Kai's Better Side

I thinks it's only fair to show Kai Florian Bischoff's prettier side. Apparently, his Bach vocal meltdown has become one of the most downloaded ringtones in Germany. If nothing else, it would make one answer the phone on the first ring.

Bischoff is currently at the International Opera Studio Zurich (IOS) where he has been a student since August 2007. He has been given roles in Verdi's "Don Carlo" and "Il Trovatore", Cavalli's "La Didone," and in a "Zauberflöte" for children. I'm sure that he was an adorable Papageno!

Kai Florian Bischoff - Scarihunk

Every singer has one of these moments. At least Kai Florian Bischoff is a pleasure to look at even when he's unbearable to listen to.

Markus Werba

Markus Werba sings "Goethe-dammerung"

If ever someone truly earned being dubbed a barihunk, it's young Markus Werba who can look hot in blue light singing Schumann's "Scenes from Goethe's Faust." There's a touch of Johnny Depp in him. This is also a beautiful scene, which I've never heard or seen before.

Daniel Belcher in Houston Grand Opera's "Billy Budd"

Barihunk Daniel Belcher is creating a sensation in Houston right now with his lyrical and touching portrayal of "Billy Budd." Plan on seeing more of Belcher on this site, as he seems to specialize in barihunk roles, including Don Giovanni, Iphigenie in Tauride, Zauberflote and even Angels in America.

Thomas Forde

[Photos from www.thomasforde.com]

The Chicago native recently completed a run as the fifth Jew in Salome at Dallas Opera. He has sung in the barihunk opera Billy Budd and from the photos appears to look good singing almost anything. He is still early in his career, but has started covering major roles.

He studied at the University of Houston and apprenticed at the Central City Opera's Young Artists Program.

Chris Marlow: When Barihunks Go Bad

Special thanks to the great site www.parterre.com for posting a video of Chris Marlow, who should neither be singing Escamillo nor dressing as a 70s gay clone. Check it out here: http://parterre.com/?p=852

Markus Butter

This site isn't really about beautiful singing, but more about beautiful singers. So let me get one thing out of the way regarding Markus Butter. You haven't lived until you've heard this barihunk sing Wolfram's aria "Oh du mein holder Abendstern" from Tannhauser (which you can find here: http://www.ia-ac.com/MarkusButter+audio-and-video+en). Butter has a distinctive voice and great dramatic intensity. In many ways he reminds me of a younger Simon Keenlyside.

Butter was born in Bruck an der Mur, Austria in 1973. He sang as a child with the Vienna Boy's Choir and eventually studied with the great Walter Berry. He burst onto the opera scene in 1999 in Munich and has performed all over Europe, including the last two in Dresden. He has performed in barihunk roles in Don Giovanni, Zauberflote, Carmen and Alceste.

Luis Rodriguez sings Non Piu Andrai

Slav to the Music: Taras Kulish

OK, I'm keeping up the theme of hot, low-voiced men from the former Soviet bloc. After all, we need a Slavic bench to replace Hvorostovsky when he gets his first wrinkle.

Taras Kulish is the son of Ukranian parents and was born in Monteal, Quebec. He was trained at the young artist programs of l'Opéra de Montréal and Vancouver Opera and did his musical studies at both McGill University and the University of Toronto . Taras was a district winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions, a finalist at the prestigious Belvedere International Opera Competition in Vienna.

He performs mostly in Canada. Although he is still singing smaller roles, he has made Leporello a signature role in his brief career. He has sung the barihunk roles of Bottom in Midsummer Night's Dream and the title role of Don Giovanni.

Krassen Karagiozov

Let's stick with the Slavic low voices and introduce people to Krassen Karagiozov, who was born in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria and studied at the State Academy of Music in Sofia. He went on to win competitions in voice and piano in his native country.

He now performs mostly with regional opera companies in New York, North Carolina and occasionally in his native Bulgaria. His barihunk role to date has been Don Giovanni (see photo).

You can hear him by clicking the link:

http://www.krassenkaragiozov.com/media/Staendchen.mp3

Anton Mamine

Anton Mamine was born in Moscow and trained under the Vaguif Kerimov, who performed at the world-famous La Scala opera house. Mamine placed first in the Kiwanis Music Festival's Grand Opera category in both 2007 and 2008, performed at the opening of the Four Seasons Centre, and performed his solo debut at Roy Thompson Hall in 2007. He is honing his craft at the University of Toronto.

Anton Mamine sings "Ella Giammai M'amo" from Verdi's Don Carlo

Anton Mamine is very, very cute, but not ready to be singing Verdi. He's only 20-years-old and clearly needs a few years of training.

Andrew Garland sings Hoiby's "Last Letter Home from Iraq"

This is so touching and Garland sings it beautifully.

US Army Pfc. Jesse Givens died in Iraq in the service of his country on the first of May, 2003, in his 34th year. He wrote this letter to his wife Melissa, his five year-old son Dakota (nicknamed 'Toad') and his unborn child Carson (nicknamed 'Bean'). He asked Melissa not to open the envelope unless he was killed. 'Please, only read it if I don't come home,' he wrote. 'Please put it away and hopefully you will never have to read it.'

Thomas Hampson sings Mahler's "Wo die schönen Trompeten blasen"

Thomas Hampson is my favorite male Mahler singer of all-time (Janet Baker stands alone among women). I always find him at his best in slow, insightful music and this song is a great example. He recently performed Macbeth in San Francisco and redefined the role, revealing the character's inner torment with great feeling. It made the contrast to Lady Macbeth's scheming, cold heart all the more powerful.

Quirijn de Lang

Quirijn de Lang is a 30-year-old Dutch barihunk who graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music and the University of Amsterdam. He burst onto the scene when he was 22 singing Papageno at the Nationale Reisopera under Tom Koopman.

He has sung most of the major barihunk roles including Demetrius in Midsummer Night's Dream, Tarquinius in Rape of Lucretia, Papageno, Escamillo in Carmen, and Pete Dayton in Lost Highway.

Franklin de Lima showing off his barihunk bulge

Franklin de Lima

Franklin de Lima shows of a nice package, front and back

If it matters, this is from the zarzuela "La Leyenda del Beso"

Venezualan Barihunk Franklin de Lima

Hunky Franklin de Lima, who is currently singing at the opera in Cologne sings "Oh! que desgracia..."from the opera Los Martirios de Colón by Federico Ruiz.

I'm looking for photos or video from his performance in Don Giovanni. He's a delightfully graceful and sensitive singer.

Johannes Weisser sings Don Giovanni's "Fin ch'an dal vino"

Here is some actual video of Weisser.

Handsome Johannes Weisser sings Don Giovanni's "Deh vieni alla finestra"

This is taken from the Rene Jacobs recording of Don Giovanni and may be the most lyrical version that I've ever heard. I can't wait to see and hear more of this barihunk.

Teddy Bare

Barihunks readers just can't seem to get enough of Teddy "Bare" Tahu Rhodes, as he continues to be one of the top two hits on this site week after week.

We are about to get plenty of new photos as he reprises the ultimate barihunk role, Billy Budd, first in Sante Fe this summer and then in Sydney.

I can't wait!

Ildebrando d'Arcangelo sings the Torreador Song

Poor Don Jose never has a chance.

Simon Orfila sings "Se vuol ballare" from Le Nozze di Figaro

Almas Svilpa

Lithuanian Bass/Barihunk Almas Svilpa has primarily been featured at the Aalto-Musiktheater in Essen, Germany. He studied in Zurich and performed in Karlsruhe before becoming the resident hunk in Essen.

In Essen he has performed Méphistophèles in Faust, Orest in Elektra, Basilio in Barber, Ferrando in Il Trovatore, Kaspar in Der Freischütz, and Wurm in Luisa Miller.

Barihunk roles include Papageno. Jochanaan, and Theseus in Midsummer's Night Dream (who is usually portrayed much sexier in art than on stage). Normally one would not consider The Flying Dutchman a barihunk role, but these photos show that Svilpa can bring a little heat to the cold ocean air.

Paulo Szot

The Brazilian barihunk Paulo Szot is taking Broadway by storm reprising Ezio Pinza's role of Emile in South Pacific. And if you think it was hot and steamy in the tropics before...check it out with Szot burning up the stage.

Szot started studying at music at age 5 with piano lessons. He later took up violin and ballet, which he pursued until a knee injury led him to opera. He is a polyglot, speaking five or six languages fluently depending on who you believe.

New York City Opera patrons have already seen him grace the stage in L'Elisir d'Amore, Carmen and Le Nozze di Figaro. Before becoming an overnight sensation on Broadway he had performed throughout South America, Europe and the United States.

Nmon Ford sings "Dov'e l'amore"

Matinee Idol: Phillip Addis

What is it with the role of Tarquinius in The Rape of Lucretia and its ability to attract the hottest barihunks in all of opera? Canadian Phillip Addis sang the role for Pacific Opera Victoria.

This year he comes south of the border to sing with Opera Carolina, Atlanta Opera and Ft. Worth Opera.

He has sung Masetto, but hasn't graduated to the barihunk role of Don Giovanni yet.

Addis has won the First Prize in the 2004 Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal’s Standard Life Competition, the George London Foundation Encouragement award for a Canadian singer and First Prize in the Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec’s Canadian Concerto Competition.