Joyce DiDonato teams up with Ildebrando D'Arcangelo for Semiramide

Honorary Barihunk Joyce DiDonato and Ildebrando D'Arcangelo

Perhaps the hottest opera ticket in Europe for the remainder of 2017 is the run of Rossini's Semiramide at the Royal Opera House in London. The all-star international cast is led by mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato in the title role, bass-barihunk Ildebrando D'Arcangelo as Assur, tenor Lawrence Brownlee as Idreno and mezzo-soprano Daniela Barcellona as Arsace. There probably isn't a better quartet of Rossini specialists in the world today and they'll be performing the entire run from November 19-December 16.

D’Arcangelo made his Royal Opera 21 years ago as Colline in Puccini's La bohème, and since performed a number of roles with the company, including Leporello in Mozart's Don Giovanni, Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen, Selim in Rossini's Il turco in Italia, and Figaro in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. This season, he is also performing Banquo in Verdi's Macbeth and reprising his Leporello with the company.

Ildebrando D'Arcangelo and Edita Gruberova in the duet from Semiramide:

Ildebrando D'Arcangelo sings Assur's aria from Semiramide:

The opera is based on Voltaire's tragedy Semiramis, which in turn was based on the legend of Semiramis of Assyria. After composing the opera, Rossini moved to Paris and wrote mostly opera in French, except for his comedy Il viaggio a Reims. It is considered one of the last operas to include the baroque tradition with highly decorative singing and vocal pyrotechnics.

The opera was premiered at La Fenice in Venice in 1823 and found its way to London a year later The U.S. premiere was at the St. Charles Theatre in New Orleans on May 1, 1837. By the late 1800s, the opera had virtually disappeared from the repertoire. However, it was chosen in 1880 to inaugurate the Teatro Costanzi in Rome and appeared as part of the Cincinnati Opera Festival 1882, which was attended by Oscar Wilde. The Metropolitan Opera revived Semiramide in 1892, 1894 with Nellie Melba, and again in 1895.

Although the overture is one of several of Rossini's to be widely recorded, the opera is only occasionally performed in modern times. Presentations at La Scala in Milan in December 1962 with Joan Sutherland and Giulietta Simionato required the re-assembly of the entire score from the Rossini autograph, since no other texts were known to exist.

Ildebrando D'Arcangelo appears on two recordings of the opera, one with Edita Gruberova and Juan Diego Flórez, and the other with Ángeles Blancas and Daniela Barcellona.

Barihunks Calendar cover boy Jason Duika

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!

Ildebrando D'Arcangelo's sexy Méphistophélès in Berlin

Ildebrando D'Arcangelo as Méphistophélès

Italian barihunk Ildebrando D'Arcangelo is starring in director Philipp Stölzl’s psychologically gripping production of Gounod's Faust at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Stölzl, who has also directed Wagner's Rienzi and Parifal with the company, has also made his name in film. He directed “North Face,” “Goethe!” and “The Physician,”  as well as music videos for Madonna and Garbage.

There are additional performances on June 27 and 30, and July 2 and 5.  

Ildebrando D'Arcangelo as Méphistophélès

After Faust, D'Arcangelo heads to Verona to perform the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni. In November, he returns to Berlin to perform the Count in Le nozze di Figaro at the Staatsoper with fellow barihunks Lauri Vasar as Figaro and Olaf Bär as Antonio.

Mirco Palazzi back in Dallas; Live simulcast tonight

Mirco Palazzi

Italian bass-barihunk Mirco Palazzi, who made his U.S. debut at Leporello in 2010 with the Dallas Opera, returns to the company in the title role of Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. The opera opens tonight and runs through November 9th.

Mirco Palazzi talks about his upcoming performances as Figaro:

Opening night is also an opportunity to share the opera with family and friends, as the performance will be simulcast live from the Winspear Opera House to Klyde Warren Park.The action begins at 6:30pm and will include a screening of the 1945 Three Stooges classic “Micro-Phonies”, the “Worst Bridesmaid’s Dress Ever” contest and a bouquet toss.

European fans of Palazzi can see him in the role at the Teatro Regio in Turin from February 12-25. The cast also includes fellow Italian barihunk Ildebrando D'Arcangelo. 

If you love everything and anything Italian, make sure to purchase our Viva, Italia! Barihunks Charity calendar featuring some of the hottest Italian and Italian-American singers in the world, as well as some Italian themed photos. Click on the LULU button below to buy yours today!

Barihunk Trio in Salzburg Don Giovanni

Ildebrando D'Arcangelo and Luca Pisaroni

The Salzburg Festival has assembled three of the most popular barihunks for their production of Mozart's Don Giovanni. Ildebrando D'Arcangelo is singing the title role, Luca Pisaroni is his sidekick Leporello and Alessio Arduini is Masetto. Fans of a pulchritudinous men will be pleased to know that Don Giovanni and Masetto both show off their upper torsos liberally in Sven-Eric Bechtolf's production. 

There are six performances remaining between July 30 and August 18, but two of the shows are already completely sold out. If you plan on attending, go to the Festival website and order your tickets today.

If you can't make a live performance, the production is being recorded by ServusTV in cooperation with UNITEL CLASSICA and will be broadcast as live on Sunday, August 3 at 7:30 PM. If you live in Europe, you can download the ServusTV app to your iPad.

If you're in the United States, you can catch Alessio Arduini at the Metropolitan Opera in Puccini's La bohème as Schaunard this November with Kristine Opolais as Mimi. Luca Pisaroni's next U.S. performance in a complete opera is also at the Met in their Don Giovanni, which runs in February and March 2015. Ildebrando D'Arcangelo's next U.S. stage appearance is also in Don Giovanni, but on the other coast, when he sings the title role at the revived San Diego Opera. 

Ildebrando D'Arcangelo performs Verdi's Requiem on PBS

Ildebrando D'Arcangelo and the Hollywood Bowl

The Los Angeles Philharmonic’s performance of Verdi's Requiem from last summer, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the composer’s birth will be broadcast on PBS's Great Performances, Friday, August 1 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings).

The performance features Italian barihunk Ildebrando D'Arcangelo, a favorite of Los Angeles audiences, where he has performed in Bizet's Carmen and Mozart's Don Giovanni. He'll be joined by soprano Julianna Di Giacomo, mezzo Michelle DeYoung and hunkentenor Vittorio Grigolo, as well as the Los Angeles Master Chorale and the L.A. Philharmonic under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel.

D'Arcangelo is currently at the Salzburg Festival performing the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni, which he will then perform in Oslo. He returns to the United States in the same role in February 2015 at the newly revived and reorganized San Diego Opera.

Hear LA Opera's Carmen online

No sooner had we posted about the Santa Fe Opera's Carmen than we received an email from an L.A. Opera loyalist who reminded us that they had Ildebrando D'Arcangelo as Escamillo in their production last Fall. There will be a radio and online broadcast of one of the performances at WRTI radio beginning at 1 PM PST/10 AM EST.

The performances were conducted by Placido Domingo and the cast includes Patricia Bardon as Carmen, Brandon Jovanovich as Don José, and Pretty Yende as Micaëla.

San Diego Opera Saved; Barihunks in all 3 Operas

Alex Esposito is bringing his definitive Leporello to San Diego

Never underestimate the power of social media or the devotion of hard core opera lovers. On March 19, the San Diego Opera stunned the world when it voted to close the company at the end of the 2014 season. Social media exploded with employees, performers and orchestra members leading the charge. Questions were raised about the management of the company and the motives for closing.

Yesterday, Board President Carol Lazier, surrounded by fellow board members, opera staff, choristers and union members announced that the 2015 season will proceed after they raised over $2 million in crowd-funding campaigns. Lazier donated an additional $1 million to attain a goad requested by the Board to proceed with the new season.

Morgan Smith and Franco Pomponi

That season will include barihunks in each of their productions, which had already been planned under the old regime.  One opera was dropped due to the cost to produce it, which was Wagner’s Tannhäuser. The singers who were scheduled to perform in the opera have been invited to sing in one of two gala concerts, a recital, or come back and sing for the opera in a future season.

The scheduled operas include Puccini's La bohème with Morgan Smith as Marcello,  Mozart's Don Giovanni with  Ildebrando D’Arcangelo in the title role and Alex Esposito as Leporello, and the San Diego premiere of John Adams’ Nixon in China with Franco Pomponi.

You can still donate to the San Diego Opera fundraising campaign online or purchase tickets for the new season.

Ildebrando D’Arcangelo joins Carmen cast at L.A. Opera

Ildebrando D’Arcangelo as Escamillo with Anna Netrebko

The Los Angeles Opera has announced that bass-barihunk Ildebrando D’Arcangelo is joining the cast for their performances of Bizet's Carmen, which opens their 2013/14. Performances run from September 21-October 6 and tickets are available online. 

Also joining the cast as the whiny Micaëla is South African soprano Pretty Yende, who won first prize at 2011 Operalia competition. She is replacing Nino Machaidze, who is having her first child with barihunk Guido Loconsolo.

Ildebrando D’Arcangelo sings "Votre toast" from Carmen:

Ildebrando D’Arcangelo is currently singing the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni at the Theater Bonn. There are two performances remaining on June June 29 and July 14. After that, much of his attention will turn to the comic roles of Rossini, with performances as Alidoro in La Cenerentola at the Vienna State Opera, Selim in Il Turco in Italia at the Bavarian State Opera and Mustafa in L'Italiana in Algeri at the Opéra national de Paris.

Barihunks on the air from Lyric Opera of Chicago

Thomas Hampson

If you love great baritone singing, make sure to tune in your radio or go online to WFMT, Chicago's public radio station. The next three Saturday's will feature a bevvy of our favorite singers including three in this week's broadcast of Verdi's Simon Boccanegra. The opera will feature the ageless barihunk Thomas Hampson in the title role alongside the riveting Ferruccio Furlanetto as Fiesco and rising superstar Quinn Kelsey as Paolo. Amelia will be sung by Krassimira Stoyanova and Adorno by Frank Lopardo.

Hampson is currently starring in Verdi's La traviata at the Wiener Staatsoper. 

Craig Verm

The following week barihunk Craig Verm can be heard as Albert in Massenet's Werther, in a cast that includes tenor sensation Matthew Polenzani in the title role and Sophie Koch as Charlotte. Verm opens as Ned Keene in Britten's Peter Grimes at the Des Moines Metro Opera on June 22nd.

On June 1st, Italian sex symbol Ildebrando D'Arcangelo takes on the very un-barihunk title role in Donizetti's Don Pasquale opposite the Norina of Marlis Petersen. D'Arcangelo is currently performing the role of Selim in Rossini's comic masterpiece Il turco in Italia at Barcelona's beautiful Gran Theatre del Liceu.

Ildebrando D'Arcangelo

Future broadcasts include Richard Strauss' Elektra, Humperdinck's Hansel & Gretel, Puccini's La boheme, Wagner's Die Meistersinger, Verdi's Rigoletto and Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire with an all-star cast featuring barihunk Teddy Tahu Rhodes, tenor Anthony Dean Griffey and soprano Renée Fleming. 

NY Times: Best Classical Recordings of 2012

Konstantin Wolff's Masetto makes the NY Times list

We're suckers for "Best of..." lists, so seeing the New York Times' list of best classical music recordings of 2012 made for some pleasant reading. We're also suckers for any opera that has three baritone roles, so seeing Don Giovanni and La Bohème on the list made us particularly happy. The list also included one of our favorite non-vocal recordings of the year, the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra's recording of the Brahms Serenades. This music is so fresh and vibrant on period instruments that you'll think that you're hearing Brahms for the first time. Also making the list is Christian Gerhaher's brilliant recording of lieder by Beethoven, Berg, Haydn and Schoenberg.

You can read the entire list on the New York Times website, but here are our highlights:

MOZART: ‘DON GIOVANNI’ Vocal soloists; Mahler Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin (Deutsche Grammophon 477 9878; three CDs). The impressive cast for this “Don Giovanni” includes Ildebrando D’Arcangelo in the title role, with Luca Pisaroni (Leporello), Joyce DiDonato (Donna Elvira), Diana Damrau (Donna Anna) and other fine artists, brought together in a wondrously fresh performance conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. ANTHONY TOMMASINI

PUCCINI: ‘LA BOHÈME’ Vocal soloists; Norwegian National Opera Orchestra, conducted by Eivind Gullberg Jensen (Electric Picture EPC01; DVD). The intellectually charged but dazzlingly theatrical director Stefan Herheim deconstructed the traditional sets of the Norwegian National Opera’s previous production of “La Bohème,” creating a mixture of old and new with a sober twist: Mimi dies of cancer at the start, and the opera is reconfigured as Rodolfo’s surreal, moving refusal to admit it. ZACHARY WOOLFE

BRAHMS: SERENADES Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, conducted by Nicholas McGegan (Philharmonia Baroque Productions PBP-05; CD). These are the first period-instrument accounts of the two serenades that I’ve encountered, though that is the least of their charms. More to the point, they rank among the finest recorded performances of these underrated works, perhaps second only to Istvan Kertesz’s classic versions with the London Symphony Orchestra, on Decca. JAMES R. OESTREICH

‘FERNE GELIEBTE’ Christian Gerhaher, baritone; Gerold Huber, pianist (Sony Classical 8869935432; CD). The German baritone Christian Gerhaher, who took master classes with the great Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, would make his mentor proud with this recording of lieder by Beethoven, Schoenberg, Haydn and Berg. Mr. Gerhaher’s mellifluous voice is aptly complemented by the supple touch and deeply expressive playing of Gerold Huber, his superb pianist. VIVIEN SCHWEITZER

We're getting ready to publish the Barihunks "Best of 2012" list, so email us your favorites to Barihunks@gmail.com. Also, there are only nine days left to order your Barihunks Charity calendar. We are only 12 calendars short of our goal, so order today. Please remember that every penny of profit goes to benefit young artists. 

 

 

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:

Ildebrando D'Arcangelo Wows Verona, Heads to L.A.

Ildebrando D'Arcangelo

Barihunk Ildebrando D'Arcangelo just completed his historic run in Mozart's Don Giovanni at the Arena di Verona. The new Franco Zeffirelli production was the first performance of the opera at that venue in ninety years. We suspect that video will pop up over the next few months from the production. Most of what is available now is rehearsal footage. We promise to post it as it becomes available, because it was a production for the ages.

Video stills from Muica with Ildebrando D'Arcangelo

Musica did a wonderful video overview of the opera that features the Italian heartthrob shirtless most of the time. There's also an interview from RAI Radio 3 in Italy with the singer. Watch it at Euronews and D'Arcangelo's interview HERE (in Italian).

In the meantime, enjoy D'Arcangelo serenading some happy Italians with  "Deh vieni alla finestra."

 Ildebrando D'Arcangelo sings "Deh vieni alla finestra" from Verona:

D'Arcangelo now takes his seductive Don to Hollywood, as he opens as the title character with the Los Angeles Opera. The three week run begin on September 22 with the adorable Masetto of Joshua Bloom. Regular readers might recall that Bloom made his successful debut in the role last Fall with a cast that includes fellow barihunks Luca Pisaroni and Mariusz Kwiecien.

For additional cast and performance information visit the Los Angeles Opera website.

CONTACT US AT Barihunks@gmail.com

Barihunks Coming to Los Angeles; Listen to a Complete Performance of Verdi's "I due Foscari"

Ildebrando D'Arcangelo: Always sexy as Don Giovanni

 The Los Angeles Opera has announced their new season, which opens on September 15th with Verdi's I due Foscari, which deserves to be performed more in the United States. The baritone role of Francesco Foscari will be played by Placido Domingo. The season also includes Puccini's Madama Butterfly and Tosca, Rossini's La cenerentola and Wagner's Flying Dutchman.

Giangiacomo Guelfi sings"Eccomi solo alfine!... O vecchio cor che batti" from I due Foscari:

You can listen to the entire opera with Guelfi and the amazing Leyla Gencer here:

None of the performances have been cast with barihunks, except for the one other opera that they're performing. Of course, that would be the star barihunk vehicle Don Giovanni. Ildebrando D'Arcangelo will return to Los Angeles after a successful run last year in Cosi fan tutte. Joshua Bloom, who we just featured performing Figaro in Australia will be Masetto. Visit the L.A. Opera website for complete details.

Craig Verm & Ryan McKinny: Dream(y) casting

If you're in Los Angeles and looking for a night of barihunks, then you might want to head over to the Hollywood Bowl on August 12th for Verdi's Rigoletto under the baton of conducting wunderkind Gustavo Dudamel. The title role will be sung by baritone Zeljko Lucic, but the smaller roles are filled with barihunks including Alexander Tsymbalyuk as Sparafucile, Ryan McKinny as Monterone and  Craig Verm as Marullo.

You also want won't to miss the rising young tenor David Lomeli who is singing the Duke of Mantua. Visit the Hollywood Bowl website for tickets.

Alexander Tsymbalyuk sings Don Silvas' aria from "Ernani":

CONTACT US AT Barihunks@gmail.com

Ildebrando D’Arcangelo Rocks the Pavilion in L.A.!!!

With Ruxandra Dunose (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

Italian barihunk has taken Los Angeles by storm with the following review in the L.A. Times that any singer would die for. You can read the entire review HERE:

“Così" begins with two overconfident youths, about to marry sisters and about to have their understanding of women tested. Ferrando sings a short line about his Dorabella, vowing that nothing could sway her faith...

Guglielmo echoes the sentiment. His Fiordiligi is honest as the day. Here Ildebrando D’Arcangelo revealed, in but seven sprightly measures of the score, an opulent bass-baritone with enough presence to rock the Pavilion.

That’s all it took to signal something special. The young cast of this “Così” is cause for celebration.

With Ruxondra Dunose and Saimir Pirgu (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

A number of audio files have been uploaded to YouTube, so you can judge the singing. We've also included some photos of the production. Tickets are available at the Los Angeles Opera website. 









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More Kwiecien; Barihunk Fest awaits

The third picture from the top is the latest hot photo of The Hot Pole Mariusz Kwiecien singing his signature role of Don Giovanni in London. The photo second from the top is allegedly from Canada. The article accompanying the center photo has Kwiecien quoted as saying that he did an "uncomfortable" photo shoot with the Polish version of Cosmoplitan magazine. I googled like crazy, but couldn't find the photo. I even tried the Polish sites and was that an adventure. What some people will do to get a photo of a Hot Pole.

Speaking of Don Giovanni, I'm back on U.S. soil after listening to some Puccini in his home town of Lucca and I'm off to the Metropolitan Opera on Saturday for the barihunk fest with Erwin Scrott, Ildebrando d'Arcangelo [top photo] and Joshua Bloom.