Jonathan Estabrooks in film based on La boheme

Jonathan Estabrooks: A sexy Schaunard

Like most opera lovers, there are a million things that we love about Puccini's La boheme. Mainly, we love that the great Italian composer wrote three wonderful roles for baritones and basses: Marcello, Colline and Schaunard. The opera has obviously been one of the most popular in the repertory over the last century and has inspired other works, like the musical Rent.
 
The latest piece to take its inspiration from La boheme is director Jose Luis Cortes' movie adaptation "The Bohemians." This is a modern version of the opera that takes place in Williamsburg in Brooklyn, a bohemian neighborhood remembered for its abandoned industrial streets and its cultural pockets of ethnic communities. Over the past decade the neighborhood has become an artistic hot spot, not too dissimilar to the Latin Quarter of 1820’s Paris, 1920’s Berlin or the SoHo of 1960’s New York. Williamsburg blooms with artists of all calibers and it is the perfect setting for a new and relevant revision of this musical masterpiece.

Back to those baritones! Schaunard will be played by Julliard graduate and winner of the 35th Oratorio Society of New York Vocal Competition, Jonathan Estabrooks. Readers of this site are certainly familiar with this sexy, emerging talent, who also appears as the July feature in our 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar [Available by clicking on the photo in the sidebar].

Joining him in the cast is Adam Margulies, a singer, actor and writer who conceptualized "The Bohemians." Colline will be played by Tom McNichols, a 2008 Metropolitan Opera Auditions semi-finalist. Adding to the low voice fun is the casting of Mexican baritone David Robinson as Benoit.
The movie is currently in post-prodution and you can get updates on their Facebook page or on Twitter at @BohemiansMovie. You can also check out their website for additional cast information.