Wes Mason takes on Bernie Madoff

Barihunk Wes Mason, who just finished a successful run as Curly in Oklahoma! at the Utah Festival Opera, will be turning his attention to another American tale. On September 14th, he'll be singing the role of Bernie Madoff in a workshop of composer Luna Pearl Woolf's new opera The Pillar.

The opera is based on Diana Henriques’ bestselling book The Wizard of Lies: Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust. The opera tells the tale Ruth Madoff, who has dedicated her whole life to her husband, a pillar of the community. When Bernie Madoff falls into disgrace, she must finally confront choices—and consequences—of truly operatic proportions. The story digs beneath the surface of this contemporary scandal to uncover a timeless meditation on loyalty, corruption, and the nature of love.

Mason will be part of a workshop at the Opera America Center Recital Hall at 330 Seventh Avenue in New York where the audience can hear selection of the opera and offer feedback.

You can RSVP and reserve your seat by clicking here or by visiting: http://tinyurl.com/ThePillarRSVP

 Wes Mason rehearsing Curly in Oklahoma!

We asked Wes about working on The Pillar and this is what he told us:

"It has been such a joy of a process rehearsing and discovering with Luna, David and everyone. When you are in a room with a top notch team of artisans that are able to share their insight and take direction from the creators of a work, you just light up with inspiration. The music, the words, and the interpretation of the other singers has moved me to tears. This is a fascinating work so far. Workshops are a real gift."

Upcoming performances include Ford in Nicoai's The Merry Wives of Windsor at Fargo-Moorhead Opera, Stanley in Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire at Kentucky Opera, Jonathan Reed in Dove's Siren Song with Hawaii Opera and the title role of Hamlet in the Ambroise Thomas classic at the Fort Worth Opera Festival.

NSFW: Stéphane Degout strips bare for Hamlet; Online broadcast until June 17th

Stéphane Degout in Hamlet from La Monnaie

Stéphane Degout in Hamlet from La Monnaie

The brilliant, dark and provocative performance of Ambroise Thomas' Hamlet from La Monnaie will be available online until June 17, 2014. Conductor Marc Minkowski and Director Olivier Py have been combining forces in exploring the 19th-century French Grand opéra repertoire with great success. In 2011, they collaborated on a highly-acclaimed production of Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots.

Lenneke Ruiten's as Ophélie

Olivier Py has become well known for his generous display of male skin in his productions and Hamlet doesn't disappoint. There is an extensive scene that takes place in a bathtub with Stéphane Degout's Hamlet and his mother Gertrude, played by Jennifer Larmore. Even Lenneke Ruiten's Ophélie finds the perfect way to go mad - surrounded by four shirtless men in leather animal masks.

If you don't speak French or aren't familiar with the opera, you may want to download a copy of the libretto before watching, as the subtitles are in French. Click HERE to watch the performance. Because we know that you're going to fast forward to it anyway, the bathtub scene starts at 1:49.

Although the abundance of skin will certainly be a draw to many, the vocal performances are stunning, led by Stéphane Degout and Lenneke Ruiten.

Gianluca Margheri: Mr. April in the Barihunks Calendar

There is only one week left to purchase your 2014 Barihunks Charity Calendar, so order it today!!! All proceed go to benefit young artists.

 

"Nude Hamlet" headed to La Monnaie (and available online and TV)

Franco Pomponi rehearsing Hamlet at La Monnaie

Back in Apil we told you that the "nude Hamlet" from Theater an der Wien was headed to La Monnaie in Brussels. Well, it has arrived and it still has FOUR barihunks in the cast, although you'll have to attend two nights to see all four of them, as Stéphane Degout and Franco Pomponi are alternating the role of Hamlet. Joining them for all the performances are Henk Neven as Horatio and Jérôme Varnier as the spectre. This is Neven's debut at Horatio.

Stéphane Degout as Hamlet in Vienna

Stéphane Degout created quite a stir with his nude scene in Vienna and we expect that the matinee idol-looking Franco Pomponi will cause a few opera glasses to be raised for better viewing.

Hamlet is a five acts grand opera by the French composer Ambroise Thomas, with a libretto by Michel Carré and Jules Barbier. It as based on a French adaptation by Alexandre Dumas, père, and Paul Meurice of William Shakespeare's Hamlet. The work was premiered at the Paris Opéra March 9, 1868. Among the noted singers in the original cast were Jean-Baptiste Faure as Hamlet and Christine Nilsson as Ophelia.

The production at La Monnaie is directed by Olivier Py and is running from December 3-22. Tickets are available online. 

Jérôme Varnier as the spectre and Henk Neven as Horatio

If you can't make it to Brussels, don't be dismayed as La Monnaie broadcasts all of its productions for free on the internet. This production of Hamlet will be available from Tuesday, December 31, 2013  through Monday, January 20, 2014.

It will also be available on television on December 17 at Mezzo TV.

If you love beautiful opera singers, make sure to purchase your 2014 Barihunks Charity Calendar. Remember that all proceeds to go to benefit young artists. Help keep opera alive and thriving and buy yours today by clicking on the Lulu button below.

Four Barihunks in "Nude Hamlet" at La Monnaie

Stéphane Degout in Hamlet at Theater an der Wien

Director Olivier Py has never been shy about featuring male nudity, whether in operas like Ambroise Thomas' Hamlet or Alban Berg's Lulu, or theater productions like Die Sonne at Volksbühne Berlin. His Hamlet featuring Stéphane Degout in the buff created quite a buzz last Spring at the Theater an der Wien. The production is now coming to the La Monnaie in Brussels starring Stéphane Degout again. He will be alternating the role with fellow barihunk Franco Pomponi.

We were also intrigued to see two of our favorite barihunks in smaller roles, Jérôme Varnier and Henk Neven. If you like shirtless guys...and lots of them...you may want to order your tickets when they go on sale October 10. Although there are thirteen performances, tickets are expected to be extremely scarce. Tickets will be available for as little as € 12.

Stéphane Degout Strips Hamlet Bare

Add Stéphane Degout to the growing list of barihunks who have appeared nude on stage. The amazing French singer bares all in the Theater an der Wien's production of Ambroise Thomas' "Hamlet." His dispair and self-mutilation manifests itself in stunning scene in Act 3 when he is bathed by Gertrude.

The production is by Olivier Py who transformed the stage into a cavern of human debauchery and misery.

Degout last appeared on this site when he appeared in a dreamy cast of Debussy's Pelléas et Mélisande with fellow barihunk Jérôme Varnier. The two are reunited in this production, as Varnier appears the ghost. Stéphane Degout has become the leading lyric baritone in the French style since Francois Le Roux and Gerard Souzay, both of whom have appeared on this site.

The always intense and musically incisive Christine Schäfer portrays Ophelia, Phillip Ens is Claudius and Frédéric Antoun is Laërtein in this co-production with the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels. Now let's hope that someone brings it to the United States.

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Liam Bonner in Hamlet at WNO

The Baltimore Sun features barihunk Liam Bonner prominently in their article about Thomas'Hamlet at the Washington National Opera. The opera opens on Wednesday, May 19th and runs through June 4th.

The Sun wrote:

Liam Bonner, the vibrant young baritone who will alternate in the title role with Michael Chioldi (both are substitutes for the originally announced Carlos Alvarez), is another admirer of the piece. "I'm not sure why it got lost over the years," Bonner says. "I know a lot of people who are wary of it. But I love it. It's a very challenging work and complex on many levels."

Read the entire article HERE.

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