Barihunks Calendar Model Marco Vassalli to make US Debut

Marco Vassalli and Clint Borzoni

Italian-German barihunk Marco Vassalli is making his much anticipated U.S. debut with Musica Marin in a concert that includes the world premiere of two Clint Borzoni songs. The texts of these songs were selected by and written for the singer and are written for string quartet and baritone. Vassalli chose Hermann Hesse's Stufen and Hilde Domin's Margere Kost.

Borzoni and Vassalli have never met in person and worked on the songs together over Facebook video and Skype. San Francisco's Bay Area Reporter broke the news in a recent article, which you can read HERE.

Borzoni recently completed his fourth opera, When Adonis Calls, based on the poetry of Gavin Dillard. The opera was presented at Fort Worth Opera’s 2015 Frontiers Showcase. He is currently working on his fifth opera, The Copper Queen, with librettist John de los Santos for Arizona Opera’s program, Arizona Spark.

Marco Vassalli

The premiere is being funded with an Indiegogo campaign that launched today. Some of the perks include having one of the songs dedicated to you, a signed page from the compoer's notebook, copies of Vassalli's CD of Italian songs and access to numerous private events and concerts. Vassalli also posed for a provocative new calendar that is now available for sale HERE. All of those proceeds will also be used to fund the world premiere of the Borzoni songs. We encourage our readers to help out with one of the two campaigns.

Vassalli is currently performing in Leonard Bernstein's Candide at the Staatsoper Hannover. A German singer born of Italian roots, he grew up on Lake Constance and began his studies at the Hochschule fur Musik in Cologne, where he studied with the famed soprano Edda Moser.

Bay Area Reporter: "Hadleigh Adams sings out with pride"

Hadleigh Adams: Headshot and in Castor & Pollux

New Zealand barihunk Hadleigh Adams is profiled by Jason Victor Serinus in this week in San Francisco's Bay Area Reporter:

Tall, rugged baritone Hadleigh Adams, 29, must be one of the straightest spined and proudest bearinged singers on the planet. Both his appearance and his lower-pitched, resonant voice make it hard to believe that during his youth in a small New Zealand farm town, two decades before he journeyed to San Francisco and was chosen for San Francisco Opera's prestigious Adler Fellow apprentice program, he was teased mercilessly for being gay.

"I acted very different," he explained during an hour-long chat in a cafe near the War Memorial Opera House. "I acted very effeminately. Not by choice; it's just how I was."

This didn't make life easy for him at an all-boys school.

"I wanted to fit in," he says. "I was two years ahead in my academic work because I was a smart kid. I played hockey and tennis, which were the gayer sports from a high-school boy point of view. I also did a lot of music, and I loved music. If you loved music, that meant you were gay.

"So it was horrible. I was teased a lot, and had very few friends. But I didn't really mind it or care, because while I loved my family and my country, which is the most beautiful place in the world, I always knew I was destined for more than a lot of my classmates. Not to say that more is better, or being on the stage or escaping is better, but I knew, from the age of 12 or 13, that I was destined for more in my life."

ARTICLE CONTINUES HERE

Bay Area Reporter features Barihunks Calendar

Dan Kempson from the 2013 Barihunks Calendar

We'd like to thank the Bay Area Reporter for the nice mention of the 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar. The piece features the popular picture of Dan Kempson showing off his barihunk tee shirt (and some skin!).

Last year, we were fortunate enough to raise enough money to donate to the Seagle Music Colony, Portland Opera Studio and to buy music for a number of young artists. Every bit of profit from our calendars goes to young artists and young artist programs. It's a great way for you contribute to the arts and enjoy twelve months of the hottest beefcake in opera.

In addition to Dan Kempson, the calendar includes Duncan Rock, Christopher Temporelli , Craig Verm, David Adam Moore, Justin Hopkins, Jonathan Estabrooks , Michael Mayes, Michael Hewitt, Xavier Edgardo, Charles Rice , Michael Adams, Randal Turner, and Zachary Gordin. The oversize wall calendar also includes Peter Brathwaite from the group Amore. 

Order your calendar today by clicking on the Lulu button: