - Carmen

Pomponi is being compared to tenor hunk Franco Corelli, because of his stunning good looks and, I suspect, similar name. He certainly can act and he cuts a mean figure on stage, even in those ridiculous pants.

Teddy Tahu Rhodes

With Teddy Tahu Rhodes rapidly making a name for himself as the next barihunk, we don't have to worry about directors suddenly putting shirts back on baritones. He already sings the hunk roles of Don Giovanni, Billy Budd, Dead Man Walking and Streetcar Named Desire, so we can look forward to years of him bare chested on the major stages of the world. He's already charmed audiences in San Francisco, Houston, Paris, Dallas and Munich, as well as in his native New Zealand.

Nickname: The Singing Surfer

Teddy Tahu Rhodes: The Trumpet Shall Sound

It would be nice if he blinked every so often, but he sure is cute. He could make anyone's trumpet sound.

Mel Ulrich

When I saw Mel Ulrich sing Orestes in the San Francisco Opera Center's production of Gluck's "Iphigénie en Tauride," it was my initial awareness that hunky baritones existed in the world of opera. Like Nathan Gunn, he has had ample opportunity to show off his hot body, as well as his sexy bald dome. Unfortunately, Ulrich retired in March 2007 and retreated to Texas. His retirement is a huge loss to the world of barihunks. His barihunk roles include Dead Man Walking, Pearl Fishers, Don Giovanni and Britten's "Rape of Lucretia." Check out his website at www.melulrich.com to hear his gorgeous voice.

Nickname: Bruce Willis' sexier twin

[All pictures from www.melulrich.com]

Muslim Magomayev

It's nice to know that there were barihunks coming out of Russia before Dmitri Hvorostovsky. Magomayev is largely unknown in the West, but he deserves a place on Barihunks. Oh, and the charm...

Muslim Magomayev in Eugene Onegin

No wonder Tatiana falls for him!

Muslim Magomayev - Bella, bella, bambina

Muslim Magomayev was part of an Azerbaijani musical dynasty, who had a brilliant career singing in opera in the old Soviet Union before becoming a famous Russian pop singer. I'm posting a video of him singing in a filmed version of Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin," as well, but he is so charming and handsome singing this little Italian ditty that I couldn't resist posting it.

Paolo Bordogna

OK, Paolo Bordogna admittedly sings too low to be a baritone and he's not a hunk in the tradional sense, but he's awfully cute in this video of Rossini's "La Pietra del paragone" from Madrid in 2007.

Papageno's Wish

He says that "one little kiss" will make him go "cuckoo with bliss." Any takers?

Has anyone else on this planet ever looked so sexy dressed as a bird?

More Nathan Gunn photos