Barihunks star in NY premiere of Britten's Owen Wingrave

Michael Weyandt and Robert Balonek

Barihunks Robert Balonek and Michael Weyandt will alternate the title role in Benjamin Britten's Owen Wingrave at The Little Opera Theatre of New York from May 9-May 12. The performance is being billed as the New York premiere of the opera. Performances will be at the GK Arts Center in Brooklyn and tickets are available online.

Owen Wingrave, which premiered in 1970, tells the story of a committed pacifist born into a renowned military family.  Despite strong disapproval over his beliefs and desperate to maintain the love of his would-be bride, Owen Wingrave is determined to prove his inner strength – even if it leads to his own demise.

Britten was a deeply committed pacifist, which traces back to his early life, particularly during his years at Gresham’s, his public school in Holt, Norfolk. He was know as a sensitive young boy who abhorred violence and bullying. World War I had cast a huge shadow over Britten’s generation and it was felt nowhere more keenly than at Gresham’s.  Britten was born a year before the onset of WWI  where the U.K. and its colonies saw 887,711 killed in action between 1914 and 1918. 100 boys from Gresham’s alone lost their lives.  His school formed one of the first branches of the League of Nations Union, which was designed to foster peace and prevent future conflict. The school also banned corporal punishment.

Britten's most famous pacifist composition is his War Requiem.

ENO presents its first-ever production of Britten's "Paul Bunyan"

Paul Bunyan by Rick Meyerowitz and Matthew Durkan (photo: Pablo Strong)

The English National Opera (ENO) will mount their first-ever performance of Benjamin Britten’s Paul Bunyan at Wilton’s Music Hall in East London as part of their Studio Live series, which presents opera in more intimate environments.

Paul Bunyan, with its libretto by one of England’s greatest poets W.H. Auden, is a retelling of the great American folk tale featuring the titular giant. It is one of Britten’s most eclectic scores, with blues, folk and hymns incorporated into a story of civilization's destructive relationship to the ecology around it, and the dangers of the American Dream.

Matthew Durkan talks about his time at ENO:

Barihunk Matthew Durkan, a Harewood Young Artist at ENO, will sing the antagonistic foreman Hal Helson, while. Olivier Award-winning actor Simon Russell Beale will provide the offstage voice of Paul Bunyan. The rest of the cast includes tenor Elgan Llŷr Thomas as the bookkeeper Johnny Inkslinger, soprano Rowan Pierce as Tiny and tenor William Morgan sings Hot Biscuit Slim. 

Durkan, a recent graduate of the National Opera Studio, was a winner of the 2014 Stuart Burrows International Voice Award and a finalist in the 2014 Kathleen Ferrier Competition. His roles at ENO have also included Ormonte Partenope, Malcolm Fleet Marnie, Marullo Rigoletto, Demetrius A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Fiorello The Barber of Seville and Yamadori Madam Butterfly. 

Performances are on September 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8. Tickets and additional cast information is available online. 

Barihunks galore in Rome's "Billy Budd" led by Phillip Addis

Phillip Addis as Billy Budd in Rome

Benjamin Britten's opera Billy Budd has long been a favorite of readers of this site. After all, who wouldn't like an opera that features a cast of sailors with some homoerotic undertones? The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma is opening a run of the opera tonight laden with barihunks, starting with Phillip Addis in the title role. Also in the cast is John Relyea as the evil John Claggart, Thomas Oliemans as Mr. Redburn, Zach Altman as Mr. Flint and Jonathan Michie as Donald.

Performances will run through May 15th and tickets and additional cast information is available online.

Phillip Addis made his debut in the title role in 2015 at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa. John Relyea will return to the role in January at Den Norske Opera with Jacques Imbrailo in the title role.

Phillip Addis as Billy Budd in Rome

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.

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.

Phillip Addis as Billy Budd in Rome

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.

German barihunk Björn Bürger will add his name to the roster, when he takes on the title role beginning May 19th at the Frankfurt Oper.

Edward Laurenson to sing Tarquinius in San Francisco

Edward Laurenson

The last we featured New Zealand barihunk Edward Laurenson three years ago, he was off to London to commence his Masters in Music studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He has now landed across the globe in California, where he's studying at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He has now studied on three continents in three years!

On December 8th and December 10th, he'll be performing Tarquinius in Benjamin Britten's The Rape of Lucretia at the Conservatory. He'll be joined by fellow barihunk Jorge Ruvalcaba as Junius, Brandon Bell as Collatinus, Molly Boggess as Lucretia, Esther Tonea as the Female Chorus, Ricky Garcia as the Male Chorus, Jessie Barnett as Bianca, and Meagan Rao as Lucia. [Click on the dates for tickets].

The fully-staged production is part of the Conservatory's thematic programming surrounding the institution's centennial celebrations for the 2017-18 season, which is comprised of 20th- and 21st-century repertoire.

Jorge Ruvalcaba (left and center), Edward Laurenson and Brandon Bell

Laurenson was an Emerging Artist with The Dame Malvina Major Foundation, as well as Vocal National Young Performer of the Year at Performing Arts Competitions Association of New Zealand, won the Lieder prize at the New Zealand Aria competition, won the Guildhall School of Music & Drama Award, the Australian Opera Awards Committee’s Sheila Prior Memorial Prize, the Phoebe Patrick Award and the David Harper Award.

Mexican baritone Jorge Ruvalcaba is new to this site. He was the winner of the Coppel Prize VIII in the  Concurso Internacional de Canto Sinaloa in 2016, the Edgar Mason Kneedler Memorial Prize Opera San Miguel 2015, won special prizes for best interpretation of Mozart and for the best interpretation of aria at the XIX Maritza Alemán Singing Contest. He has performed Marcello at Opera de Oazaca, the title role of Don Giovanni a the Escuela Superior de Música and Papageno at the Teatro Alameda.

ONLY 29 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!

Iurii Samoilov performs first ever Billy Budd in Moscow

Iurii Samoilov discussing Billy Budd at a recent press conference

Barihunk Iurii Samoilov made history on November 25th, when he became the first singer to perform the title role in Benjamin Britten's Billy Budd at Russia's Bolshoi Theatre. Samoilov, who is on the roster of Oper Frankfurt and appeared in last year's Barihunks calendar, joins an all-star cast that will perform again on November 27 and 29, and December 1.

The Bolshoi performance is a co-production with the English National Opera and Deutsche Oper Berlin and it features a number of other barihunks, including Gidon Saks as the evil John Claggart, Bogdan Volkov as A Novice and Aleksandr Utkin as Arthur Jones.

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.

Iurii Samoilov sings Rachmaninov's "Don't sing to me beauty":

The first production of 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.

Bogdan Volkov, Gidon Saks and Aleksandr Utkin (L-R)

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, Craig Verm, Lucas Meachem, Jacques Imbrailo, Daniel Belcher and Liam Bonner.

Other upcoming performance of Billy Budd include Jacques Imbrailo at the Teatro Real in Madrid opening on January 31 and John Chest reprising his stunning debut in the role at the Deutsche Oper Berlin on May 24 (and Team Barihunks will be in the house!).

If you want to enjoy the sexiest barihunks year 'round, make sure to order your 2017 Barihunks in Bed calendar NOW by clicking below.

Matthew Patrick Morris at Brooklyn Art Song Society

Matthew Patrick Morris

Barihunk Matthew Patrick Morris will be one of the singers in the upcoming program of Benjamin Britten songs at the Brooklyn Art Song Society on March 17th.

The program will include the composer's On This Island, Op. 11, The Holy Sonnets of John Donne, Op. 35, Songs and Proverbs of William Blake, Op. 74 and Cabaret Songs. The other performers include soprano Laura Strickling, mezzo-soprano Samantha Malk, tenor Joseph Gaines and Michael Brofman and Spencer Myer on piano.

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau sings the Songs and Proverbs of William Blake:

Morris will perform the William Blake songs, which were composed in 1965 and premiered at the Aldeburgh Festival by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. The works were written to showcase Fischer-Dieskau's unique blend of intense lyricism and dramatic characterization. Although best known for writing for his partner tenor Peter Pears, Britten wrote a number of great baritone roles in opera, including major roles in Billy Budd, Owen Wingrave, The Rape of Lucretia, Peter Grimes and Death in Venice.

The concert will be held at the Brooklyn Historical Society in downtown Brooklyn. Tickets are available online. 

LoftOpera sets Rape of Lucretian in Brooklyn auto restoration shop

Kevin Wetzel (L) and Adrian Rosas (R) (Center photo by Paulina Jurzec, Right photo by Vanessa Rosas)

The always innovative LoftOpera is presenting Benjamin Britten's chamber opera The Rape of Lucretia at 501 Union, a former car restoration shop in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Of course, we love the opera as it features three baritones in lead roles and they've cast some major young talent in those roles, all of whom who have appeared our site, Adrian Rosas who will sing the Roman general Collatinus, Kyle Oliver who is taking on Junius. and Kevin Wetzel is singing the critical role of Tarquinius.

The rest of the cast includes Michael Kuhn as the Male Chorus, Katy Lindhart as the Female Chorus, Kristin Gornstein as Lucretia, Toby Newman as Bianca, Melanie Leinbach as Lucia and Alexis Kelley as a Supernumerary. Performances run from December 2-12 and tickets are available online.

Kevin Wetzel  earned his Master’s degree in 2006  and his graduate  performance  diploma in 2008  at  The Peabody Institute. After graduating from The Peabody Institute, he became a member of the Virginia Opera Association’s Spectrum Resident Artist program.  Most recently, he was a resident artist with the Arizona Opera Company. He has appeared with Chesapeake Chamber Opera, Opera  in the Heights,  Virginia Opera  Association,  Glimmerglass  Opera,  Baltimore Opera Company,  Central City Opera  and Peabody Opera. 

In February, he'll perform The Silver Age of Russian Poetry in Music with the Russian Chamber Art Society.

501 Union, the site of LoftOpera's The Rape of Lucretia

Texas native Kyle Oliver is an alumnus of the Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist Training program, he appeared with the Pittsburgh Opera in numerous productions including singing Zurga in Bizet's The Pearl Fishers, Count Robinson in Cimarosa's Il matrimonio segreto and Dandini in Rossini's La cenerentola. He was a winner of the Grand Prize at the Bel Canto Foundation Competition, the Jeanette Rohatyn “Great Promise” award with the Metropolitan Opera National Council, as well as a career grant from the Sullivan Foundation. He is featured on an album entitled “New Voices” a compilation of art songs by contemporary American composers produced by Glen Roven Records and The Brooklyn Art Song Society. He earned his Master’s degree from The Juilliard School and a Bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University, both in Opera Performance.

Adrian Rosas has performed with the Seattle Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Houston’s Opera in the Heights, and Michigan Opera Theatre. He made his Seattle Opera debut as the Sergeant in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and as part of Seattle Opera’s Young Artist Program performed the roles of  Procolo in Viva la Mamma, Masetto and Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni. He made his Carnegie Hall/Stern Auditorium debut as the Angel Gabriel in the premiere of Oh My Son, an opera by Spanish composer Marcos Galvany. Rosas is on Voice Faculty of the California State Summer School for the Arts. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Western Michigan University, and a Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School.                                                     

Romain Dayez and Jason Duika

There is only one month left to purchase your 2016 Barihunks Charity Calendar, which you can order HERE. This year the proceeds will be used to fund the creation of the Foundation for the Advancement of Baritones (F.A.B.), which will fund baritone and bass cash prizes at song competitions, commission music for baritones and basses, and be used to fund other projects featuring low male voices. 

New York-based composer Clint Borzoni has already been commissioned to write two songs for string quartet and baritone, which will be performed by Marco Vassalli in January. Give the gift of music by supporting the Indiegogo campaign for this effort by clicking HERE. Even if you can't attend, there are exciting rewards, like Marco's CD of Italian songs or having a song dedicated to you by the composer.                                                 

Last chance to watch Duncan Rock's shirtless Tarquinius

Duncan Rock in The Rape of Lucretia

This is your last chance to watch the broadcast of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera's production of Britten's The Rape of Lucretia, as it ends at midnight GST on August 16th. The opera stars über-barihunk Duncan Rock as Tarquinius, who sings are ravishing "Within this frail crucible of light." He also gets a chance to show off his amazing gym-toned body! Richard Fairman in the Financial Times described Duncan Rock's Tarquinius as "Schwarzenegger-like."

Duncan Rock in The Rape of Lucretia

The Rape of Lucretia was first performed at Glyndebourne in 1946. It tells the story of Lucretia, who is raped by the tyrant Tarquinius Superbus, ruler of Rome. Unable to live with the shame, Lucretia  commits suicide. The action of the opera is commented on throughout by a Male and Female Chorus who occupy another dimension, at times narrating the story and at times voicing the thoughts of the different characters.

The opera was not particularly well received by audiences or critics at the time, but the chamber opera has grown in popularity in recent years, with Glyndebourne bringing it back just two years after they performed it for the Benjamin Britten centenary in 2013.  The broadcast also stars Kate Royal as the Female Chorus, Allan Clayton as the Male Chorus, Matthew Rose as Collatinus, Michael Sumuel as Junius, Christine Rice as Lucretia, Catherine Wyn-Rogers as Bianca and Louise Alder as Lucia.

Duncan Rock in The Rape of Lucretia

Duncan Rock can next be seen at the English National Opera singing Marcello in Puccini's La bohème from October 16-November 10. He's returning to the U.S. in April to sing Billy Bigelow in Carousel at the Houston Grand Opera with Stephanie Blythe as Nettie Fowler and Andrea Caroll as Julie.

Did you know that Duncan Rock started his musical career playing the bagpipes, and that he also played basketball as well as the bass?

The final Glyndebourne stream on the Telegraph website for 2015 will be the new production of Donizetti's Poliuto beginning on Sunday, August 16th with tenor Michael Fabiano (and it's not to be missed!). 

Duncan Rock returns as "Schwarzenegger-like" Tarquinius

It's amazing to think that was in July 1946 that the Glyndebourne Festival first performed Britten's The Rape of Lucretia. The opera was not particularly well received by audiences or critics at the time, but the chamber opera has grown in popularity in recent years, with Glyndebourne bringing it back just two years after they performed it for the Benjamin Britten centenary.

With England all in a twist about a rape scene and some nudity at the Royal Opera House's production of Rossini's William Tell, it's probably good that they brought back director Fiona Shaw’s  non-sensational, straightforward production. Of course, we love the opera for it's trio of low voices and Glyndebourne has brought in three of the best. Barihunk Duncan Rock is back as Tarquinius with Matthew Rose as Collatinus and Michael Sumuel as Junius. Richard Fairman in the Financial Times described Duncan Rock's Tarquinius as "Schwarzenegger-like."

There are additional performances on July 17, 24 and 30, and August 4, 9, 14 and 19. Tickets and additional cast information is available online.

Randal Turner to make role debut as Ned Keene

Randal Turner

It's just been announced that Randal Turner will be replacing Christoph Plessers as Ned Keene in Britten's Peter Grimes at the Theater Koblenz. This will be his role debut and his third Benjamin Britten character, having previously performed Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Pisa and Mr. Redburn in Billy Budd in Torino.

Ned Keene is an apothecary and quack who supplies the old widow Mrs Sedley with her pills. He also finds a new apprentice for Grimes after the last one mysteriously disappeared at sea. To cause a distraction and thus avoid an unpleasant scene in the Boar, he leads the crowd in the round of the sea shantly "Old Joe has gone fishing." The role was created by Edmund Donlevy in 1945 at Sadler's Wells in London.

Performances run from May 30 to July 3. He'll be joined in the cast by Ray M. Wade, Jr. as Peter Grimes, Aurea Marston as Ellen Orford and Jongmin Lim as Swallow. Additional cast and ticket information is available online.

There are a number of performances of Peter Grimes throughout Europe this year, including in Ulm, Vienna, Saarbrucken, Reykjavik, Mönchengladbach, Krefeld and Berlin. 

Celebrating Benjamin Britten's "Billy Budd"

Lauri Vasar in Berlin (Photo- Hans Jörg Michel)

Today we celebrate the anniversary of Benjamin Britten's opera Billy Budd, which premiered on December 1, 1951 at the Royal Opera House in London. Britten originally planned on having Sir Geraint Evans sing the title role, but the great baritone felt that the role sat too high for his voice. Britten opted for blond heart thrrob Theodor Uppman as his replacement. The opera received 17 curtain calls and Uppman was acclaimed as a new star. Evans remained in the cast as Mr Flint.

Billy Budd received its United States première in 1952 at Indiana University with Jack Gillaspy in the title role. Gillaspy went on to have a career primarily in Germany under the name John Gillas.

Theodor Uppman

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.

It was acclaimed by British critics as a masterpiece when published in London, and quickly took its place among the canon of significant works in the United States.

Jacques Imbrailo at Glyndebourne & Amsterdam

In 1960 Britten revised the score substantially in preparation for a BBC broadcast, and compressed it into two acts. Vere's first appearance after the prologue had been originally the Captain's Muster, in which he addresses the crew at the end of Act 1; Britten cut this, explaining to his librettist Eric Crozier that he had never been happy with that scene, so making Vere's first appearance on the ship a private moment alone in his cabin. Britten changed some of the structural balance from the contrasting Acts 3 and 4. The original version in four acts is still occasionally revived, such as at the Vienna State Opera in 2001 and 2011, and has been recorded at least twice.

The opera was produced on November 6, 1970 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, with Uppman reprising the title role; the cast also included Richard Lewis as Vere, Geraint Evans as Claggart, Bruce Yarnell as Redburn, Raymond Michalski as Flint, and Arnold Voketaitis as Ratcliffe.

Lucas Meachem, Craig Verm, Liam Bonner and John Chest

The opera has become a calling card for barihunks, as Herman Melville described Billy Budd as a fine physical specimen at age twenty-one, renowned for his good looks and gentle, innocent ways. It was recently performed in Berlin with John Chest in the title role, who we once described as a Brad Pitt lookalike. Other recent barihunk portrayals include Liam Bonner at the L.A. Opera, calendar model Craig Verm in Santiago, Jacques Imbrailo at Glyndebourne and in Amsterdam, Lauri Vasar in Berlin, Lucas Meachem in Paris, Teddy Tahu Rhodes in Sydney and Santa Fe, and Daniel Belcher in Houston. Other famous barihunk Billy Budd's include Simon Keenlyside, Peter Mattei, Nathan Gunn, Rod Gilfry, Bo Skovhus and Thomas Hampson.

Teddy Tahu Rhodes in Santa Fe & Sydney

The author E. M. Forster had an interest in the novella, which he discussed in his Clark lectures at Cambridge University. Having admired Britten's music since attending a performance of The Ascent of F6 in 1937, he first met the composer in October 1942 when he heard Peter Pears accompanied by Britten perform the Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo at the National Gallery. In 1948, Britten and Forster discussed whether Forster might write an opera libretto, and by that November, Britten seems to have mentioned Billy Budd as a possible work to be adapted. Forster agreed to this project, and worked with Eric Crozier, a regular Britten collaborator, to write the opera's libretto.

The next scheduled Billy Budd is at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genova in April 2015 with Philip Addis in the title role. 

Pietro di Bianco, Michael Hewitt & Michael Scarcelle

Make sure to order your 2015 Barihunks Charity Calendar, which includes the 2014 Paris Opera Award winner Pietro di Bianco and 18 more of opera's hottest men!!! Click below.

John Chest to debut as Billy Budd in Berlin

John Chest as Billy Budd

Anyone who has ever seen or heard barihunk John Chest, with his golden locks and golden voice, immediately thinks of him as the perfect Billy Budd. Fortunately, conductor Donald Runnicles had a chance to hear and see Chest while they were both in San Francisco. The two are being reunited at the Deutsche Oper Berlin for five performances of Benjamin Britten's masterpiece running from May 22th-June 6th. Tickets are available online.

John Chest is a recent graduate of the Opera Studio at the Bayerische Staatsoper, where he sang over eighty performances including Fiorello in Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Schaunard in Puccini's La Bohème with Anja Harteros, Dandini in Rossini's La Cenerentola, Guglielmo in Mozart's Così fan tutte, Lovec in Dvorak's Rusalka, Petrucci in Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia with Edita Gruberova, Bizet's Carmen with Jonas Kaufmann.

Chest is now part of the ensemble at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, where he has sung Papageno in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, Il Conte Almaviva in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro and Albert in Massenet's Werther.  In November, he'll return to the U.S. to perform Marcello in Puccini's La Bohème at the Washington National Opera with fellow barihunks Joshua Bloom as Colline and Steven LaBrie as Schaunard. 

Question & Answer with Theo Hoffman

 

Theo Hoffman

1. Most singers dream of moving to New York to study and have careers, but you grew up in Manhattan. Tell us a little about your upbringing. What music did you listen to growing up.
As with every New Yorker it seems, I have a love-hate relationship with the City. It has completely spoiled me, so living elsewhere for more than a few months is difficult. On the other hand, it has given me a cultural education one cannot receive elsewhere. My parents are restauranteurs (Back Forty and previously Savoy), so my culinary experiences have shaped a lot of what I love about the city.

In terms of music, It all started with the Beatles. Then add Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Rolling Stones, and David Bowie and you essentially have my musical upbringing. Now that I think about it, Bob Dylan isn't such a vast departure from Schubert. There was zero classical music entering my ears until I got to LaGuardia High School, where I was turned on to art song, oratorio, and opera. The rest is history. 

2. Tell us about your time at Julliard. What was your favorite performance there? Any coaches or teachers who were a particular influence?
My time at Juilliard has been an incredibly rich one, and it's not over yet! A couple favorites come to mind. I made my role debut as the Count this year in a beautifully unique production of Nozze by rising-star director John Giampietro. I always thought this was a role that I wouldn't play until I was much older, but in the Beaumarchais play, Almaviva is probably around the same age I am. Playing the role, I realized a lot about myself. It was extremely cathartic. Also this year, I performed Songs and Proverbs of William Blake with Brain Zeger, the artistic director of Juilliard Vocal Arts and one of my mentors, which was a foray into some of the coolest poetry I've ever had the pleasure of communicating.

3. You're currently doing some work at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis. What is that experience like and how is it furthering your artistic growth?
I auditioned for OTSL when I was 19, expecting nothing. I sang an art song in my audition, for pity's sake. A week after my audition I received that email which sort of changed my life. Through the years, they have fostered some incredible talent through their Gerdine Young Artist program and have a beautiful community of people who make opera happen every summer. I turned 20 when I was there last summer, and I'll tell you, having 30 superb young artists singing "Happy Birthday" to me was one of the highlights of my life. I met some of my best friends in that program. I'm headed back this summer to cover Papageno and sing Thierry in Dialogues of the Carmelites. I hope to work with them for many years to come.

Theo Hoffman

4. You've already caught the attention of some major people in the business, including the amazing Steven Blier. Tell us what you're doing with him. Who else are you excited about working with?
Steve and I are kindred spirits in so many ways. We started working together basically the week I got to Juilliard and have barely missed a week since. We work on everything from Monteverdi to Britten to Noël Coward and Marc Blitzstein. I made my New York Festival of Song debut this past December and will be performing with them at Caramoor and New York in March.

One always hears advice to seek out a team of mentors who you trust, who you can share your craziest ideas with, and who truly have your best interests at heart. With so many different agendas flying everywhere, many singers get really confused about what they're supposed to be doing. I am lucky to have Steve as one of these important mentors, along with my teacher Sanford Sylvan.

5. Do you have any dream roles? Favorite composers?
It's always been my dream to play Sid in Albert Herring (partially because I have a thing for mezzos). The musical language of Benjamin Britten has always resonated with me incredibly acutely. If I could sing a role outside my fach, I'd choose Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier. Strauss is another favorite. I'm always excited by new works, and I'm waiting for someone to turn The Hobbit into an opera so that I can play Bilbo Baggins.

6. How did you first find out that you were on Barihunks and what was your reaction?
When I saw the post, I was extremely grateful to be a part of such a talented bunch of singers. Some of my favorite singers and colleagues are featured on the site. John Brancy, Matt Worth, Christopher Maltman, and Stephane Degout (to name just a few) are all artists I have vast respect for, and I love hearing about what they're up to.

7. Do you think singers should be as concerned about their bodies as their voices? Do you have a workout routine?
Singers have to stay in shape. We are athletes. Being a body-builder, however, is arguably not fantastic for the voice, more specifically, for muscular tension. I am an incredibly skinny man, so my task is actually keeping the weight up rather than loosing any. When New York thaws, I'm looking forward to getting back to my long bike rides up and down the west side of Manhattan. I feel my breath and my soul in the right place after one of my rides.

8. Some singers like Furruccio Furlanetto are refusing to work with directors who have gotten particularly outrageous in their conceptualizations. Are there productions  or director requests that would turn you off?
There is not too much I wouldn't play on stage, as long as it serves the text and the original intention of the composer. I have my limits, though. When a guy gets completely naked onstage, the conversation immediately deviates from the action of the opera to how hung they are (for better or for worse). I think it's a waste of the audience's attention, as are many "concepts."

"I remember the first time someone told me I was a baritone. It was like finding the warmest, softest blanket to cuddle up in. - Theo Hoffman

We also have a couple of reader questions for you:

9.  How do we make opera more relevant to today's audiences while still respecting the art?
We need to educate our children early! Parents, take your kids to the opera and treat it like you're reading them a bedtime story. These are fairy tales brought to life, so why not embrace them as such? I wish the proliferation of new works was more readily supported by big houses like the Met, not just one or two per season, but more like four or five, so that the repertoire is always growing and changing.

10. Did you initially sing as another voice type before becoming a baritone? How did you discover that you're really a baritone?1
I was always a baritone. I remember the first time someone told me I was a baritone. It was like finding the warmest, softest blanket to cuddle up in. I quickly fell in love with the repertoire, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Duncan Rock as Tarquinius on BBC3

Allan Clayton (Male Chorus), Duncan Rock (Tarquinius), Claudia Huckle (Lucretia), Kate Valentine (Female Chorus)

In our "Best of 2013" feature earlier this month we named Duncan Rock's performance in Britten's "The Rape of Lucretia" at the Glyndebourne Festival as one of the best live performances of the year.  Critic Edward Bhesania in The Stage wrote, "Duncan Rock is a bold, rich-toned and physically beefy Tarquinius." We couldn't have agreed more, as he delivered a perfect combination of great singing and barihunk sexiness.

Duncan Rock as Tarquinius

A broadcast of the performance is now available on BBC3 radio by clicking HERE. We hope that a video will be available someday.

Watch Chris Herbert in Britten tribute

Chris Herbert & Timothy Long on the Martha Stewart weddings site

A few months ago we posted about the upcoming bicentenary tribute to British composer Benjamin Britten. The November 26th concert with barihunk Chris Herbert and his husband Timothy Long is already available online for viewing on the Trinity Wall Street  website. It's a wonderful performance with a great preface to the music provide by the scholarly Herbert.

The ongoing festival is exploring the British composer’s orchestral, vocal and chamber works and continues into December.

On Thursday, December 12th at 1pm you can hear tenor Steven Caldicott Wilson and Timothy Long perform Britten's "Folksongs; Who are these children?" and Mahler's "Kindertotenlieder."

On Monday, December 30th at 1pm, you can catch Chris Herbert again at St. Paul’s Chapel (Broadway at Fulton) for a concert that includes Bach's Cantata BWV 125: "Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin; BWV 10: Meine Seel erhebt den Herren" and Britten's "Canticle IV: Journey of the Magi." He'll be joined by tenor Steven Caldicott Wilson, countertenor Geoffrey Williams, the Trinity Baroque Orchestra; and Choir of Trinity Wall Street under the baton of Julian Wachner.

Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia to make Marinsky debut

Anton Perminov and Vladimir Moroz

Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, an opera that is featured regularly on this site due to its heavy reliance on baritones, is being premiered this week at the Mariinsky Theatre in Russia. The opera is being staged as part of a mini-festival of operas and concerts marking Britten’s centenary year. The company is also producing his War Requiem, The Turn of the Screw, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and two nights of instrumental, choral and organ music.

Vladimir Moroz sings Yeletsky's aria from Tchaikovsky's "Pique Dame":

We're keeping our eyes on Vladimir Moroz and Anton Perminov, who are slated sing Tarquinius and Collatinus respectfully in The Rape of Lucretia. Moroz will also sing Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The mini-festival runs from November 12-19 and tickets and additional cast information are available online.

A stunning Duncan Rock as Tarquinius at Glyndebourne

Duncan Rock in The Rape of Lucretia (Photo: Richard Hubert Smith)

We've been following the amazing career of barihunk Duncan Rock and watched with great delight how quickly he's developed a devoted following amongst opera goers. We love his willingness to push his artistic boundaries, appearing in everything from Billy Budd at Glynebourne to an updated, gender bending Don Giovanni: The Opera at London's famous nightclub Heaven.

We received more mail about him after he appeared in last year's Barihunks calendar, than any other singer. He has quickly become the perfect example of what opera companies are often looking for today: Great voice, great appearance and great acting. In the pantheon of young baritone talent, he has more people talking than almost any other singer.

Duncan Rock in The Rape of Lucretia (Photo: Richard Hubert Smith)

He's currently turning heads and receiving rave reviews for his portrayal as an often shirtless Tarquinius in Benjmain Britten's The Rape of Lucretia at Glyndebourne. In this production, he is being directed by the great Irish actress and theatre and opera director Fiona Shaw, who is undoubtedly pushing him to even higher artistic standards. Tim Ashley, of the Guardian commented, "Rock undercuts Tarquinius's raffish allure with unnerving intimations of psychotic violence."

The Rape of Lucretia was first performed at Glyndebourne in 1946. It tells the story of Lucretia, who is raped by the tyrant Tarquinius Superbus, ruler of Rome. Unable to live with the shame, Lucretia  commits suicide. The action of the opera is commented on throughout by a Male and Female Chorus who occupy another dimension, at times narrating the story and at times voicing the thoughts of the different characters.

Duncan Rock in The Rape of Lucretia (Photo: Richard Hubert Smith)

There are three remaining performances at Glyndebourne on October 22, 25 and November 28, as well as a tour to Woking, Norwich, Canterbury and Plymouth. A recording of this production will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on December 28th.

For tickets, call 01273 815000 or visit the Glyndebourne website.

Quirijn de Lang in scivvies as Demetrius

Quirijn de Lang as Demetrius and Andrew Glover as Lysander

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of Benjamin Britten's birth, Opera North is presenting A Midsummer Night’s Dream in four cities. The sexy production stars Dutch barihunk Quirijn de Lang as Demetrius, who appears in various revealing outfits. 

The production is currently running at the Leeds Grand Theatre through October 24th. From November 6-8 is will be at The Lowry Theatre in Salford Quays, from November 12-15 it will be at the Theatre Royal in Newcastle and finally at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham from November 19-22. Tickets are available online. 

Britten's opera is set to a libretto adapted by the composer and his partner Peter Pears from William Shakespeare's play of the same name. It was premiered on 11 June 1960 at the Aldeburgh Festival. 

Britten delineated the three tiers of characters, the rustics being given folk-like "simple" music, the lovers a more romantic sound-world and the fairies being represented in a very ethereal way. Almost all of the action now takes place in the woods around Athens, and the fairies inhabit a much more prominent place in the drama. The comic performance by the rustics of Pyramus and Thisbe at the final wedding takes on an added dimension as a parody of nineteenth century Italian opera. Thisbe's lament, accompanied by obbligato flute, is a parody of a Donizetti "mad scene".