Barihunk trio in Paris Opera's "out of this world" La bohème

Roberto Tagliavini, Andrei Jilihovschi and Alessio Arduini

Artur Ruciński will sing Marcello and Alessio Arduini will alternate the role of Marcello with Andrei Jilihovschi in the Paris Opera's new production of Giacomo Puccini‘s La Bohème, which is set in outer space. The new production, directed by Claus Guth, opens on December 1st and runs through December 31st at the Opéra Bastille.

The new staging is set a century from now, “in a future devoid of hope in which love and art become the sole means of transcendence.”

Paris Opera's La bohème (photo: © Bernd Uhlig/OnP)

The casts includes barihunk Roberto Tagliavini as Colline, Sonya Yoncheva and Nicole Car as Mimi, Aida Garifullina as Musetta, and Atalla Ayan and Benjamin Bernheim as Rodolfo.

Andrei Jilihovschi, who is new to this site, was born in Moldavia in 1985 and studied music at the Stefan Neaga College in Chisinau, specializing in choral direction while also taking voice lessons. He made his stage performance debut at the Conservatory in the title role of Eugene Onegin.

He was a soloist at the Saint Petersburg’s Theatre Mikhailovsky, where he sang the role of Belcore in L’Elisir d’amore, Schaunard in La bohème, Robert in Iolanta, the Prince in Boris Asafiev’s Cinderella, Silvano in Un ballo in maschera, Baron Douphol in La traviata, and Dancaïre in Carmen. This is his debut role with the Paris Opera.

Gianluca Margheri, Cody Quattlebaum and Ken Mattice

ONLY 30 DAYS LEFT TO ORDER our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!

Cody Quattlebaum in world premiere of "Der Traum von Dir"

Cody Quattlebaum in Der Traum von Dir

Cody Quattlebaum, who recently joined the ensemble at the Zurich Opera, will be featured in the world premiere of Swiss composer Xavier Dayer’s Der Traum von Dir (The Dream of You). The chamber opera is based on the famous novella Letter from an Unknown Woman by Stefan Zweig, and tells the story of an obsessive, unfulfilled love relationship between a young woman and a writer.  

There will be four performances on the company's Studio stage between December 2-9 and tickets are available online.

The story reveals the interaction between different layers of reality, in which the few real encounters of the couple are interlaced with manipulative, invented realities, wistful visions, amorous ecstasy and desperate loneliness. The unnamed female protagonist is split into a threefold ego, and in nine scenes traces the frenetic states of mind induced by an ecstatic love, which has possibly only existed in the head of the protagonist. 

Cody Quattlebaum in Der Traum von Dir

The opera is cast for three female voices, baritone and six instruments. The female voices are performed by Soyoung Lee, Hamida Kristoffersen and Kismara Pessatti.

Der Traum von Dir is the first in a series of opera compositions that the Zurich Opera will be commissioning from Swiss composers over the coming seasons.

Quattlebaum, was a recent participant in San Francisco's prestigious Merola Opera Program, where he performed Guglielmo in Mozart's Così fan tutte and the title role in William Walton's The Bear. He will also appearing be as Larkens in Zurich Opera's La fanciulla del West, which runs from December 21 through January 12.

Cody Quattlebaum in the 2018 Barihunks Calendar

Quattlebaum also appears in our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men. The calendar is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!
 

Dmitri Hvorostovsky's ashes laid to rest in two cemeteries

Half of Dmitri Hvorostovsky's ashes were laid to rest at Novodevichy Cemetery

A ceremony to bury the urn with part of the ashes of legendary Russian opera singer Dmitry Hvorostovsky took place at Moscow’s Novodevichy Cemetery on Tuesday, November 28th. More than 100 people flocked there to pay their last respects to the opera star, TASS reports from the site.

The snowy burial path to his grave was carpeted with roses. Next to Hvorostovsky’s grave at the end of the cemetery’s old section, one can see graves of renowned Soviet writers, singers, poets and state activists.

According to Hvorostovsky’s last will, his body was cremated and the ashes were placed into two urns. One has been buried at Moscow’s Novodevichy cemetery (the final resting place of the most outstanding artists, cultural personalities, scientists, politicians, and military heroes), and the other will be flown to his home town of Krasnoyarsk, Eastern Siberia.

Hvorostovsky, who is broadly viewed as one of the greatest opera baritones of our times, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in the summer of 2015. He quit the opera stage in 2016 but carried on with concerts. Hvorostovsky died of brain cancer at the age of 55 on November 22 in London where he lived with his family. 

[Taken from TASS]

A ceremony to bury the urn with part of the ashes of legendary Russian opera singer Dmitry Hvorostovsky took place at Moscow’s Novodevichy Cemetery on Tuesday. More than 100 people flocked there to pay their last respects to the opera star, TASS reports from the site.

More:
http://tass.com/society/977809

A ceremony to bury the urn with part of the ashes of legendary Russian opera singer Dmitry Hvorostovsky took place at Moscow’s Novodevichy Cemetery on Tuesday. More than 100 people flocked there to pay their last respects to the opera star, TASS reports from the site.

More:
http://tass.com/society/977809

A ceremony to bury the urn with part of the ashes of legendary Russian opera singer Dmitry Hvorostovsky took place at Moscow’s Novodevichy Cemetery on Tuesday. More than 100 people flocked there to pay their last respects to the opera star, TASS reports from the site.

More:
http://tass.com/society/977809

A ceremony to bury the urn with part of the ashes of legendary Russian opera singer Dmitry Hvorostovsky took place at Moscow’s Novodevichy Cemetery on Tuesday. More than 100 people flocked there to pay their last respects to the opera star, TASS reports from the site.

More:
http://tass.com/society/977809

A ceremony to bury the urn with part of the ashes of legendary Russian opera singer Dmitry Hvorostovsky took place at Moscow’s Novodevichy Cemetery on Tuesday. More than 100 people flocked there to pay their last respects to the opera star, TASS reports from the site.

Read also

Politicians, admirers pay last respects to Russian baritone Hvorostovsky in Moscow

People’s Artist of Russia, opera singer Dmitri Hvorostovsky

Putin offers condolences over opera star Hvorostovsky’s death

Russian opera star Dmitri Hvorostovsky passes away

The snowy burial path to his grave was carpeted with roses. Next to Hvorostovsky’s grave at the end of the cemetery’s old section, one can see graves of renowned Soviet writers, singers, poets and state activists.
According to Hvorostovsky’s last will, his body was cremated and the ashes were placed into two urns. One has been buried at Moscow’s Novodevichy cemetery (the final resting place of the most outstanding artists, cultural personalities, scientists, politicians, and military heroes), and the other will be flown to his home town of Krasnoyarsk, Eastern Siberia.
Hvorostovsky, who is broadly viewed as one of the greatest opera baritones of our times, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in the summer of 2015. He quit the opera stage in 2016 but carried on with concerts. Hvorostovsky died of brain cancer at the age of 55 on November 22 in London where he lived with his family.


More:
http://tass.com/society/977809

A ceremony to bury the urn with part of the ashes of legendary Russian opera singer Dmitry Hvorostovsky took place at Moscow’s Novodevichy Cemetery on Tuesday. More than 100 people flocked there to pay their last respects to the opera star, TASS reports from the site.

Read also

Politicians, admirers pay last respects to Russian baritone Hvorostovsky in Moscow

People’s Artist of Russia, opera singer Dmitri Hvorostovsky

Putin offers condolences over opera star Hvorostovsky’s death

Russian opera star Dmitri Hvorostovsky passes away

The snowy burial path to his grave was carpeted with roses. Next to Hvorostovsky’s grave at the end of the cemetery’s old section, one can see graves of renowned Soviet writers, singers, poets and state activists.
According to Hvorostovsky’s last will, his body was cremated and the ashes were placed into two urns. One has been buried at Moscow’s Novodevichy cemetery (the final resting place of the most outstanding artists, cultural personalities, scientists, politicians, and military heroes), and the other will be flown to his home town of Krasnoyarsk, Eastern Siberia.
Hvorostovsky, who is broadly viewed as one of the greatest opera baritones of our times, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in the summer of 2015. He quit the opera stage in 2016 but carried on with concerts. Hvorostovsky died of brain cancer at the age of 55 on November 22 in London where he lived with his family.


More:
http://tass.com/society/977809

A ceremony to bury the urn with part of the ashes of legendary Russian opera singer Dmitry Hvorostovsky took place at Moscow’s Novodevichy Cemetery on Tuesday. More than 100 people flocked there to pay their last respects to the opera star, TASS reports from the site.

Read also

Politicians, admirers pay last respects to Russian baritone Hvorostovsky in Moscow

People’s Artist of Russia, opera singer Dmitri Hvorostovsky

Putin offers condolences over opera star Hvorostovsky’s death

Russian opera star Dmitri Hvorostovsky passes away

The snowy burial path to his grave was carpeted with roses. Next to Hvorostovsky’s grave at the end of the cemetery’s old section, one can see graves of renowned Soviet writers, singers, poets and state activists.
According to Hvorostovsky’s last will, his body was cremated and the ashes were placed into two urns. One has been buried at Moscow’s Novodevichy cemetery (the final resting place of the most outstanding artists, cultural personalities, scientists, politicians, and military heroes), and the other will be flown to his home town of Krasnoyarsk, Eastern Siberia.
Hvorostovsky, who is broadly viewed as one of the greatest opera baritones of our times, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in the summer of 2015. He quit the opera stage in 2016 but carried on with concerts. Hvorostovsky died of brain cancer at the age of 55 on November 22 in London where he lived with his family.


More:
http://tass.com/society/977809

Mariusz Kwiecień is Opera Now cover boy

Mariusz Kwiecień on the cover of Opera Now

As regular readers know, Barihunks was created when a fan of Dmitri Hvorostovsky and a fan of Mariusz Kwiecień connected on social media about separately creating fan sites for the two singers. Realizing that the concept had limited appeal to fans of the two singers, Barihunks was created as a tribute to all low male voice who caught the eye of discerning opera goers. 

The site has endured for 10 years, promoting oft-neglected baritones and basses and raising money to support young artist and musical projects for low voices. The death of Dmitri Hvorostovsky has made us pause to think about the future of this site and whether we will continue for much longer. 

In the meantime, our other inspiration Mariusz Kwiecień is the cover boy on the new issue of Opera Now, where he talks about his future, including taking on some roles that were identified with his great Siberian counterpart.   

"I've got about 30 roles in my repertoire, but now I'm thinking again about adding some of the biggerr ones," Kwiecień told Opera Now. "I've recently done Rodrigo from Don Carlo, and loved it; so I'm hoping to do Boccanegra, Macbeth and Renato. Some people would say I should, some that i shouldn't. But it's my voice, and my decision." He's hoping to try out Boccanegra in a small house in Kraków before taking it to a major house. He also says that he's not a huge fan of Wagner, so don't expect Wolfram or any other of the German composer's roles to show up in his repertory. 

He also states that he doesn't work out at the gym (although he may start now that he's in his mid 40's, that he doesn't talk about his private life, and that he loves cars, particularly the Porsche Panemera. 

The Polish baritone is wrapping up a run as Zurga at Lyric Opera of Chicago and his upcoming performances include Malatesta in Donizetti's Don Pasquale at Opera Krakowska in March, the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni in Dallas and London, and Enrico in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor in Munich. 

 

Derek Chester and Marco Vassalli

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!

DMITRI HVOROSTOVSKY (OCT 16, 1962-NOV 22, 2017)

Hvorostovsky's body being taken from Tchaikovsky Hall

Philip Cutlip to perform Handel rarity Joseph and his Brethren

Philip Cutlip

Barihunk Philip Cutlip will join the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra for Handel's rarely performed oratorio Joseph and his Brethren. He will be joined by tenor Nicholas Phan, mezzo-sopranos Abigail Levis and Diana Moore, and sopranos Sherezade Panthaki and Gabrielle Haigh.

The Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra has performed just about everything Handel ever wrote,  except the composer’s 1743 oratorio Joseph and His Brethren. This Baroque rarity recounts Joseph’s reconciliation with his Jewish family in Egypt. The oratorio gave Handel the opportunity to depict the grandeur of the Pharaoh’s court and the faith of Joseph’s estranged brothers in a plot of intrigue and mistaken identity.

Sandrine Piau sings "Prophetic Raptures" from  Joseph and his Brethren:

Performances are on December 14th in San Francisco, December 15th in Palo Alto, and December 16th and 17th in Berkeley. Tickets are available online. 

Cutlip will also be performing the much more familiar Messiah with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra from December 8-10 in San Francisco, Berkeley and Rohnert Park. Tickets are available online.

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think! 

Barihunk duo to reprise JFK in Canadian premiere

Daniel Okulitch and Matthew Worth

Opéra de Montréal will present the Canadian premiere of composer David T. Little and Alberta-born librettist Royce Vavrek's “JFK". The opera will star two of the world's most popular barihunks in the lead roles: Matthew Worth, who takes on JFK and Daniel Okulitch, who portrays LBJ. Worth shares both the good looks and New England charm of our 35th President, while Okulitch matches the Vice President's imposing 6' 4" frame.

The duo premiered the piece at the Fort Worth Opera Festival in April 2016 to great acclaim. They'll be joined by many of the same cast members, including mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack as Jackie Kennedy, soprano Talise Trevigne as the housekeeper Clara Harris and the agent of fate Clotho, tenor Sean Panikkar as the secret service agent Henry Rathbone and the agent of fate Lachesis and Cree Carrico as Rosemary Kennedy.

Musical excerpts from JFK:

JFK delves into the hours President John F. Kennedy spent in Fort Worth, Texas immediately before his assassination in Dallas. The opera explores the subconscious of this complicated couple, examining their physical and emotional pain, their joy and love, and their metamorphosis into American myth.

Opéra de Montréal co-commissioned the piece with the Fort Worth Opera and the American Lyric Theater. The opera opens on January 27, 2018 and runs through February 3, 2018. Tickets are available online.

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!

Alex Esposito to make role debut as Méphistophélès

Alex Esposito

Italian Bass-barihunk Alex Esposito will be making his role debut as Méphistophélès in Hector Berlioz's The Damnation of Faust at the Rome Opera. He'll be joined by soprano Veronica Simeoni as Marguerite, tenor Pavel Černoch as Faust and bass Goran Jurić as Brander.

Berlioz, who was inspired to compose the piece after reading Goethe's dramatic poem Faust, referred to the piece as a "légende dramatique" (dramatic legend), rather than an opera. The piece is often performed in symphony halls rather than opera houses, due to its structure as a hybrid between an opera and a cantata.

In addition to Méphistophélès' serenade "Devant la maison," "Une puce gentile" and "Voici des roses," the piece is known for Marguerite's dramatic aria "D'amour l'ardente flamme" and Faust's rapturous "Nature immense."

Performances run from December 12-23 and tickets are available online. 

Barihunks Photo book

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!

Joa Helgesson truly suffers for his art in L'Orfeo

Joa Helgesson in L'Orfeo

No singer will ever be claim the statement "I really suffer for my art" after barihunk Joa Helgesson's performance of Monteverdi's L'Orfeo at the Malzfabrik in Berlin. The production was part of the Body Suspension Symposium, which focuses on the practice as an artform.

Berlin's symposium was the third one, following one in Oslo in 2012 and New York in 2015, all of which a co-production with Anchors Aweigh/SKIN.

"The inexpressible depth of music, so easy to understand and yet so inexplicable, is due to the fact that it reproduces all the emotions of our innermost being, but entirely without reality and remote from its pain... Music expresses only the quintessence of life and of its events, never these themselves." - Arthur Schopenhauer

A suspension is the act of suspending a human body from hooks that have been put through body piercings. These piercings are temporary and are performed just prior to the actual suspension. Body suspension is frequently used for spiritual purposes or for entertainment, most famously by the magician and illusionist Criss Angel.

Helgesson also appears in our 2018 Barihunks Calendar and Photo Book, but without the hooks!

Joa Helgesson and Derek Chester from 2018 Barihunks Calendar and Photo Book

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!

Listen to Mariusz Kwiecien's Zurga live from Chicago

Mariusz Kwiecien as Zurga (Photo: Todd Rosenberg)

Mariusz Kwiecien, who was one of the inspirations for his site, will open as Zurga at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on Sunday, November 19th. He'll be joined by tenor Matthew Polenzani as his friend Nadir, the booming bass Andrea Silvestrelli as Nourabad and soprano Marina Rebeka as Leïla.

Kwiecien last appeared in the role with the Met in January 2016, which also featured Polenzani, as well as German soprano Diana Damrau. 

There will be seven performances running through December 10 and tickets are available online.

However, if you can't make it to Chicago (where it's cold and rainy right now), you can listen to the opening performance of The Pearl Fishers can be heard live on 98.7WFMT beginning at 1:45pm CST/11:45 AM PST/2:45 EST.

Upcoming performances for Kwiecien included Malatesta in Donizetti's Don Pasquale at Opera Krakowska in March, the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni in Dallas and London, and Enrico in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor in Munich. 

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!

Björn Bürger stars in world premiere of Herrmann's Der Mieter

Björn Bürger as Georg in Der Mieter

Composer Arnulf Herrmann’s Der Mieter, premiered on November 12th at the Frankfurt Opera with a riveting performance by barihunk Björn Bürger as the suicidal main character Georg.

Arnulf Herrmann's opera is based on Roland Topor's Kafka-esque novel Le locataire chimérique which was made into The Tenant, a psychodrama/thriller movie by Roman Polanski. Unlike the book and film the opera concentrates on being forced to conform to norms by society. The opera's libretto, written by Händl Klaus, delves into the darkest regions of the human psyche probing issues of guilt, paranoia, and sexual obsession. 

Herrmann created a haunting soundscape with shattering glass in slow motion, creaking doors, sinking trees, crawling cockroaches and other sounds emanating from forty loud speakers. Bürger's vocal part calls for a wide dramatic range spanning a cappella murmurs to screams of despair.

The opera also features barihunk Sebastian Geyer in two small roles. Additional performances run from November 16-December 7th.

Derek Chester and Marco Vassalli

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!

Barihunk trio in San Francisco world premiere of John Adams opera

Davóne Tines, Ryan McKinny and Elliot Madore

On November 21, San Francisco Opera will present the world premiere of American composer John Adams' Girls of the Golden West, which will feature the barihunk trio of Davóne Tines as the fugitive slave Ned Peters, Elliot Madore as Ramón and Ryan McKinny as Clarence. The opera will run from November 21-December 10 and ticket and additional cast information is available online.

Bass-barihunk Davóne Tines, who is new to this site, makes his first local appearance in a fully staged opera as Ned Peters, an African-American cowboy and fugitive slave who is drawn to the promise of the frontier. At age 30, Tines has had three operas composed with his voice in mind: Matthew Aucoin's Crossing at the Brooklyn Academy of Music,  Kaija Saariaho's Only the Sound Remains at the Dutch National Opera, as well as Adams' Girls of the Golden West. Last year, he performed John Adams' El Niño at Walt Disney Concert Hall with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Davóne Tines sings 'True Fire" by Kaija Saariaho:

This is Ryan McKinny's debut with the San Francisco Opera. He recently performed the role of Richard Nixon in Adams’ Nixon in China with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Elliot Madore returns after his successful debut with the San Francisco Opera as Anthony Hope in Sondheim's Sweeney Todd in 2015.

With a libretto drawn from historical sources by director Peter Sellars, Girls of the Golden West explores the true stories of pioneers on California's Gold Rush frontier during the 1850s. The collaboration between San Francisco Opera and John Adams began with the 1992 West Coast premiere of The Death of Klinghoffer, followed by the acclaimed world premiere of Doctor Atomic in 2005.

Part of the cast of Girls of the Golden West

Girls of the Golden West takes place in the historic mining camps of Rich Bar and Downieville during California's transition from territory to American statehood, a period which coincided with the Gold Rush and its unprecedented migration of people from around the world attracted by the prospect of striking it rich in the region's gold fields.

Sellars' libretto draws from sources illuminating multiple perspectives of this global event, including the California history classic The Shirley Letters, a collection of 23 letters by Louise Clappe penned under the name "Dame Shirley" describing the rugged conditions and clash of cultures in the gold mining camps from 1851 to 1852; the diary of Chilean miner Ramón Gil Navarro; memoirs of fugitive slaves; poems of Chinese immigrants; the Argentine poet Alfonsina Storni; Frederick Douglass' speech "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?"; gold miner songs; and Mark Twain's Roughing It.

2018 Barihunks Calendar/Photo Book

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!

Mariano Gladic turns a swamp frog into a sexy prince

Mariano Gladic as Vodnik

Bass-barihunk is turning heads at the Teatro Colon with his shirtless, sexy performance of the water goblin Vodnik in Antonin Dvořák's Rusalka. The opera is best known for the soprano aria
"Song to the Moon" sung by the title character, which is being shared by Ana María Martínez and Daniela Tabernig in Buenos Aires. Performances run through November 14th and tickets are available http://www.teatrocolon.org.ar/en/2017/opera/rusalka. 

Gladic's sexy portrayal of Vodnik is an impressive transformation, because in Slavic mythology the character appears as an old man with a frog-like face, greenish beard, long hair, with his body covered in algae, muck, and covered in black fish scales. He has webbed paws instead of hands, a fish's tail, and eyes that burn like red-hot coals.

Although it has become popular in recent years, with Renee Fleming and Gabriela Beňačková having great success as Rusalka, the Czech opera was not performed in the U.S. until 1975, when it was produced by the San Diego Opera. It didn't make its way to the Metropolitan Opera until 1993 and the San Francisco Opera until 1995. 

Mariano Gladic as Vodnik

Mariano Gladic was born in Mar del Plata on the Atlantic coast of Argentina, where he started his musical studies at the conservatory. He continued his studies in Buenos Aires, where he got immersed in acting, working with Héctor Bidonde, Helena Tritek, and Rubén Szuchmacher. He was a member of the company Futuro Anterior directed by Silvio Lang. Gladic has extensive experience as an actor and performed in the International Acting Festival in Havana, receiving a nomination for the A.C.E. awards and the Teatro del Mundo awards. 

Gladic was a member of Periferia Vocal and Orfeon de Buenos Aires. His opera roles include Handel’s Ariodante, Don Giovanni, Die Zauberflöte, Così fan tutte, Le Nozze di Figaro, Rigoletto, and La bohème. He was one of the winners of the 8th Concurso Alejandro Cordero at the Instituto Superior de Arte del Teatro Colón.

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!

Barihunk Luis Alejandro Orozco makes his Nashville debut

Luis Alejandro Orozco

Barihunk Luis Alejandro Orozco, who has made El Payador in Piazzolla's Maria de Buenos Aires his signature role, will return to the role for what he estimates to be the fifteenth time. The Mexican-American barihunk will make his company debut with the role at the Nashville Opera from November 10-12.

Despite its reputation as the Capital of Country Music, it appears that this night of Argentinian opera and dance is the hottest ticket in town, as all three performances are sold out. However, there is a wait list that you can get on.

The production will be directed by John Hoomes and will feature Argentine dancers Mariela Barufaldi and Jeremías Massera (founders of Miami's Tango Axis Argentine Tango School) along with bandoneón player Rodolfo Zanetti and soprano Cassandra Zoe Velasco as Maria.

The opera has become popular in Germany, where is has been performed in apparently every city that starts with the letter "B": Berlin, Bonn, Braunschweig, Biel and Bremen. The opera can next be seen at the San Diego Opera with barihunk Paul La Rosa as El Payador from January 26-28 and then at the Fort Worth Opera Festival on April 27 and May 5 (performers have not been announced, but we've learned that it will be Luis Alejandro Orozco). Both productions are directed by John de los Santos.

Malte Roesner, 2018 Barihunks Calendar/Photo Book

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!

"Little Women" features barihunk duo

Alexander Elliott, Rachel Arky, Sarah Mesko, Claudia Rosenthal, Ariana Wehr and Ethan Greene (Clockwise)   (Photo courtesy of the Annapolis Opera)

We love the idea that an opera named "Little Women" features two beautiful barihunks! The Annapolis Opera's production of the Mark Adamo classic stars Alexander Elliott as Meg's soon-to-be-husband John Brooke, while bass Ethan Greene as Jo March's husband Friedrich Bhaer. They are joined by Sarah Mesko as Jo March, Rachel Arky as Meg March, Claudia Rosenthal and Ariana Wehr as Amy March. 

There is one remaining performance at 3 PM on Sunday, November 5th and tickets are available online.

Ethan Greene, who is new to this site, is a 2017 Bonfils Stanton Foundation Studio Artist at the Central City Opera and was a Des Moines Metro Opera Apprentice Artist. 

Alexander Elliott can next be seen in Haydn's Creation with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on December 1st and 3rd, as well as Handel's Messiah on December 2nd. He returns to the opera stage next Spring as Figaro in Rossini's The Barber of Seville with Opera Santa Barbara.

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!

Christiaan Smith to make Carnegie Hall debut

Christiaan Smith

American barihunk Christiaan Smith (he dropped the Kotlarek from his name), will make his Carnegie Hall debut with “Songs We Know" on Saturday, November 18 at Weill Recital Hall. Smith will perform the music of The Beatles, Maroon 5, Adele, John Legend, John Mayer, Ed Sheeran, Simon & Garfunkel, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. Tickets are available online.

Smith co-wrote his first solo album "All The Way" with British songwriter Chris Eaton, which will be released later this year.  Eaton has written for Janet Jackson, Keith Urban and Amy Grant. The album’s title song was the first single from the album and was released last month.

Christiaan Smith sings "All The Way" from his new album:

Christiaan Smith recently starred as Gaston in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast National Tour. His songwriting was featured when he opened for one of President Obama’s campaign speeches after being spotted singing in a martini bar in Madison, Wisconsin.

His opera roles have included Schaunard in Puccini's La Bohème, Joseph DeRocher in Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking and as Charlie in the composer's Three Decembers, Count Almaviva in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro, and Dancaïre in Bizet's Carmen.

Derek Chester and Marco Vassalli from the 2018 Calendar/Photo Book

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!

A birthday tribute to Mariusz Kwiecien

Mariusz Kwiecien as King Roger (left) and Don Giovanni

Few singers are more popular on this site than Polish barihunk Mariusz Kwiecien. He was also one of the early inspirations for creating this site along with Dmitri Hvorostovsky. He's developed a cult following with opera fans around the world and today we're celebrating his 45th birthday. Like Simon Keenlyside, Rod Gilfry and Thomas Hampson, he seems to get better with every passing year. As regular readers of this site know, we've dubbed him "The Hot Pole."

Kwiecien was born in Kraków, Poland in 1972, but has a long history with New York, beginning with his participation in the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program and then becoming one of the biggest box office draws at the Metropolitan Opera. He made his debut with the company in 1999 as Kuligin in Janáček's Káťa Kabanová. During the 2011/12  Met season, he amazed everyone with his resilience when he returned to take on the demanding title role of  Don Giovanni after injuring his back in rehearsals. The performance was also broadcast live in HD worldwide. 

He is next slated to appear as Zurga in Bizet's Les pêcheurs de perles (The Pearl Fishers) at the Lyric Opera of Chicago from November 19-December 10. He returns to The Met on December 29th for a run as Count Almaviva in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro opposite Ildar Abdrazakov in the title role.  

Mariusz Kwiecien sings "Deh, vieni alla finestra" from Don Giovanni:

Kwiecien is probably best known for his sensuous and sexually charged portrayal of Don Giovanni. In this golden age of baritones, he's considered one of the two or three best exponents of the role. He is slated to sing Don Giovanni as the Dallas Opera from April 13-29, 2018 and then at the Royal Opera House in London from June 30-July 17, 2018

He's also made his mark in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, as Almaviva in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro, Malatesta in Donizetti's Don Pasquale, Riccardo in Bellini's I puritani, Belcore in Donizetti's L’elisir d’amore, Marcello in Puccini's La bohème and the title role in Szymanowski's King Roger.

Many of his performances have been preserved on DVD including his stunning Eugene Onegin from the Bolshoi Opera and Met broadcasts of Donizetti's L’elisir d’amore and Lucia di Lammermoor. His recording of “Slavic Heroes” is arguably one of the best recordings of Eastern European arias on CD.  

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think!