Nicholas Pallesen to perform Bellini rarity

Nicholas Pallesen

New York's Collegiate Chorale announced that it has joined forces with the American Symphony Orchestra to perform Bellini's Beatrice di Tenda on Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at 6pm at Carnegie Hall.

Barihunk Nicholas Pallesen will sing Filippo, who has one of the great baritone bel canto arias,
"O divina Agnese!...Forse gi? disposti i modi." In fact, like many Bellini operas, it's rich with beautiful baritone melodies, including a stunning duet with the soprano. Pallesen will be joined by soprano sensation Angela Meade as Beatrice di Tenda, mezzo Jamie Barton as Agnese and tenor Michael Spyres as Orombello. The chorus plays a key role in this opera, and in the true tradition of classical Greek dramas, they not only comment on the action, but advise and comfort the protagonists.

Joan Sutherland & Enzo Sordello sing the Act I duet "Tu qui, Filippo?": 

The opera was was rarely performed after its premiere in 1833, but was revived in 1961 by the American Opera Society with Joan Sutherland, Enzo Sordello, Marilyn Horne and Richard Cassilly under the baton of Nicola Rescigno. Later that year it was performed at La Scala with Sutherland and Raina Kabaivanska under the baton of Antonino Votto. Since then the title role has been assumed by a number of other prominent sopranos: Leyla Gencer, Mirella Freni, June Anderson, Cecilia Gasdia, Edita Gruberová and Mariella Devia.

Set in 15th century Milan and based on a historical figure, the opera tells of the tormented but saintly wife of the Duke of Milan, falsely accused of adultery by the scorned lover of one of her admirers and sentenced to death by her husband.  Beatrice di Tenda is characterized by ravishing melodies and exciting finales. 

Click HERE for tickets.

Roberto Frontali sings "O divina Agnese!...Forse gi? disposti i modi" from Beatrice di Tenda:

A native of Riverside, California, Nicholas Pallesen is establishing himself as one of the most promising talents of his generation. He is a 2012 recipient of a Richard Tucker Career Grant, was a Grand Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and can be seen in the documentary, "The Audition." Pallesen’s performance in Beatrice di Tenda will mark his Carnegie Hall debut. He will also make two title-role debuts: as Lord Ruthven in Marschner's Der Vampyr with the American Symphony Orchestra and in Rigoletto with Shreveport Opera. He will return to the Metropolitan Opera’s roster for Ades’ The Tempest. Future engagements include debuts with the Metropolitan, Fort Worth and Cincinnati Operas, all in leading roles. Mr. Pallesen is a winner of the Giulio Gari, Sullivan Foundation, Opera Index and the Bel Canto Foundation competitions. He has also won awards from the George London Foundation, the Loren L. Zachary Society, the Liederkranz Foundation, the Gerda Lissner Foundation, the Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation and the Santa Fe Opera, among others.

Singers like Nicholas Pallesen and Angela Meade have succeeded because of their successful training in young artist programs. You can help support these programs and enjoy a year of hunky baritones on your wall by purchasing our 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar. Buy now before the holiday rush:

Dominik Köninger in innovative Magic Flute in Berlin

Dominik Köninger in pictures form the Komische Oper

We've become such huge fans of Dominik Köninger since he won the 2011 Wigmore Hall Song Competition. We we thrilled to see that he's Papageno in the new highly innovative production of Die Zauberflöte at the Komische Oper in Berlin.

The innovative Barrie Kosky production is in collaboration with the amazing British theater group “1927," whose humorous shows have thrilled audiences all over the world with their interaction between film animation and live-performing actors. The production is a mix of silent movies, Weimar era cabaret, David Lynch and Grimm's Fairy Tales.

Performances will run into February and tickets and additional performance information is available online.

Have you purchased your Barihunks Charity Calendar yet?

Dmitri Hvorostovsky at Met CD signing this week

Dmitri Hvorostovksy and soprano Sondra Radvanovsky, who are appearing together in the Met's "Un ballo in maschera" will be signing copies of their CDs at the Met Opera Shop this Wednesday, November 28th at 3pm. Explore Hvorostovsky's discography HERE.

There are still five performances of the David Alden production of Un ballo in maschera remaining before December 14th and tickets are available online. 

Don't forget that the Siberian Hunky will also be part of the Live from Lincoln Center: 2012 Richard Tucker Gala broadcast on Thursday, December 13, 2012. Make sure to check local listings to see when it's airing on your local PBS station.

Dmitri Hvorostovksy and Sondra Radvanovsky sing Ballo:

Hvorostovsky will be joined by fellow barihunks Erwin Schrott and Ildar Abdrazakov, as well as two other outstanding baritones - Gerald Finley and Quinn Kelsey. Other singers this year include mezzo-soprano Olga Borodina, tenor Marcello Giordani, mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, tenor Stephen Costello, mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught, tenor Giuseppe Filianoti, tenor Marcello Giordani, soprano Ailyn Pérez and soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska.

Established in 1975 by the family of the beloved tenor a few months after his untimely death, the Foundation offers, by way of a Competition, financial support to young opera singers on the brink of important careers.

Of course, we at Barihunks have our own very special and enjoyable way to support young artist, which is our charity calendar. It's packed with 14 of the hottest barihunks in opera, so order yours today. Give the give of music education to our next generation of singers today! 

Randal Turner sings Messiah in Birmingham

Randal Turner's CD cover

Now that Thanksgiving is over, we begin our annual posts on Messiahs around the world. One that we're particularly excited about is in Birmingham, Alabama with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra. Randal Turner will be singing the baritone part and will be joined by two other amazing male voices: countertenor Ryan Belongie and tenor Colin Ainsworth. Kimberly McCord will take on the soprano part. Performances are on December 15 and 16 and tickets are available online.

Last year, the Indianapolis Performing Arts Examiner wrote of his Messiah:

Of all the special moments (and there were many) provided by each singer, there was one that stood out. With his deeply rich and imposing voice, Turner was commanding when he sang the familiar, "The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 

Turner has shown himself to be adept at singing everything from early music to modern music. We've featured him in another Handel role, Siroe, as well as last year's Messiah in Indianapolis. His range of roles has taken him into Mozart, Donizetti and Rossini, as well as contemporary composers like Benjamin Britten, John Cage, Andre Previn and Rufus Wainwright. His CD of "Living American Composers" remains one of our favorite song recitals and is still available at CD Baby.

Randal Turner sings "Gelido inogni vena from Handels' Siroe:

Of course, you can enjoy Randal Turner in our 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar. He's appearing for the second year in a row and has an entire month dedicated to him:

Reader submission Andrew Bogard to sing Messiah

Andrew Bogard

We were alerted to a barihunk that we haven't featured before, Andrew Bogard, who will be performing Handel's Messiah with the Marion Civic Chorus and Orchestra in Ohio. This will be the 71st consecutive year that the orchestra has performed the Messiah. The performance will take place at the Palace Theater in Marion on Sunday, November 25 at 7 pm. There is no admission price, but donations will be requested.

Bogard will be joined in the Messiah by mezzo Carolyn Redmond, soprano Lynette Burris and tenor Dan Doty.  

Bass-baritone Andrew Bogard, hails from central Ohio and is currently pursuing his master’s in from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where he is a student of Marlena Malas, At Curtis, he performed the roles of Mephistopheles in Gounod’s Faust, Dr. Reischmann in Henze’s Elegy for Young Lovers, and Capello in I Capuletti e i Montecchi.

In 2011, Bogard received his undergraduate degree in vocal performance from the Julliard School, where he performed the roles of Peter Quince in Britten’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, Cousin Brandon in Hindemith’s Long Christmas Dinner. In summers at the Chautauqua Music Festival, he sang the roles of Dulcamara in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore, Simone in Gianni Schicchi, Reverend Hale in The Crucible, Colline in La boheme, and Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro. Upcoming performances at Curtis include Sarastro in The Magic Flute, Spencer Cyle in Britten’s Owen Wingrave, and Argante in Handel’s Rinaldo.

From 2005-2007, Bogard attended the Interlochen Arts Academy where he graduated with distinction. In addition to voice, he has studied cello, double bass, clarinet and classical guitar.

If you know of an upcoming Handel's Messiah featuring a barihunk, please email us at Barihunks@gmail.com. Also, don't forget to buy your 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar:

Duncan Rock in sexy Carmen, roadshow of opera highlights and Barihunks calendar

Duncan Rock as Morales and backstage photographing his temporary tattoos

When Calixto Bieito is directing an opera one can almost guarantee that it will be a sexually charged production. The current run of his Carmen at the English National Opera is no exception. The production is filled with sexual tension, sexual confidence, sexual power, sexual obsessiveness and sexy singers. It even has some male nudity and simulated fellatio to ensure that it's an echt Bieito production.

Leading the back is our 2013 Barihunk Charity Calendar sensation Duncan Rock as Morales. Joining him on stage as Escamillo is Leigh Melrose, who has been regularly featured on this site, as well.

  Carmen from English National Opera on Vimeo.

The production opened on Wednesday, November 21st and runs through December 9th at the London Coliseum. Tickets and additional performance information is available online. Also playing at the ENO is Ralph Vaughan William's masterpiece The Pilgrim's Progress, which he was obsessed with for much of his life.

Rock, who created a sensation with his performance of Don Giovanni at Heaven in London  is a graduate of the National Opera Studio. He also holds a Masters Degree in Music and Opera from London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama where he received a full scholarship from the Independent Opera foundation.

Duncan Rock in the 2013 Barihunks Calendar

After his run at ENO, Duncan Rock will join the Scottish Opera for a show of opera highlights that will visit Bathgate, Peebles, Hawick, Stranraer, Tarbert, Bowmore, Killin, Castlebay, Balivanich, Torridon, Durness, Inverness, Banchory, Birnam, Strathmiglo, Crawfordjohn & Rutherglen. He'll be joined by tenor heartthrob Nicky Spence, fellow baritone Gary Griffiths, mezzo Katie Grosset and soprano Eleanor Dennis. Tickets go on sale on November 26.

Duncan Rock appears in both our regular sized calendar and special oversized edition. All proceeds from the calendar go to support young artists and young artist programs. Buy your calendar today and enjoy Duncan Rock and thirteen other barihunks all year long. 

The regular size calendar is available here:

The oversize calendar is available here: 

 

Andrew Garland Returns to NY Festival of Song

Andrew Garland

We're unabashedly huge fans of Steven Blier's "New York Festival of Song" which is a guaranteed evening of great music and intellectual enlightenment. After his hugely successful "Manning the Gay Canon," Blier had turned his attention to women with a program aptly titled "Women."

The program features songs from John Musto, Ned Rorem, Benjamin Britten, Arnold Schoenberg, Thea Musgrave, Judy Collins and new works from Mark Adamo, Mohammed Fairouz, and Harold Meltzer. The songs explore the lives of women in their own words, as well as through the eyes of men.

Barihunk Andrew Garland will return to the Festival of Song and will be joined by mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke and soprano Corinne Winters. Garland will perform Carla Kihlstedt's  new piece "A Woman’s Body," which was inspired by Susan Sontag’s matter-­‐of-­‐fact list of observations about her own body. Kihlstedt asked some favorite women for their own lists, which make up the lyrics to the piece.

The performance will be at Merkin Concert Hall on December 4th at 8 PM. Tickets are available online.

After the Festival, Garland will perform Handel's Messiah with the Boston Baroque on December 7 and 8, and then with the Colorado Bach Ensemble on December 21 and 22.

Buy your 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar before the holiday rush:

Ildebrando d'Arcangelo featured in Musica; Starring in Chicago

Italian barihunk Ildebrando d'Arcangelo is featured in the new issue of Musica, which you can purchase for download online if you're not sipping a latté by a newstand in Milano.

The singer just wrapped up another successful run as Don Giovanni, this time at the Los Angeles Opera. He now heads to the Lyric Opera of Chicago where he'll be taking on the title role in Donizetti's Don Pasquale, which opens on November 25th. The production is directed by famed baritone Sir Thomas Allen.

Ildebrando d'Arcangelo rehearsing Don Giovanni:

After Chicago,  he returns to the Vienna State Opera as Alidoro in La Cenerentola and later in the title role of Le Nozze di Figaro. D’Arcangelo makes his Boston Symphony Orchestra debut in Haydn’s Mass in Time of War conducted by Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos in early 2013. Spring sees him in Spain at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Il turco in Italia and at the Fundación del Teatro Lírico in Madrid in the Verdi Requiem. 

Make sure to purchase your 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar:

Sexy "Elixir of Love" in Graz

Andrè Schuen  (Foto © Werner Kmetitsch/Oper Graz)

Two years ago we received an email from Germany alerting us to the emerging young Tyrolean talent Andrè Schuen. Remarkably, we lost track of him until we were alerted a second time. This time it was for his sexy and shirtless performance of Belcore in Donizetti's "The Elixir of Love" ("Der Liebestrank" in German) at the Graz Opera in Austria.

Schuen is another in a long list of barihunks who have been winning vocal competitions, having taken first place in both the Walter-und-Charlotte-Hamel-Stiftung competition and the Mozarteum Internationale Sommerakademie competition. In Salzburg, he made a name for himself by conquering everything from Luigi Nono to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Andrè Schuen sings "Hai gia vinta la causa! from Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro:

Graz's Elixir was co-produced with Valencia and Madrid and the sets look like a beach party on a Mediterranean beach resort, with giant cans of beer, bars, beach balls, lifeguards, cheerleaders,  shirtless boys, women in bikinis and a foam party. We still believe that opera can succeed in attracting younger audiences with old warhouses and this production is a prime example. From all accounts, the production has been enthusiastically received.

Margareta Klobucar as Adina with her sexy ensemble boys

Schuen will next appear in Graz as Ford in Verdi's Falstaff opening in January 2013 and Gasparone in Karl Millöcker's Der Fremde opening a month later. 

Next summer, Schuen will graduate to the title character in Mozart's Don Giovanni from the role of Masetto, which he has performed in Graz. His Don Giovanni will premiere in Montpellier on June 6-16, 2013 and Versailles on June 23, 25 & 27, 2013.

Wilfried Zelinka as Dulcamara

Oberwölz native Wilfried Zelinka also cut a sexy figure as Dulcamara. A member of the ensemble at Graz, he's sung Bartolo in Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro," Masetto in Mozart's "Don Giovanni," Talbot in Donizetti's "Maria Stuarda," Raimondo in Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor," and Escamillo in Bizet's "Carmen." He will portray Pistola opposite Schuen in next year's "Falstaff."

Andrè Schuen

There are a number of performance of Elixir left in Graz, including an alternate cast, so check their website for dates and casts.

If you want to see 14 more singers as sexy as Andrè Schuen, buy our 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar and enjoy them all year:

Markus Werba Takes Mozart on the Road

Markus Werba

Markus Werba, along with Alex Esposito, remains the quintessential Mozart singer performing today. He has sung a number of Mozart's roles to great critical acclaim, including Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, the title role in Don Giovanni, Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte, the title role and the Count in Le Nozze di Figaro and Nardo in La Finta Giardiniera.

Next week he'll trade in his costumes and characters for a tuxedo as he joins the glorious soprano Ann Hallenberg in four performances of Mozart's Mass in C minor. They will begin the tour in Cheville on November 20th and then travel to Boulonge, Issy-les-Moulineaux and Versailles. 

Watch the entire mass in C minor here:

Werba will return to the role of Don Giovanni in February opposite the Leporello of Mirco Palazzi in Turin. 

Have you bought your 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar yet? Click here:

Have Some Coffee and a Silent Night with Gabriel Preisser

Gabriel Preisser

Gabriel Preisser returns to his native Florida to perform Bach's Coffee Cantata with the Orlando Philharmonic Symphony on December 10th. He'll be joined by soprano Ruthie Nelson under the baton of Christopher Wlikins. Tickets are available online.

This foray into baroque repertoire is a switch for Preisser, who has recently made a name for himself performing newer works. He recently created the role of Lt. Gordon in the world premiere of Kevin Putz’s Pulitzer Prize winning Silent Night with the Minnesota Opera. Preisser will reprise this role with the Opera Company of Philadelphia in February 2013, where he'll be reunited with fellow barihunk Liam Bonner who is singing the role of Lieutenant Audebert.

Liam Bonner sings Lieutenant Audebert's aria "J'ai perdu ta photo" from Silent Night:

Other upcoming engagements include Yamadori with the Orlando Philharmonic, baritone soloist in the Carmina Burana with the Atlanta Ballet, and El Gallo in the Fantasticks with Skylark Opera.

Support other emerging artist by purchasing your 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar TODAY. All proceeds go to benefit young artist programs and young artists:

Barihunks Calendar model David Adam Moore to perform Schubert's Winterreise in Kansas

David Adam Moore from last year's calendar

We have no idea why we suddenly have so much barihunk news out of the American Midwest, but they seem to be descending among the cornfields like Schistocerca gregaria locusts. We recently posted about Michael Kelly and Dan Kempson performing in the area, now we've learned that David Adam Moore will be singing Schubert in Hesston, Kansas just 35 miles north of Wichita.

Moore, of course, has been a popular model in both our 2012 and 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar.

David Adam Moore will be joining accompanist Earl Buys on December 2 at 3 p.m. at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus to present his multimedia seasonal concert of Franz Schubert’s song cycle Die Winterreise.

Die Winterreise is a setting of 24 poems by Wilhelm Müller, performed in Schubert’s native German. Moore created a staging of Schubert’s masterwork with video projection, including English surtitles, as a way to help the audience visualize the very descriptive text.

David Adam Moore sings "Ego sum abbas" from Carmina Burana:

Moore is a graduate of the Oberlin (Ohio) College Conservatory of Music and the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music. He was a participant in the Seattle Young Artists program before hitting it big on the world's greatest opera stages in Don Giovanni, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Billy Budd  and The Barber of Seville. We recently announced that Moore’s will star in Oklahoma! at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

Moore will also conduct a master class with voice students from Hesston College and Bethel College, Dec. 3 at Hesston Mennonite Church. The class is free and open to the public. Single tickets for the David Adam Moore concert are available at the Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts Center website of by calling 620-327-8158 (Hesston College) or 316-284-5205 (Bethel College).

David Adam Moore is the May feature in our new charity calendar along with rising star Michael Hewitt. But it at Lulu:

The other barihunk "The Tempest" at USC

Kevin Blickfeldt

There's been a lot of attention given to Thomas Adès' "The Tempest" at the Metropolitan Opera with barihunk Simon Keenlyside. But on the opposite coast, the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music is producing a barihunk-laden performance of Lee Hoiby's "The Tempest."

Austin Thompson plays the major role of Prospero and Kevin Blickfeldt plays Antonio. They are joined by a bevy of low voices, including David Castillo as Ferdinand, Steve Pence as Alonso, Cole Cuomo as Sebastian,  Travis Sherwood as Trinculo and James Hayden as Stephano, and Abram Poliakoff and Robin Wyatt Stone as courtiers. 

There are two more performances Friday night and Sunday afternoon. You can get additional information on the USC website.

Austin Thompson

Shakespeare's story has inspired 50 operas including Fromental Halévy's La Tempesta, Zdeněk Fibich's Bouře, Frank Martin's Der Sturm and Michael Tippett's The Knot Garden. Incidental music based on The Tempest has been written by Arthur Sullivan, Ernest Chausson, Jean Sibelius, Malcolm Arnold, Lennox Berkeley, Arthur Bliss, Engelbert Humperdinck, Hector Berlioz, Willem Pijper and Henry Purcell. You can see the second HD broadcast of Adès' "The Tempest" in theaters on November 28th.

Our 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar is available by clicking below:

NEWS ALERT: Damien Pass wins Paris Opera Vocal Competition

Damien Pass

We have just learned that Australian barihunk Damien Pass has won the top prize today at the l'Opéra de Paris competition (A.R.O.P.). Pass continues the amazing winning streak by barihunks in vocal competitions and he'll take home € 5,000. Also awarded a top prize was Polish soprano Ilona Krzywicka. Almost exactly a year ago, Pass won  the "Voice Prize" at the 6th Nadia and Lili Boulanger International Voice-Piano Competition.

His 2012-13 season currently includes singing the title role in Opera de Dijon’s production of Dukas’ Ariane et Barbe-Bleue.

In recent seasons Damien Pass returned to the ensemble at Paris Opera and sang the role of Frank in Kurt Weill’s Street Scene, appeared in concert at the Louvre, performed Mahler’s Das Knaben Wunderhorn at the Bastille, and sang arias by Mozart and Rossini at the Palais Garnier. He also sang Inigo in L’Heure Espagnole with Maison de la Musique de Nanterre; appeared as soloist with the Britten-Pears Orchestra in Aldeburgh to sing Handel’s Saul;was a member of the ensemble at Paris Opera and participated in Glimmerglass Opera’s prestigious Young American Artists Program, where he sang the role of Marquis d’Obigny in La traviata, covered the role of Alidoro in La Cenerentola and, in a previous season, covered the role of Capellio in Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi.

You can purchase your 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar by clicking below:

Michael Kelly & Nicolas McGegan Team Up For Carmina Burana

Michael Kelly

We're not sure what they're putting in that luscious Midwest corn, but it apparently it's making people pine for Orff's Carmina Burana. We recently posted about barihunk Dan Kempson singing Orff's masterpiece with the Wichita Symphony. Now we've learned that just up the road in Kansas City, barihunk Michael Kelly will be performing the same piece on the same dates.

As an added bonus, Kelly will be performing with the energetic conductor Nic McGegan. We can't think of a better maestro to lead this lively score. If you can't make it to K.C. for this performance, make sure to buy McGegan's new CD of Handel's Atalanta.

Nic McGegan

Carmina Burana will be performed on Friday, November 16 through Sunday, November 18 and will be paired with Haydn's Symphony No. 94 in G major ( “Surprise”). Tenor Mark Molomot and soprano Cynthia Sieden will sing the other roles. Tickets for all three performances are available online. 

Actor Clancy O'Connor & Barihunk Michael Kelly will appear together

Fans of Kelly in New York can see him in Tribeca at SongFusion's Fall Gala featuring actor Clancy O'Connor. Kelly will be performing songs by New York composers about gay life in NY from SongFusion's upcoming program NY NOW! Gay Words/Gay Music. Tickets for the gala are available online. 

Have you bought your 2013 Barihunks calendar yet? It's time to get into the holiday season and help us support young artist programs. Don't be a scrooge!!! Click on the link below:

 

John Chest's Munich Recital and Upcoming Billy Budd Debut in Berlin

John Chest

We haven't posted about American baritone John Chest in awhile. He's another of the long list of barihunks who have been cleaning up at vocal competitions, having won the Arleen Auger Prize in the 2012 Hertogenbosch International Vocal Competition. Previously, he also won the prestigious Stella Maris International Vocal Competition.

We first saw Chest when he was with the Merola Opera Program, where he brought down the house with his shirtless Guglielmo in Mozart's Così fan tutte . He is a recent graduate of the Opera Studio at the Bayerische Staatsoper, where he sang over eighty performances including Fiorello Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Schaunard La Bohème, Lovec Rusalka, Petrucci Lucrezia Borgia, Carmen with Jonas Kaufmann, La Bohème with Anja Harteros, and Lucrezia Borgia with Edita Gruberova.

If you're in the Munich area, you may want to catch his recital on Friday, November 16 at the Historischer Reitstadel. He'll be performing works by Samuel Barber, Robert Schumann and Hugo Wolf with accompanist Marcelo Amaral. Call 09181/255-125 for tickets.

Many of his future engagements are in Europe, including Masetto in Mozart's Don Giovanni in Bari, a recital at the Wigmore Hall and revivals of La finta giardiniera in Morocco and in Luxembourg.

Actor Terence Stamp as the blond Billy Budd from the movie

In the 2013/14 season he will take up a Fest contract with Deutsche Oper Berlin, the highlight of which will be his debut in the title role of Britten's  Billy Budd in a new production by David Alden. Many people watching Chest's career have said that this role was practically written for him, as it perfectly suits his voice and appearance. Details have not been posted yet, but you can subscribe to the Deutsche Oper's free newsletter HERE for updates.

You can listen to Chest sing Pierrot's Tanzlied from Korngold's Die tote Stadt by clicking HERE.

Have you bought your 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar, which benefits young singers like John Chest? Click on the button below to help the next generation of singers:

Barihunks to compete in Canadian Opera Company Competition

Gordon Bintner

Ten Canadian singers, including three baritones, have been selected to compete for a place in the Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio training program. The final ten participants were selected from a pool of 146 singers. Saskatchewan native Gordon Bintner, who has been featured on this site leads the pack of low voices, which also includes Ontario native Clarence Frazer and Prince Edward Island native Nathan Keoughan

The competition will be held on November 29th at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto. The competition is open to the public. Tickets are $15 and be available for purchase online, by calling COC Ticket Services at 416-363-8231, or in person at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts Box Office, located at 145 Queen St. W., Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Nathan Keoughan

Each finalist must perform two arias to showcase his or her vocal technique and range before an audience and panel of judges.  Organizers will award a first prize of $5,000, a second prize of $3,000, a third prize of $1,500 as well as a People’s Choice Award of $1,500.

The jury, headed by Canadian Opera Company general director Alexander Neef, will select an unspecified number of finalists to join the COC’s 2013/2014 Ensemble Studio. Graduates of the program include stars such as Ben Heppner, Isabel Bayrakdarian and David Pomeroy.

Other singers in the competition are mezzo-soprano Charlotte Burrag, soprano Aviva Fortunata, tenor Andrew Haji, mezzo-soprano Danielle MacMillan, tenor Michael Marino, soprano Lara Secord-Haid and soprano Kelsey Vicary.

Don't forget to buy you 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar before the holiday rush:

The "Three Barihunks" appear at Richard Tucker Gala

Erwin Schrott, Sherill Milnes, Dmitri Hvorstovsky & Ildar Abrazakov (Dario Acosta Photography/Richard Tucker Music Foundation)

The Richard Tucker Music Foundation gala on November 11th turned into a veritable Barihunks Gala, with three of the hottest an most popular barihunks performing: Erwin Schrott, Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Ildar Abrazakov. The three singers even joined their legendary predecessor Sherill Milnes for a photo op.

The "Three Barihunks" (I see a DVD in their future), were featured along with many of today’s biggest names in opera,  including fellow baritones Gerald Finley and Quinn Kelsey, mezzo-sopranos Olga Borodina and Jamie Barton, tenors Marcello Giordani and Stephen Costello under the baton of maestro Patrick Summers and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. The gala also honored soprano Ailyn Pérez, the 2012 Richard Tucker Award-winner.

The concert will be broadcast in the United States on December 13th as part of the Emmy Award-winning Live From Lincoln Center series on PBS. The telecast will include a feature on Ailyn Pérez and performances by the featured guest singers.

The "Three Barihunks" will also be featured prominently on the Metropolitan Opera stage this season. Ildar Abdrazakov is singing the title roles in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni,
Dmitri Hvorostovsky stars in the new production of Verdi's Un ballo in maschera and later in its revival of Verdi's Don Carlo, and Erwin Schrott will sing Leporello to Abdrazakov’s Don Giovanni and Dulcamara in Donizetti's L’elisir d’amore opposite his real-life partner, Anna Netrebko. 

Buy you Barihunks Charity Calendar today, so that you can mark December 13th as the date of the Richard Tucker gala telecast. Click below:

Dan Kempson in Carmina Burana & Gianni Schicchi

Dan Kempson

Barihunk Dan Kempson has rapidly become one of our most popular singers on the site and he's become an instant fan favorite in this year's Barihunks Charity Calendar.

If you want to see him live, head to Wichita, Kansas, where you can hear him in Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. This is the seventh Carmina Burana of Kempson's young career. He'll be joined by soprano Monica Yunus, tenor Matthew DiBattista, the Wichita Symphony, the Wichita Symphony Orchestra Chorus, the Wichita Community Children’s Chorus and the Friend’s University Singing Quakers.

There is a casual "blue jeans" concert on Friday, November 16 and regular performances on the next two night. Tickets are available online.

Zach Altman & Dan Kempson

In April, Kempson will be appearing with his husband, fellow barihunk Zach Altman, in San Jose Opera's double bill of Puccini's Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi. Altman, who is on the roster of San Jose Opera, will play the title role of Gianni Schicchi, while Kempson will portray Betyo. Performances are on April 14, 20, 23 and 28. Visit the San Jose Opera website for additional information or tickets.

Make sure to get you Barihunks Charity Calendar featuring Dan Kempson before the holiday rush. Order now by clicking below:

Jongmin Park wins two awards in Neue Stimmen competition; Watch the entire concert here

Jongmin Park

The low voices continue to dominate major international singing competitions, as South Korean bass Jongmin Park took second prize in the Neue Stimmen Vocal Competition. The prize comes with 10,000 Euros and the opportunity to sing in the prize-winners concert in Berlin in March 2014. Park also won an additional 500 Euros for capturing the Audience Favorite Award. Had there been a best hair competition, we're pretty certain that he would have won that as well.

Park sang "La calunnia" from Rossini's Barber of Seville and "Schweig, schweig" from Weber's Der Freischütz. The 15,000 Euro first prize was won by Ukranian soprano Olga Bezsmertna, who sang "Depuis le jour" from Charpentier's Louise and "Dove sono" from Mozart's Marriage of Figaro.

Although the awards were announced last month, we're just getting a video of the concert, which you can watch in its entirety here:

Park was born in Seoul and studied singing in his hometown at the Korea National University of Arts with Hans Choi. He is currently a member of the ensemble at the Hamburg State Opera, where his roles have included Sparafucile in Verdi's Rigoletto, Il Re in Verdi's Aida, Sagrestano in Puccini's Tosca, Bonzo in Puccini's Madame Butterfly, Avosmediano in Palestrina by Pfitzner and Masetto in Mozart's Don Giovanni.

In November 2011, he had a major success in his debut at the Vienna State Opera as Colline in Puccini's La Bohème. Future seasons will see Mr. Park return to the Hamburg State Opera in leading roles such as Colline, Masetto, Truffaldino in Richard Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos, and Wagner in Gounod's Faust, as well as concert performances in Hamburg and Seoul.

Park has received numerous prizes and awards in his career, including first prize for male voices at the International Tchaikovsky Competition, the Birgit Nilsson Prize for Wagner singing at Plàcido Domingo's Operalia and first prize and the Audience Prize at the inaugural Stella Maris international vocal competition.

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