Patrick Schramm

Perhaps the most talked about opera production in the world right now is Monteverdi's "L'INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA" at Glyndebourne. The bare sets and bare singers had the stiff British press in a twitter before opening night. However, the opera opened to rave reviews with much of the press focused on the steamy, young cast which includes the hot sensation Danielle de Niese, Alice Coote and cute countertenors Iestyn Davies and Christophe Dumuax alternating nights as Ottone.

Even the small roles were apparently cast with Hollywood looks in mind, as young German barihunk Patrick Schramm was cast in the tiny role of Littore. Schramm was Germany's representative in the 2005 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition. Until this performance, most of his career has been in the Netherlands and Germany.

Homoerotic Norma

OK, no barihunk lead here, but these are definitely bare hunks. Norma is usually the unsexiest opera in the repertoire, but leave it to some director to sex it up a little.

Pa-pa-pa-Peter Bording

Dutch barihunk has made a specialty of singing Papageno and other Mozart roles for about twenty years. The top picture is from a recent production of Zauberflote, while the bottom shot is from twelve years earlier. He's also had a nice career singing lyric baritone roles in the Italian repertoire, as well as a lot of operetta.

More Heat in Sante Fe

Barihunk reader Rock points out that there is more heat in Sante Fe than caught my usually watchful eye.

Anthony Michaels-Moore and Laurent Nauori (Mr. Natalie Dessay) as Falstaff on alternating nights, Franco Pomponi as Ford (pictured) and Lucas Meacham in Billy Budd.

Guess the Crotch

A Barihunk reader sent in this revealing photo and asked me to guess the "meaty" singer.

I'm going with Christopher Bolduc, because it looks like a young blond from the hands.

Any other guesses?

Jose Carbo

You've probably heard about singers using their chest. Well Jose Carbo gives that term new meaning. How's this for a singer with "nice chest," showing it off above in Don Giovanni?

Australian baritone José Carbó was born in Argentina of Spanish and Italian descent, and moved with his family to Australia at an early age. He was the winner of the prestigious Australian Singing Competition Opera Award in 2005.

José made his début with Australia’s principal opera company, Opera Australia, in Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos , returning for their production of Il Barbiere di Siviglia. For Opera Queensland, he starred in their production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni in the title role [see photo]. He was a principal singer in the world première of John Haddock’s Madeline Lee at the Sydney Opera House.

His European début was in Madrid, at the Opera Real, where he sang once again the title role in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia.

His other barihunk role is Escamillo.

It's HOT in Sante Fe

[Top to Bottom: Former Sante Fe Apprentice member Christopher Bolduc; The "Hot Pole," Mariusz Kwiecien; the brilliant Luca Pisaroni; Barihunks all-time most viewed singer "Teddy Bare," Teddy Tahu Rhodes]

The Sante Fe Opera is known for a lot of things: great performances of Richard Strauss, innovative world premiers, a glorious natural setting and a roster full of good looking singers. This season proves to be no exception and two operas stand out in particular. The Marriage of Figaro will feature both Mariusz Kwiecien and Luca Pisaroni. Barihunks favorite Billy Budd will feature mega-barihunk Teddy Tahu Rhodes, who is featured in the new Opera News in an article titled "Too Darn Hot." Of course, Billy Budd invariably features some skin, so this is the performance not to miss.

You can check out the full season here: http://www.santafeopera.org/

Shadi Torbey sings the Mayor's aria from "La Gazza Ladra"

Shadi Torbey

Shadi Torbey was born in Sieburg, Germany of Belgian and Lebanese parents. He studied at the Opéra Studio of La Monnaie and with José van Dam at the Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth.

He has sung in a number of Barihunk operas, but not in the sexy roles, so finding pictures is difficult. He has performed in Rape of Lucretia (Collatinus), Don Giovanni (Masetto) and Orfeo (Caronte). He performs primarily in France, but we'll be keeping an eye on his career.

He has a CD of French songs available at:
http://www.amazon.com/French-Songs-Lionel-Lhote/dp/B000BVRMKE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1211079461&sr=8-1

Bertram Klamp

A native of Darmstadt, Germany, barihunk Bertram Klamp has worked as a model and opera singer in Milan, Italy. He studied music at the Cremora School of Music in Italy.

I think most people will be more interested in his modeling career than his singing, so I've posted extra pictures and fewer text.

Hadleigh Adams

Kiwi barihunk Hadleigh Adams pursued vocal training at the University of Auckland and is now studying at the New Zealand School of Music in Wellington. In his spare time he works as a fashion model.

He has performed several leading roles with Opera Factory and sings regularly with the Chapman Tripp Opera Chorus.

By Request: Rodrigo Esteves sings "O Carlo Ascolta"

More Philip Cutlip

OK, everyone seems to want more and more of Philip Cutlip, so here's a teaser.

The other barihunks better beware, Cutlip is hot with readers of this blog!

Paul Murray

Imagine my pleasant surprise when I attended Sunday's performance of Bartok's Bluebeard's Castle at Berkeley Opera and I was greeted with this pretty face as the king! Usually the role is played by a baritone (not barihunk) in his late 50s or early 60s. Walter Berry sang it late in his career, as did Dietrich Fisher-Dieskau.

Even with the beard that he grew for the role, Murray looked like the Boy King. Of course, it made the performance plausible in a totally different way. One can see why his wife Judith is willing to risk everything to see what's behind the last door.

Memphis native Paul Murray received his Master's Degree in Vocal Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and has performed in the Bay Area for the last five years. His barihunk role prior to Bluebeard was Bottom in Midsummer Night's Dream at the Conservatory.

His bio says that he likes to mountain bike in his spare time.

Daniel Okulitch sings "Fin ch'han dal vino" from Don Giovanni

I hope that more of this handsome barihunk shows up on YouTube. He could be the next big, sexy Don Giovanni in the footsteps of Erwin Schrott and Mariusz Kwiecien.

Philip Cutlip

The ubiquitous Anonymous posted under Daniel Belcher that he thought that Philip Cutlip was hotter, so I'll let readers decide. First, let me say that I've seen Philip Cutlip live and he's definitely a verifiable barihunk. The shirtless photo is from The End of an Affair, which should launch him into an exalted place in the barihunk stratosphere.

He has performeda lot of baroque opera and oratorio, but has also sung Sharpless, Harlequin (Ariadne) and barihunk fave Papageno in recent seasons.

If you want to enjoy him vocally, as well, you can hear him with the magnificent Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra in Atalanta. You can download it here and it is worth it!

http://www.philharmonia.org/download.html

Half-Naked Barihunk Christopher Herbert

I never imagined that Offenbach's "Orpheus in the Underworld" would make the Barihunk site, but then I never saw hunky boy Christopher Herbert. I'm ready to see him in "Billy Budd" even as a shirtless super.

His career is certainly on the right track to show up on this site again. He has sung in Mark Morris' version of Dido and Aeneas and Bizet's Pearl Fishers.

Mr. Herbert was born in New York City and grew up in Connecticut. He attended Yale and performed with the singing groups the Yale Alley Cats and the Yale Whiffenpoofs. Herbert pursued a master's degree in Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard University after he completed his undergraduate education.