Zachary James prepares for Met debut with a little Cabaret

Zachary James (Photos courtesy of the artist)

Barihunk Zachary James made quite a splash with his super sexy, scantily clad performance of Sally Bowles' "Maybe this time" from Cabaret at the Bearded Ladies’ Late Night Snacks Cabaret, part of Opera Philadelphia’s O19 festival and FringeArts. The lineup also includes the legendary gender bending performer Justin Vivian Bond, as well as opera legends Stephanie Blythe and Anthony Roth Costanzo. There a couple of remaining shows before the festival closes on September 29 and tickets are available online.

The festival came with the following disclaimer; "Late Night Snacks ingredients may include artistic experimentation, adult content, consensual touch, ear worms, nudity, jubilation, great selfie material, rampant queerness, and many repeat visits."

You can see Zachary James' performance HERE.

He said this of the festival. "Several of the singers from Opera Philadelphia’s O19 festival were invited to participate in Late Night Snacks Cabaret in South Philly produced by The Bearded Ladies, a month long nightly event included in this year’s Opera Philly O19 festival and Philly FringeArts festival. We love what we do as opera singers but also all have cravings to step outside of the box and explore our versatility. Late Night Snacks hosted Stephanie Blythe screlting rock and busting out Carmen with ukulele, Anthony Roth Costanzo singing jazz in a smooth baritone, Alissa Anderson belting You Don’t Own Me, Will Liverman singing gospel accompanying himself on piano like a beast, and many more stunning turns. This was a time and space to let our hearts out and explore our hidden desires as artists."

Zachary James in Akhnaten (Photo: Jane Hobson)

James will also be making his Met debut alongside his Late Night Snacks co-stars Anthony Roth Costanzo and Will Liverman, when he reprises his performance as Amenhotep III in Philip Glass' Akhnaten, which runs from Noevember 8-December 7. Tickets are available online.

Barihunks calendar and photo book now on sale!

Coverboy Jason Duika

Barihunks has released its 2018 calendar, which includes nineteen of opera's hottest singers, hailing from seven countries. Baritones and basses include Alexander Elliot, Brad Baron, Marco Vassalli, Malte Roesner, Cody Quattlebaum, Gianluca Margheri, Jason Duika, Joa Helgesson, Ken Mattice, Règis Mengus, Robert Brouwer, Sam Roberts-Smith, Thomas Weinhappel, Zacharias Niedzwiecki, Zachary James and Zachary Gordin. Most of our calendar ahave included one honorary hunkentenor, but we added three this year, including Derek Chester, Daniel Lopez and John Tibbetts. The calendar is available HERE.

Zacharias Niedzwiecki

Due to requests from our readers, we've added a Barihunks Photo Book, which includes numerous additional photos not included in the calendar. The 20-page photo book is available HERE.

All proceeds will go to promote baritones and musical commissions for low voice.

Iowa Public Television to broadcast "Billy Budd" with Craig Verm

Craig Verm as Billy Budd (photos: Des Moines Metro Opera)

On September 29th, Iowa Public Television will broadcast the world premiere of the newly orchestrated version of Benjamin Britten's Billy Budd. The opera features barihunk Craig Verm, whose promo photo from this production were featured in our 2017 Barihunks Calendar. The episode will be available online.

The production, which was filmed in July, features a number of other singers familiar to readers, including Zachary James as the evil John Claggart, Michael Adams as Donald, Emmett O'Hanlon as the Novice's Friend and barihunk turned hunkentenor Chris Carr as Maintop. The all-male cast included 70 singers and was the largest ensemble in the 45 year history of the Des Moines Metro Opera. [Zachary James is slated to appear in our 2018 calendar].

The Iowa Public Television coverage includes behind-the-scenes footage and perspectives on the making of Billy Budd, the stage experience, the opera’s complex emotional themes, as well as interviews with Des Moines Metro Opera General and Artistic Director Michael Egel, conductor David Neely, stage director Kristine McIntyre and principal cast members.

Craig Verm as Billy Budd (photos: Des Moines Metro Opera)

“'Billy Budd' is a true masterpiece,” said Craig Verm, the baritone featured in the title role. “It’s epic in its scope of onstage forces of orchestration, of story, of morality, and of good and evil. It’s gripping. It’s magical.”

In 2007, Verm first appeared in the opera as the Novice's Friend in Pittsburgh opposite the Billy Budd of Nathan Gunn and the thrilling Claggart of Greer Grimsley. The production was directed by the woman who inspired Barihunks, Francesca Zambello.

Billy Budd had its world premier at London’s Royal Opera House on December 1, 1951 conducted by the composer with the role of Captain Vere sung by Britten’s partner Peter Pears. Billy Budd received its United States premiere in 1952 at the Indiana University Opera Company with Jack Gillaspy in the title role.

A number of famous barihunks have sung the role of Billy Budd, who many believe was secretly desired by the evil Claggart. Famous barihunk Billy Budd's include John Chest, Simon Keenlyside, Richard Stilwell, Nathan Gunn, Rod Gilfry, Bo Skovhus, Thomas Hampson, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Peter Mattei, Lauri Vasar, Lucas Meachem, Jacques Imbrailo, Daniel Belcher, Roderick Williams, Iurii Samoilov and Liam Bonner. 

Craig Verm heads cast of barihunks as "Billy Budd" in Des Moines

Craig Verm as Billy Budd (photo courtesy of Des Moines Metro Opera)

American barihunk Craig Verm is returning to the role of Billy Budd at the Des Moines Metro Opera on July 1, 9, 11 and 14. Verm has become a popular singer of Benjamin Britten's title character. Verm performed Billy to great acclaim at the Teatro Municipal de Santiago in 2013.

The production will feature a number of other singers familiar to readers, including Zachary James as the evil John Claggart, Michael Adams as Donald, Emmett O'Hanlon as the Novice's Friend and barihunk turned hunkentenor Chris Carr as Maintop. 

In 2007, Verm first appeared in the opera as the Novice's Friend in Pittsburgh opposite the Billy Budd of Nathan Gunn and the thrilling Claggart of Greer Grimsley. The production was directed by the woman who inspired Barihunks, Francesca Zambello.

Emmett O'Hanlon, Zachary James as Claggart and Michael Adams

Billy Budd had its world premier at London’s Royal Opera House on December 1, 1951 conducted by the composer with the role of Captain Vere sung by Britten’s partner Peter Pears. In 1966, in preparation for a television broadcast, Britten cut the score from four acts to two with a prologue and epilogue, which has become the standard version for the opera.

The libretto was written by the English novelist E. M. Forster and Eric Crozier, and is based on the short novel Billy Budd by Herman Melville. The book was first published posthumously in London in 1924. Melville began writing the work in November 1888, but left it unfinished at his death in 1891. The novella was discovered in manuscript form in 1919 by Raymond M. Weaver, who was studying Melville's papers as his first biographer.

Craig Verm as Billy Budd (photos courtesy of Des Moines Metro Opera)

The first production of the opera Billy Budd in Russia occurred 100 years after the birth of Britten at St. Petersburg’s Mikhailovsky Theatre in 2013. Billy Budd received its United States premiere in 1952 at the Indiana University Opera Company with Jack Gillaspy in the title role.

Britten originally intended the title role for Sir Geraint Evans, but he felt that the role sat to high for his voice, so he switched to the role of Mr. Flint. Britten then opted for barihunk Theodor Uppman to replace Evans in the title role. The performance launched Uppman's international career and he went on to become one of the definitive Billy Budd's off all-time. Uppman sang in an acclaimed performance in 1970 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, which included Sir Geraint Evans as Claggart and Richard Lewis as Vere.

A number of famous barihunks have sung the role of Billy Budd, who many believe was secretly desired by the evil Claggart. Famous barihunk Billy Budd's include John Chest, Simon Keenlyside, Richard Stilwell, Nathan Gunn, Rod Gilfry, Bo Skovhus, Thomas Hampson, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Peter Mattei, Lauri Vasar, Lucas Meachem, Jacques Imbrailo, Daniel Belcher, Roderick Williams, Iurii Samoilov and Liam Bonner.

Barihunk John Moore in Breaking the Waves (with mature audience warning)

Barihunk John Moore and Kiera Duffy

Opera Philadelphia premiered Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek's Breaking the Waves, which includes the barihunk duo of John Moore as the main protagonist Jan Nyman and Zachary James as Terry. Mazzoli is a graduate of Opera Philadelphia’s Composer in Residence program. The opera has a "for mature audiences" warning as both leads appear nude.

The opera is based on the Oscar-nominated 1996 film by Lars von Trier. The libretto tells the story of Bess McNeill (sung by Kiera Duffy), a religious young woman with a deep love for her husband Jan, a handsome oil rig worker. When Jan becomes paralyzed in an off-shore accident, her marital vows are put to the test as he encourages her to seek other lovers and return to his bedside to tell him of her sexual activities. He insists that the stories will feel like they are making love together and keep him alive. Bess’s increasing selflessness leads to a finale of divine grace, but at great cost.

There is one remaining performance on October 1st and tickets are available online. The cast also includes the rising tenor sensation David Portillo, Eve Gigliotti, Marcus DeLoach and Patricia Schuman.

Zachary James in free performance of "the little match girl passion"

Zachary James, Karim Sulayman, Anne-Carolyn Bird and Brennan Hall

Bass-barihunk Zachary James will be featured in R. B. Schlather performance installation of American composer David Lang’s Pulitzer Prize-winning the little match girl passion at Jack Shainman Gallery in Kinderhook, N.Y. He'll be joined by soprano Anne-Carolyn Bird, countertenor Brennan Hall, tenor Karim Sulayman, percussionist Michael Zell and music director Amanda Crider.

Composer David Lang earned the Pulitzer Prize in 2008 for the little match girl passion. The ground-breaking piece is scored for four solo voices and percussion, and tells Hans Christian Andersen’s tale of a poor young girl struggling with abuse and poverty, but retaining faith, hope, and ultimately redemption. The story is suffused with opposites; a beautiful past with a bitter present, the struggles of poverty and the redemption of hope.

The performance is a continuation of R.B. Schlather’s practice of installing opera and vocal chamber music as an exchange between visitor, musician, and architecture, investigating questions about presentation, duration, and access.

This August 20th performance is free and open to the public. It begins and noon and runs for five hours.

Barihunk duos in two Opera Philadelphia performances

Zachary James and John Moore in Mazzoli's Breaking Waves

Opera Philadelphia announced their 2016-17 season, which will include the barihunk duo of John Moore and Zachary James in the world premiere of Missy Mazzoli’s chamber opera Breaking the Waves, which features a libretto by Royce Vavrek. Mazzoli is a graduate of Opera Philadelphia’s Composer in Residence program.

The opera is based on the Oscar-nominated 1996 film by Lars von Trier. The libretto tells the story of Bess McNeill (sung by Kiera Duffy), a religious young woman with a deep love for her husband Jan (sung by John Moore), a handsome oil rig worker. When Jan becomes paralyzed in an off-shore accident, her marital vows are put to the test as he encourages her to seek other lovers and return to his bedside to tell him of her sexual activities. He insists that the stories will feel like they are making love together and keep him alive. Bess’s increasing selflessness leads to a finale of divine grace, but at great cost.

Performances will run from September 22 through October 1st. The cast also includes the rising tenor sensation David Portillo, Eve Gigliotti and Patricia Schuman.

Brandon Cedel and John Chest in The Marriage of Figaro

The company's new production of Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro will feature the barihunk duo of Brandon Cedel as Figoro and John Chest as the Count. Performances will be at the Academy of Music and will also feature Ying Fang as Susanna, Layla Claire as the Countess, John Chest, Cecelia Hall as Cherubino and Patrick Carfizzi as Bartolo.

Other operas in the season include Puccini's Turandot with Christine Goerke in the title role and Daniel Belcher as Ping; a re-imaging of Verdi's Macbeth by South African director Brett Bailey set in the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the title character as a Congolese warlord: and Stephanie Blythe making her role debut as the title character in Rossini’s Tancredi along with Daniel Mobbs as Orbazzano.

You can find more information on the Opera Philadelphia website.

Barihunk duo in R-Rated Don Giovanni at Opera Ithaca

Garrett Obrycki in Opera Ithaca's promo for Don Giovanni

Opera Ithaca  will present the latest creation of innovative director R.B. Schlather when their Don Giovanni opens on December 5th. The opera comes with an R-rated warning for containing "nudity, sexual content and violence." The opera stars the barihunk duo of Garrett Obrycki in the title role and Zachary James as the Commendatore. James was also a co-founder of the company with Lynn Craver, which launched in 2014.

Schlather has become a regular feature on Barihunks for his sexy productions, which have included barihunk David McFerrin in Philip Glass' In the Penal Colony, Hadleigh Adams stripped down to his briefs in Handel's Orlando and frequent Barihunks calendar model David Adam Moore in Handel's Alcina. Schlather is a graduate of Ithaca College.

We learned that the opera will open with a rape and a murder and the rest of it is about sex. There will be full nudity and partial nudity from at least two characters (one being Don Giovanni).

Garrett Obrycki sings "Bella siccome un angelo" from Donizetti's Don Pasquale:  

Don Giovanni will star Philadelphia baritone Garrett Obrycki in the title role. Obrycki is a Minnesota native who receieved his Bachelor of Music in Voice from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. While at Eastman, he performed Tarquinius in Britten's The Rape of Lucretia and Frank  Maurrant in Kurt Weill's Street Scene. After his undergraduate studies, Garrett sang as a Young Artist with the Ohio Light Opera, a chorister with Opera Philadelphia and as a member of the Philadelphia Singers. He's also a teaching artist with Opera Philadelphia. 

Zachary James as Bluebeard at Opera Ithaca

Zachary James previously performed the role of the Commendatore at Central City Opera. The towering bass-barihunk aptly created the role of Abraham Lincoln in the world premiere of Philip Glass’ opera The Perfect American at the Teatro Real in Madrid, a role he reprised for London’s English National Opera and Australia’s Opera Queensland. Upcoming performance for Zachary James include La Reina with the Prototype Festival in New York in January 2016, Liebeslieder Walzer with the New York City Ballet also in January 2016 and The Mikado with Anchorage Opera in April 2016.

Opera Ithaca’s production of Don Giovanni will play Ithaca’s Community School of Music and Arts Ballroom Saturday, December 5th and Sunday, December 6th at 8pm each evening. Tickets are available online.

Enjoy 18 more barihunks in our new Charity Calendar, which is on sale now. 

Zachary James on PBS "Sweeney Todd" with Emma Thompson

Zachary James in PBS' "Sweeney Todd" (right)

Keep an eye out for a tall, sexy, bald guy with a muscle shirt during the September 26th broadcast of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street on PBS. That's Zachary James, who has sung the title role in Sweeney Todd, but appears as part of the ensemble in this production.

The show, which stars Oscar winning actress Emma Thompson and legendary opera singer Byrn Terfel, will air as part of public television's Live From Lincoln Center.  Audra McDonald, who hosts the broadcast, also appears in the uncredited role of the beggar woman.

The production, directed by Lonny Price and conducted by Alan Gilbert, played to sold out crowds at Avery Fisher Hall from March 5 through March 8.

Zachary James returns to the operatic stage from September 15-20, when he portrays Abraham Lincoln in Philip Glass' The Perfect American. The opera imagines the final months of Walt Disney’s life, including mythical imaginings of Abraham Lincoln and Andy Warhol. British baritone Christopher Purves will be portraying Walt Disney. Additional information and tickets are available online.

In October, he returns to the United States to take on the title role in Bartok's Bluebeard's Castle opposite soprano Megan Nielson at Opera Ithaca. 

Three Barihunks to perform in "Vavrek and Vrebalov"

Jonathan Estabrooks, Sidney Outlaw and Zachary James

Barihunks seem to be showing up in bunches these days and we're loving it. Our recent post about the Seattle Opera's The Consul actually featured four barihunks in one production. On the opposite coast, we have a barihunk triumverate performing in "Vavrek and Vrebalov" at The National Opera Center, which is being presented by the American Lyric Theater. The performance features Jonathan Estabrooks, Sidney Outlaw and Zachary James in selections from librettist Royce Vavrek and Composer Aleksandra Vrebalov, who were both Resident Artists at the National Opera Center.

The program will include Nora at the Altar-Rail, a short, one-act opera written by composer Jay Anthony Gach with Royce Vavrek as librettist, excerpts from Aleksandra Vrebalov’s first full-length opera, Mileva, and arias and scenes written by Vavrek with some of his favorite collaborators, including David T. Little (a scene from Vinkensport, or The Finch Opera), Jeff Myers (scenes from The Hunger Art, and Maren of Vardo), Rachel Peters (a scene from Prairie Dogs), Andrew Gerle (a scene from The Beach), and Missy Mazzoli (scenes from Song from the Uproar and Breaking the Waves - a new opera in development).

A scene from Aleksandra Vrebalov's Mileva:

Aleksandra Vrebalov is a Serbian composer based in New York City. She studied composition with Miroslav Statkic at Novi Sad University, then with Zoran Erić at Belgrade University, Elinor Armer at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Ivana Loudova at the Prague Academy of Music. She has received commissions from Kronos Quartet, Carnegie Hall, Barlow Endowment, Festival Ballet Providence, Merkin Concert Hall Zoom Series. Vrebalov is also a co-founder of South Oxford Six, a composers' collective in New York.

Vavrek has become one of the most in-demand librettists in the country, creating works for many companies including Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Fort Worth Opera, and Beth Morrison Projects.

The performance is at 3 PM on February 23 at OPERA America in New York City. Tickets are $20 and are available online.  

Barihunk trio featured in Lenya Competition Documentary

Zachary James, Justin Hopkins and Doug Carpenter (L-R)

Three brilliant, talented and sexy barihunks are featured in the new mini-documentary about the Lotte Lenya Competition: Justin Hopkins, Doug Carpenter and Zachary James. 

The 18-minute film offers a close-up view of the Lotte Lenya Competition, tracing the journey of the 2013 Competition through the semi-finals, finals, announcement of the winners, and a 15th anniversary celebration concert at New York's Symphony Space. Through live footage and interviews, "Singing the Story: The Lotte Lenya Competition" reveals the rigorous and unique nature of the Lenya Competition, which challenges singers to go beyond the usual "stand and sing" approach of vocal competitions by requiring them to present fully acted performances of wide-ranging theater repertoire, from opera to Broadway—to "sing the story."

You can watch the entire documentary below:

Watch Doug Carpenter's winning set from the 2013 competition below:

3 Barihunks Named as Finalists in 2012 Lotte Lenya Competition

Doug Carpenter as he appeared in the Barihunks calendar

Three barihunks, including two of our calendar models, are among the twelve finalists in the 2012 Lotte Lenya Competition. Douglas Carpenter, Justin Hopkins and Nicky Wuchinger have all advanced in the competition. The participants will compete for prizes of $15,000, $10,000 and $7,500 in the finals, which will be held on April 21, 2012, at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.

Three-time Tony Award nominee and Broadway diva Rebecca Luker will serve as a judge along with Encores! music director Rob Berman and Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization President Theodore S. Chapin.  Held annually by the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, the Lotte Lenya Competition is an international theater singing contest that recognizes talented young singer-actors, ages 19-30, who are dramatically and musically convincing in a wide range of repertoire, and emphasizes the acting of songs within a dramatic context. 

Justin Hokins as he appeared in the Barihunks calendar

The competition has attracted numerous barihunks, many of whom have gone on to win the competition. Barihunk winners include Lucas Meachem, Liam Bonner, Zachary James, Cooper Grodin and Justin Lee Miller.

Liam Bonner performs Weill at a recent concert at the Gershwin Hotel:

Other 2012 finalists include mezzos Megan Marino, Cecelia Tickton and Christine Amon; sopranos Briana Elyse Hunter, Mollie Vogt-Welch, Natalie Ballenger and Maria Failla; tenors Matthew Grills and Jacob Keith Watson. The competition will culminate in an evening concert featuring all of the finalists, followed by the announcement of the winners. Both the daytime finals and evening concert are free and open to the public, and will take place in Kilbourn Hall at the Eastman School of Music.  The Kurt Weill Foundation will award special prizes in addition to the top prizes, and has already presented an Emerging Talent Award to tenor Robert Ariza and the Grace Keagy Award for Outstanding Vocal Promise to mezzo Kate Tombaugh.

Contact us at Barihunks@gmail.com