Ryan McKinny and Daniel Okulitch(Photo: Ken Howard, Santa Fe Opera, 2018)
The Santa Fe Opera is presenting its first John Adams opera ever, which is surprising considering their historic dedication to both new opera and those by American composers. The all-star cast includes barihunks Ryan McKinny as Robert Oppenheimer, Andrew Harris as Edward Teller and Daniel Okulitch as General Groves, as well as Julia Bullock as Kitty Oppenheimer, Ben Bliss as Robert Wilson, Meredith Arwady as Pasqualita and Tim Mix as Jack Hubbard.
Much of the opera actually takes place just 33 miles from Santa Fe in Los Alamos and Alamogordo, where the detonation of the first atomic bomb took place.
Andrew Harris and Ryan McKinny(Photo: Ken Howard, Santa Fe Opera, 2018)
First performed in 2005 at the San Francisco Opera, Doctor Atomic reunited composer John Adams with librettist and stage director Peter Sellars, whose earlier collaborations included Nixon in China and The Death of Klinghoffer. The European premiere took place at De Nederlandse Opera in 2007 and The Metropolitan Opera broadcast the work nationally in 2008.
Much of the text from the opera was adapted from declassified U.S. government documents and communications among scientists, government officials, and military personnel who were involved in the project. Other borrowed texts include poetry by Charles Baudelaire and Muriel Rukeyser, the Holy Sonnets of John Donne, quotes from the Bhagavad Gita, and a traditional Tewa Indian song.
Gerald Finley sings "Batter My Heart, Three-Personed God"
Perhaps the most famous piece from the opera is the baritone aria "Batter My Heart, Three-Personed God" with text by the poet John Donne. The poem actually inspired Oppenheimer to name his test site for the atomic bomb “Trinity.”
Additional performances at the Santa Fe Opera are on July 27, and August 2, 7 and 16. Tickets are available online.
Opéra de Montréal will present the Canadian premiere of composer David T. Little and Alberta-born
librettist Royce Vavrek's “JFK". The opera will star
two of the world's most popular barihunks in the lead roles: Matthew
Worth, who takes on JFK and Daniel Okulitch, who portrays LBJ. Worth shares both
the good looks and New England charm of our 35th President, while
Okulitch matches the Vice President's imposing 6' 4" frame.
The duo premiered the piece at the Fort Worth Opera Festival in April 2016 to great acclaim. They'll be joined by many of the same cast members, including mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack as Jackie Kennedy, soprano Talise Trevigne as the housekeeper Clara Harris and the agent of fate Clotho, tenor Sean
Panikkar as the secret service agent Henry Rathbone and the
agent of fate Lachesis and Cree Carrico as Rosemary Kennedy.
Musical excerpts from JFK:
JFK delves into the hours President John F. Kennedy spent in Fort Worth, Texas immediately before his assassination in Dallas. The opera explores the subconscious of this complicated couple, examining their physical and emotional pain, their joy and love, and their metamorphosis into American myth.
Opéra de Montréal co-commissioned the piece with the Fort Worth Opera and the
American Lyric Theater. The opera opens on January 27, 2018 and runs through February 3, 2018. Tickets are available online.
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!
Coverboy Daniel Okulitch and performing The Last Savage
Canadian barihunk Daniel Okulitch is hitting the opera stage and the concert platform in London next month. On November 18th, he makes his debut with the English National Opera (ENO) as Mark Rutland in the highly anticipated world premiere of Nico Muhly's opera Marnie. Following his highly-acclaimed opera Two Boys in 2011, this is Muhly’s second world premiere for ENO. Okulitch will be joined by mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke and soprano Leslie Garrett.
With a libretto by Nicholas Wright, Marnie is based on the novel by Winston Graham and it examines the cost of freedom, the limitations of forgiveness and the impossibility of escaping the past. Set in 1950s London, the psychological thriller tells the story of a woman who has gone through life embezzling her employers, changing her identity, being forced into a loveless marriage by Okulitch's character, and eventually being forced to confront her past. Performances run from November 18-December 3 and tickets are available online.
Glen Roven and Daniel Okulitch sings "Listening to Jazz Now":
In the middle of his run of Marnie, Okulitch will hit the concert stage on November 22 with mezzo-sopranos Kim Criswell and Lucy Schaufer for an evening dedicated to New York-based composer Glen Roven. Okulitch, who has sung Roven's music in numerous concerts, will perform his Songs from the Underground and his setting of Goodnight Moon. Roven's Songs of the Underground is a 15-song cycle consisting of songs based on texts by Yeats, Shelley, Milton, Whitman, Auden, Wordsworth, and Dylan Thomas. The music moves between classical and musical theater forms depending on the text. Originally written for soprano Lauren Flanigan, Goodnight Moon is one of two settings by Roven based on the children's books (the other being Runaway Bunny). The recital will be at the 1901 Arts Club and tickets are available online. The concert also includes Two Song by Edna St. Vincent Millay, Saraband from Symphony No.2 and The Hillary Speeches.
Malte Roesner in 2018 Barihunk Photo Book
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!
Canadian bass-barihunk Daniel Okulitch is returning to both his native country and a familiar role this month. He'll be reprising his highly-acclaimed interpretation of accused killer Joseph De Rocher in Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking at the Vancouver Opera from April 29-May 7.
He has performed the role with the Fort Worth Opera and in the Canadian premiere at the Calgary Opera. In this production, he'll be joined by J'Nai Bridges as Sister Helen Prejean, Karen Slack as Sister Rose, Judith Forst as Mrs. Patrick De Rocher and Thomas Goerz as Owen Hart. Tickets are available online.
The opera is based on the bestselling memoir by Sister Helen Prejean and chronicles the story of a convicted Louisiana murderer who is befriended by a Catholic nun seeking to understand the nature of divine forgiveness. Prejean's memoir was the basis for the award-winning 1995 film starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn
Opéra de Montréal just announced their new season, which will included David T. Little and Royce Vavrek's JFK, which premiered last Spring at the Fort Worth Opera. Much of the cast will remain the same, with barihunks Matthew Worth and Daniel Okulitch reprising their roles as JFK and LBJ. Worth shares both
the good looks and New England charm of our 35th President, while
Okulitch matches the Vice President's 6' 4" frame. Daniela Mack will return as Jacqueline Kennedy and John Mac Master will take on the role of Nikita Khruschev.
The opera delves into the final hours that President John F. Kennedy spent in Fort Worth, Texas immediately before his assassination in Dallas. The piece explores the inner life of the President and Mrs. Kennedy during their final moments together. The opera uses dreams to create an imaginary time and space, allowing the couple to revisit those who helped to shape their personal and political lives. Jack travels to the moon with his sister Rosemary, where he spars with political rivals, and relives his courtship of the demure Jacqueline. Jackie sings a duet with her future self, Jacqueline Onassis, who dresses her in her iconic pink Chanel suit, assuring her that she has a part to play in the day’s proceedings.
Performance will run from January 27-February 2, 2018. Other operas for their new season includ Puccini's Tosca, Gounod's Romeo & Juliette, Rossini's La Cenerentola and Sokolovic's Svadba.
Thank you again to our readers, who keep this site alive and thriving. Your purchases of our calendars and tee shirts goes to supporting young artists and opera projects.
BEST NEW OPERA (tie): Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek's Breaking the Waves
John Moore, Kiera Duffy and the cast of Breaking the Waves
Barihunk John Moore performed in the premiere of Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek's Breaking the Waves at Opera Philadelphia and then reprised his role at the PROTOTYPE Festival along
with co-star Kiera Duffy.
The
opera is based on the Oscar-nominated 1996 film by Lars von Trier and tells of the story of a woman's sexual desires and confessions after her husband becomes paralyzed. The opera was performed with a "mature audience" warning in Philadelphia, as it involved nudity from the leads. More importantly, the opera is a riveting piece of theater.
BEST NEW OPERA (tie): JFK at Forth Worth Opera
Daniel Okulitch as LBJ and Matt Worth as JFK
The Fort Worth Opera, in
collaboration with the American Lyric Theater, debuted David T. Little and Royce Vavrek's JFK in April to rave reviews. The opera, which starred barihunks Matthew Worth as JFK and Daniel Okulitch as LBJ, tells of the final twelve hours of President John F. Kennedy's life. Okulitch performed a memorable and scene stealing, comic piece stripped down to his Texas flag inspired underwear.
Fort Worth was a fitting setting for the opera, as it was the last place that the
President slept before being gunned down in Dallas. JFK left the Hotel
Texas (now the Fort Worth Hilton) on the rain-soaked morning of November
22, 1963, and spoke to thousands who had waited in the rain to hear him
speak. Those remarks were to be his final public speech.
HOTTEST NEW BARIHUNK TO THE SITE: Basque Barihunk Vincent Simonet
Basque barihunk Vincent Simonet
Our hearts starting racing when we saw these pictures of Basque barihunk Vincent Simonet by photographer and fellow barihunk JF l'Oiseleur des Longchamps. Simonet is a decendent of the famous 19th century baritone Paul Barroilhet (aka
Paolo Barroilhet), whose bust still graces the Opera Garnier in Paris.
This summer he performed Dandini in Rossini's La Cenerentola at the Centre Européen de Musique. He was asked by French composer Philippe Mazé to sing at the 100-year anniversary of the Cathedral of Monaco (Saint Nicholas Cathedral). The cathedral is home to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monaco where many of the Grimaldis are buried, including Prince Rainier III and his wife Grace Kelly.
Simonet is also one of the initiators of the charity recital "Ensemble pour les Enfants Malades" (Recital for the Sick Children) which is a benefit for the Pediatric Immuno-Hematology Department at the Hôpital Necker de Paris. We love a barihunk who does charity work!
HOTTEST PERFORMANCE: Hadleigh Adams in Powder Her Face at West Edge Opera
Hadleigh Adams as The Duke in Powder Her Face
West Edge Opera, situated across the Bay from it's big budget sister San Francisco Opera, continues to make waves with the most innovative and thrilling productions anywhere. Under the inspired leadership of Mark Streshinsky they have made the Top 10 lists of virtually every music critic on the West Coast. Their productions, which take place in old abandoned train station (where portions of the movie RENT were filmed), are so popular that they often have to add performances.
Such was the case with Thomas Adès' provocative Powder Her Face starring barihunk Hadleigh Adams, hunkentenor Jonathan Blalock and sexy soprano Emma McNairy, who previously made waves with her sizzling Lulu with the company. Adams sang the roles of the vapid Duke (for which he strips down completely!), the condescending hotel manager, and the hypocritical judge who condemns the Duchess.
The opera was brilliantly directed by Elkhanah Pulitzer, which the Financial Times dubbed "buoyant" and "exhilirating."
Upcoming performance for Adams include Jonathan Dove's Flight with Opera Parallèle and Puccini's La fanciulla del West with the Michigan Opera Theater.
Ryan McKinny as Amfortas
We have to give a close runner-up mention to Ryan McKinny as Amfortas in Bayreuth's Parsifal. If you can look this sexy in a "man diaper" then you deserve some credit.
BEST BARIHUNK CHARITY WORK: Michael Hewitt/Cancer Research
Michael Hewitt (from our calendar and buffing up for charity work!)
Barihunk Michael Hewitt took to crowd sourcing to raise $3000 for The Decath10n, which raised money for pediatric cancer research at the University of Texas MD Anderson
Cancer Center in Houston. (Full disclosure: Barihunks contributed to the effort).
Michael is also featured in July in our 2017 "Barihunks in Bed" calendar. He will make his company debut with the Glimmerglass Opera in 2017 in the role of Jud Fry in Oklahoma!
Hewitt also has a fitness website and he says that consistency is the key to staying in shape and that you can't outwork a poor diet.
BEST NEW SOLO WORK FOR BARITONE: Clint Borzoni's Two German Songs for Baritone and String Quartet, sung by Marco Vassalli
Composer Clint Borzoni and barihunk Marco Vassalli worked on this commission over Skype after the German singer chose Hermann Hesse's Stufen and Hilde Domin's Margere Kost for his text. Musica Marin presented the works, which were inspired by adding something other than Samuel Barber's Dover Beach to the repertory for baritone and string quartet. Vassalli performed all three pieces at two sold out concerts in the former home of Ansel Adams in San Francisco.
Borzoni, one of the most talented young composers on the scene is now Musica Marin's "Composer-in-Residence." Barihunk Edward Nelson will perform the composer's new arrangement of his aria "Two Nooses" from his opera When Adonis Calls, arranged for baritone, viola, cello and piano. Borzoni's opera The Copper Queen won the Arizona Opera's award for best new opera.
BEST PERFORMANCE IN AN OPERETTA: Dominik Köninger in Oscar Straus' The Pearls of Cleopatra
Dominik Köninger
What would a Barihunk "Best of..." list be without German barihunk Dominik Köninger? He made our list again by giving the funniest performance of the year as the Roman Officer in Oscar Straus' The Pearls of Cleopatra(Die Perlen der Cleopatra) at the Komische Oper in Berlin.
The operetta has been on the shelves for more than eighty
years and was written before the composer fled the Nazi Anschluss in 1939. As the Roman Officer, Köninger is shown in some pretty sexy situations and there also plenty of scantily clad,
energetic performers on stage, adding to the lively Cabaret feel of the
pre-Nazi Weimar Republic.
The operetta is viewable on the OperaPlatform. We sure hope that someone else produces this work using this Barrie Kosky production, which is perfect in every way.
BEST "OVERNIGHT SENSATION": Björn Bürger
Björn Bürger as Don Giovanni and the Barber
We've been keeping our eye on German barihunk Björn Bürger since 2014, when he caught our eyes and ears at the Mirjam Helin Competition. We continued to be impressed by him as an ensemble member at the Frankfurt Oper, where he performed Pelléas, Schaunard, Plunkett in Martha, Curio in Giulio Cesare in Egitto, Frank and Fritz in Die Tote Stadt. Count Almaviva, Masetto and Owen Wingrave. But we really began to take note with his sexy portrayal in the title role of Mozart's Don Giovanni at Den Norske Opera.
There is no such thing as an overnight sensation, as years of coaching, training and performing goes into any singer's career, but Bürger may have had just such a moment this year. His performance in the title role of Rossini's Barber of Seville at the Glyndebourne Festival was the talk of the town, where his cast mates included Taylor Stayton as Almaviva and Danielle de Niese as Rosina.
The Guardian said that Bürger "dominates with singing of great bravado and warmth," while The Express wrote that he sang "beautifully...and acted with impressive energy.' Mark
Valencia in What's on Stage wrote, "The handsome young baritone exudes
elegant bonhomie and fourth-wall-breaking razzle-dazzle, and he delivers
Rossini's tongue-twisters with an eloquence it would be hard to
better."
BEST APPEARANCE IN AN ADULT MAGAZINE: Edward Miskie in Britain's Mascular Magazine
Edward Miskie (right) in Mascular Magazine
Edward Miskie, who has appeared in our Barihunks Calendar for the last two years, was asked to pose for the UK's erotic art magazine Mascular Magazine. The
magazine is geared toward those who love bears (and we have a ton of readers who fit that category!)
However, Miskie shows more skin in our new calendar than he did in his photoshoot with Brooklyn-based photographer Ron Amato for the magazine's feature entitled "Pride." Whether in a suit or staring out shirtless from his bed, this is one sexy man who holds his own with any of the models in Mascular Magazine. Check it out for yourself.
BEST JOKE THAT WE PLAYED ON READERS: Nathan Gunn and Anna Netrebko appearing in Wagner's Ring at the MET
Nathan Gunn would make one sexy Wotan. Check out that spear.
Barihunk Zachary Luchetti penned an April Fool's Day joke for us claiming that Nathan Gunn and Anna Netrebko would be appearing the Metropolitan Opera's new production of Wagner's Ring as Brünnhilde and Wotan. Luchetti is one of the most entertaining and original personalities in the industry and we loved running with this gag. It was worth it just for the emails from people outraged that this duo would take on role "obviously ill-suited to their voices," as one reader wrote. This is why one should read every post to the end (especially on April 1st).
BEST INTERVIEW: Malte Roesner discussing fitness routineand his fach change
Malte Roesner
When we first met Malte Roesner in France last year, he was singing as a
baritone and wrapping up a decade long run at the Staatstheater
Braunschweig (State Theater of Brunswick). Since that time, he has gone
through a fach change to bass and recently came to California for a series of auditions. We will have an exciting update about his upcoming U.S. debut(s) in a future post. (Yes, debut may be plural).
He is featured prominently in both our 2016 calendar and our "2017 Barihunks in Bed" calendar.Roesner, who is one of the most intelligent singers on the scene, also translates operas, having translated both Jake Heggie's For a Look or a Touch and Jonathan Dove's Mansfield Park from English to German.
In our interview with him, the always fascinating singer discussed his recent fach change from baritone to bass, his workout routine, his month-long audition tour in the US and why it's “all about the bass.” You can read the entire interview HERE.
BEST WEIGHT LOSS: Lucas Meachem
Lucas Meachem
When we posted an interview with barihunk Lucas Meachem about his recent weight loss it went viral and jumped to one of our ten most viewed posts ever (and the top post that didn't reveal any "skin")!!!
Prompted by being forced to deal with high cholesterol and the new age of HD opera broadcasts, Meachem took his wife's advice and switched to a plant-based diet, which led to an amazing physical transformation.
When he took the stage as Doctor Malatesta in Donizetti's Don Pasquale at the San Francisco Opera, Meachem had slimmed down a remarkable 45 pounds (20.4 kilos). He also sounded as luxurious and resonant as ever.
He told us, "I used to rail against the system for it's
unfairness that weight is even an issue when it came to my voice. For me
vocal prowess should be the main determining factor of an opera singer
but I realized that I couldn't play by those rules anymore. The fact is
it's easier to change yourself than the system. So instead of resisting,
I decided to change myself."
On an unrelated note, Meachem won the San Francisco Opera's inaugural "Emerging Star of the Year" competition, whose goal is to engage the community in
the thrill of experiencing artists on the cusp of greatness, and to
build awareness among the broader opera-going public of San Francisco
Opera's leadership in nurturing and showcasing new talent.
BEST GATHERING OF A BARIHUNK SEXTET IN ONE PLACE (tie): A Midsummer Night's Dream atTeatro Amilcare Ponchielli Cremona and Lakes Area Music Festival
Prior to 2016, the most barihunks that we had ever featured on one stage at the same time was four. It seemed like this year at least two companies decided to blow that number out of the water, as both the Teatro Amilcare Ponchielli Cremona and the Lakes Area Music Festival decided to present operas with SIX barihunks performing together.
Zachary Altman and Nicholas Masters (top); Dario Shikhmiri, Rocco Cavalluzzi, Federico Benetti and Paolo Ingrasciotta (bottom l-r)
The cast list for Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream
at the Teatro Amilcare Ponchielli Cremona, included Zachary Altman as Bottom, Nicholas Masters
as Quince, Dario Shikhmiri as Starveling, Rocco Cavalluzzi as Snug,
Federico Benetti as Theseus and Paolo Ingrasciotta as Demetrius.
Eric Broker, Andrew Lovato, Sam Parkinson, John Taylor Ward, Rodolfo Nieto and Benjamin Sieverding
Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe the Lakes Area Music Festival's production of the same opera included John Taylor Ward as Bottom, Andrew Lovato as
Demetrius, Rodolfo Nieto as Theseus, Benjamin Sieverding as Quince, Eric
Broker as Starveling and Sam Parkinson as Snug. John Taylor Ward not
only performed in the opera, but he serves as Associate Artistic Director
of the company and wrote the program notes.
All we have to say for 2017, is bring us more performances of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
BEST SHIRTLESS APPEARANCE: Alessio Arduini in Così fan tutte
Alessio Arduini in Così fan tutte
We don't know how this site could survive without streaming video from opera houses around the world, as it continues to be an endless source of content and visual and audio excitement.
Imagine our reaction when we watched the BBC Radio 3 broadcast of the Royal Opera House production of Mozart's Così fan tutte with a shirtless Alessio Arduni asGuglielmo. German director Jan Philipp Gloger made his house debut with the new production using librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte’s alternative title for the opera: "The School for Lovers." The ROH cast a vocally and visually impressive cast to live up to the title, which included Corinne Winters as Fiordiligi, Angela Brower as Dorabella, Daniele Behle as Ferrando, Johannes Martin Kränzle as Don Alfonso and Sabina Puértolas as Despina.
Arduini is currently performing Marcello at the Metropolitan Opera on Januray 6,11 and 14.
SEXIEST SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT: Zachary Gordin on Instagram
Zachary Gordin on Instagram
If you're not one of Zachary Gordin's 1,450 followers on Instagram (zgordin) then you're missing out on some of the best barihunk shots on the internet. Gordin's site alternates personal posts with images from performances and his brutal gym workouts.
The fitness buff also serves on the voice faculty of Sonoma State University and operates a private vocal studio in the San Francisco Bay Area. Upcoming performances include "Mozart at the Opera" with the Youth Orchestra of San Antonio on January 22 and a recital with accompanist Brian Nies at the Green Music Center in Sonoma.
We particularly love him because he includes us in his bio, "Gordin is also widely recognized as the face of the website Barihunks, which celebrates physically fit and vocally-talented operatic baritones from around the globe."
THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL OF OUR READERS, AS 2017 WILL MARK OUR 10TH ANNIVERSARY. WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO PROMOTING SINGERS IN THE BARITONE TO BASS RANGE AND ENCOURAGING AND FUNDING NEW REPERTORY FOR THOSE VOICES.
Daniela Mack and Matthew
Worth in JFK(Photo:
Allison V. Smith NY Times)
The Fort Worth Opera, in
collaboration with the American Lyric Theater, debuted JFK tonight, about the final twelve hours of President John F. Kennedy's life. The opera will star
two of the world's most popular barihunks in the lead roles: Matthew
Worth takes on JFK and Daniel Okulitch portrays LBJ. Worth shares both
the good looks and New England charm of our 35th President, while
Okulitch matches the Vice President's 6' 4" frame.
LBJ (left) and Daniel Okulitch in Brokeback Mountain
Joining them in the cast will be the amazing mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack as Jackie Kennedy, Talise Trevigne as hotel maid Clara
Harris, hunkentenor Sean Panikkar as JFK's secret
service agent and confidant Henry Rathbone, Cree Carrico as Rosemary Kennedy and Katharine Goeldner as Jackie Onassis. The opera was written by composer David T. Little and librettist
Royce Vavrek, who collaborated on the critically acclaimed opera
Dog Days in 2012. Additional performance will be on May 1 and 7 and tickets are available online.
"Spin, Measure Cut" from a workshop for the opera JFK:
The Fort Worth Opera is a fitting setting for the premiere of JFK, as it's the last place that the
President slept before being gunned down in Dallas. JFK left the Hotel
Texas (now the Fort Worth Hilton) on the rain-soaked morning of November
22, 1963, and spoke to thousands who had waited in the rain to hear him
speak. Those remarks were to be his final public speech.
Daniel Okulitch with Samantha Gossard (left) and Joshua Bloom (right)Photo by Cory Weaver
The Lyric Opera of Kansas City is opening its 58th season with Mozart’s Don Giovanni featuring
the barihunk trio of Daniel Okulitch in the title role, Joshua Bloom as
Leporello and Rhys Lloyd Talbot as Masetto. Performances are on
September 26 and 30 and October 2 and 4 at the Kauffman Center for the
Performing Arts. Tickets are available online.
The opera is being done in a film noir theme set in the mid-20th century featuring snap-brim fedoras, trench coats and dimly lit speakeasies. Seville has been replaced by the mean streets of the big city as dark shadows hide mistaken identities.
“Film noir is about seduction and about mystery, and the lead character, Don Giovanni, is about seduction and about mystery,” said Deborah Sandler, general director and CEO of the Lyric Opera. The opera is directed by Kristine McIntyre. “There’s a lot that happens in this opera that we don’t see. It’s kind of in the dark. It’s about hints. The darkness and the shadows of film noir seem to be a very good lens with which to see this opera.”
Lyric Opera of Kansas City's Don Giovanni Photo by Cory Weaver
Okulitch has sung the title role in Portland, Vancouver, Colón, Palm Beach, New York City Opera and will reprise it in Santa Fe next season with fellow barithunks Kostas Smoriginas as Leporello and Soloman Howard as the Commendatore.
After Don Giovanni, Bloom will portray The Pirate King in Gilbert & Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance in October at both Théâtre de Caen and Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg. Okulitch will head to the Manitoba Opera where he will sing Count Almaviva in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. Talbot just completed the Young Artist program at Glimmerglass where he performed the Speaker/Second Priest in Mozart's The Magic Flute and the Apparition in Verdi's Macbeth.
The Lyric Opera of Kansas City is opening its 58th season with Mozart’s Don Giovanni featuring the barihunk trio of Daniel Okulitch in the title role, Joshua Bloom as Leporello and Rhys Lloyd Talbot as Masetto. Performances are on September 26 and 30 and October 2 and 4 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are available online.
The trio are also all alumni of the prestigious Merola Opera Program in San Francisco, with Daniel Okulitch taking part in 2002, Joshua Bloom in 2001 and 2003, and Rhys Lloyd Talbot in 2013 and 2014. Elizabeth Caballero, their Donna Elvira, was in the program with both Okulitch and Bloom.
After Don Giovanni, Bloom will portray The Pirate King in Gilbert & Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance in October at both Théâtre de Caen and Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg. Okulitch will head to the Manitoba Opera where he will sing Count Almaviva in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. Talbot just completed the Young Artist program at Glimmerglass where he performed the Speaker/Second Priest in Mozart's The Magic Flute and the Apparition in Verdi's Macbeth.
Ladies and gentlemen, we don’t want to alarm you, but we have some deliciously shocking news from the cast of Silent Night. You might not be aware, but there is famous BARIHUNK amongst our cast! Vasil Garvanliev is known for many notable attributes, he was a child star in his home country, Macedonia, a talented opera baritone and a hunk-tastic image that is easy on the eyes who has attracted the attention of opera fans far and wide since a risqué photo was captured with Opera Atelier in 2012.
Vasil Garvanliev
When first confronted with his Barihunk status, Vasil said he was confused and flattered. “A picture of me during my performance where I was topless all of a sudden was posted online and boom! It went everywhere, I was shocked and flattered.”
We spoke with Vasil about the reactions his fellow cast members have, and true to form, the rehearsal hall mirrors the locker room, with a lot of poking fun.
“People make fun of me, they yell 'Take your shirt off!' It’s just a joke. I’m the young guy on stage with this group of baritones, so that’s my role.”
Vasil Garvanliev
What can Barihunk fans look forward to most about Vasil’s character in Silent Night? “I’m the comic relief that is also going to break your heart in this story.” Vasil said. “This is my third time performing in Calgary. I consider this city home as I studied with Calgary Opera’s Emerging Artist Program here. I always love coming back and performing for the Calgary audience.”
Look for Vasil as a hunky French man in uniform in the upcoming Canadian Premiere of Silent Night. Tickets are available Nov. 8, 12 & 14 by going online at www.calgaryopera.com or calling the box office at 403.262.7286 _____________________________________
Daniel Okulitch as Lt. Horstmayer
We should also mention that the opera features another popular barihunk, Daniel Okulitch, who portrays Lt. Horstmayer. _____________________________________
Don't forget to order your 2015 Barihunks Charity Calendar now that our link is working! Click HERE to order now.
One
of America's most innovative opera companies, the Fort Worth Opera has
collaborated with the American Lyric Theater to produce an opera based
on President John F. Kennedy's final twelve hours. The opera will star
two of the world's most popular barihunks in the lead roles, as Matthew
Worth takes on JFK and Daniel Okulitch portrays LBJ. Worth shares both
the good looks and New England charm of our 35th President, while
Okulitch matches the Vice President's 6' 4" frame.
Joining them in the cast will be the amazing mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack as Jackie Kennedy, Talise Trevigne as hotel maid Clara
Harris, and the thrilling tenor Sean Panikkar as JFK's secret
service agent and confidant, Henry Rathbone. The opera is being written by composer David T. Little and librettist
Royce Vavrek, who collaborated on the critically acclaimed opera
Dog Days in 2012.
The
opera, which is slated to premiere at the Fort Worth Opera's 2016
season, is the perfect setting, as it's the last place that the
President slept before being gunned down in Dallas. JFK left the Hotel
Texas (now the Fort Worth Hilton) on the rain-soaked morning of November
22, 1963, and spoke to thousands who had waited in the rain to hear him
speak. Those remarks were to be his final public speech.
The American Lyric Theater
and the Collegiate Chorale will produce a workshop of the
opera-in-progress this November, which will bring together the
world-premiere cast together for the first time. On Tuesday, November 25
at 7:00 PM, American Lyric Theater will present InsightALT: JFK at
Merkin Concert Hall in New York City. The InsightALT series provides the
public with the opportunity to look inside the process of creating new
operas at all stages of their development through a combination of
performance and discussion with the creative artists behind these new
works. InsightALT: JFK will feature excerpts from the opera, as well as a discussion, moderated by ALT artistic director Larry Edelson,
between composer David T. Little, librettist Royce
Vavrek, Fort Worth Opera's General Director Darren K. Woods, and the
cast members.
In the 2015 season, the Fort Worth Opera will present David T. Little and Royce Vavrek's Dog Days, along with Verdi's La traviata and Ambroise Thomas' Hamlet, starring barihunk Wes Mason in the title role. Daniel Okulitch can next be seen in September with the Milwaukee Symphony singing Mozart's Don Giovanni with André Courville as Masetto and Matthew Rose as Leporello. You can listen to Matthew Worth on a live stream of Bernstein's Candide on WCRB on August 17th from the Tanglewood Festival.
Andrew Garland in la Calisto - (Photo:Philip Groshong - Cincinnati Opera)
It's seldom that you see two baritones featured in an article about opera, but that just happened with Andrew Garland and Daniel Okulitch. The two are appearing together in the Cincinnati Opera's first baroque opera production, Francesco Cavalli’s La Calisto. Two alums of the University of Cincinnati
College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), were profiled in Citybeat Cincinnati.
We've had a few straight barihunks on this site appearing in drag for the sake of art, including the inimitable duo of Seth Carico and Michael Mayes in Fort Worth, who were promoting a performance of Mark Adamo's Lysistrata.
Now comes barihunk Daniel Okulitch, who is appearing as Jove in Francesco Cavalli's La Calisto at the Cincinnati Opera. Amazingly, this is the company's first foray in baroque opera in it's 94-year history.
ove
hatches a plan to wend his way into her heart (and her bed) by donning a
Diana-like disguise. - See more at:
http://www.cincinnatiopera.org/performances/la-calisto/#sthash.eCW96qWz.dpuf
Okulitch's drag get up isn't part of some German regie concept that was imported to Cincinnati, but an actual part of the plot. Jove, the ruler of the gods, hatches a plan to wend his way into the heart and bedroom of Calisto by donning a Diana-like disguise. But when Jove’s wife Juno, sung by Alexandra Deshorties, catches wind of the scheme, her fury knows no bounds.
The cast also includes barihunk Andrew Garland as Mercurio [pictures coming!].
There will be five performances between July 17-27 at the Corbett Theater. Tickets are available online.
Alexandra
Deshorties
ove
hatches a plan to wend his way into her heart (and her bed) by donning a
Diana-like disguise. - See more at:
http://www.cincinnatiopera.org/performances/la-calisto/#sthash.eCW96qWz.dpufove hatches a plan to wend his way into her heart (and her bed) by donning a Diana-like disguiseJove hatches a plan to wend his way into her heart (and her bed) by donning a Diana-like disguise
ove
hatches a plan to wend his way into her heart (and her bed) by donning a
Diana-like disguise. - See more at:
http://www.cincinnatiopera.org/performances/la-calisto/#sthash.eCW96qWz.dpuf
Alexander Elliott preparing for Pirates of Penzance
The Portland Opera Resident Young Artist Program was one of the first recipients of a Barihunks Grant from our annual calendar proceeds. So we were particularly delighted when our latest reader submission was one of the young artists performing Samuel in Gilbert & Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance with the company.
Alexander Elliott is a second year young artist who has performed in recital with the company, as well sung the Shoe Salesman in Dominick Argento's Postcard from Morocco. He was also their cover for Enrico in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor. Our reader also shared this great photo of Alexander Elliott get used to his sword for the show, which opens on May 9 and runs through May 17. Tickets are available online. The Pirate King is being sung by one of the most famous barihunks in the world, Daniel Okulitch.
Elliott was previously an apprentice artist with the Central City Opera, where he sang the role of Frank in Ned Rorem’s Our Town. This summer, he joins the prestigious Merola Opera Program in San Francisco. They are performing Mozart's Don Giovanni and a reduced orchestral version of André Previn's Streetcar Named Desire.
Other career
highlights have includes the Captain in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin and Périchaud in La Rondine with Des Moines Metro Opera as well as Count Almaviva in Mozart's Marriage of Figaro with the Tulsa Opera opposite fellow barihunk Seth Carico.
In response to our most asked question of the last few week, we're are thrilled to announce that Charles Wuorinen’s Brokeback Mountain will be broadcast live from Madrid’s Teatro
Real on Friday, February 7 at 2 PM EST/11 AM PST.
You can tune in to Medici.TV to watch the production.
The first preview of Charles Wuorinen's Brokeback Mountain with video has finally been released by the Teatro Real in Madrid. You read more about the opera in our last post.
While we were looking at the video, it dawned on us that barihunk Daniel Okulitch reminded us of someone else who has been in the news, Super Bowl-bound quarterback Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos.
One of the most anticipated opera premieres of 2014 is undoubtedly Charles Wuorinen's Brokeback Mountain, which premieres January 28 at Madrid's Teatro Real. We've certainly received numerous request about rehearsal photos or clips, which we're thrilled to announce have finally become available. Canadian bass-barihunk Daniel Okulitch stars as Ennis Del Mar and the American tenor Tom Randle portrays Jack Twist (played in the film
version by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal).
The composer worked closely with Annie Proulx, the author of the original story. Wuorinen points out that the opera will be much different than the film, particularly making the Wyoming setting more ominous.
Listen to Charles Wuorinen discuss the opera:
The opera was originally commissioned by Gerard Mortier for the New York City Opera in 2008 and he brought it to Teatro Real before his recent departure.
The English language opera is in two acts and lasts just over two hours. It is scheduled to run at the until February 11.
Madrid's Teatro Real has confirmed that Canadian barihunk Daniel Okulitch will star in the world premiere of Charles Wuorinen's operatic adaptation of Brokeback Mountain, based on the 1997 Annie Proulx's story of a cowboy love affair that became an Oscar-winning film. Okulitch will play the role of Ennis Del Mar, which was portrayed by Heath Ledger in the 2005 movie adaptation. American tenor will Tom Randle will play the Jake Gyllenhaal role of Jack Twist.
Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain
Although no exact date has been announced for the premiere, it is expected to open on January 28, 2014 and run through February 11th. We suspect that the music will be drastically different from the movie soundtrack by Gustavo Santaolalla, as Wuorinen writes in the 12-tone style. His previous opera was Haroun and the Sea of Stories, based on Salman Rushdie's
novel. Santaolalla won the Academy Award for "Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score."
Guitar transcription of Gustavo Santaolalla's "Brokeback Mountain" music:
David Fry sings Wuorinen's "Never again the same"
Brokeback Mountain was originally commissioned for a 2013 premiere by
Gerard Mortier while he was at the embattled New York City Opera. When he became the head of the Teatro Real, Mortier decided to revive the work and present it there. Annie Proulx has written the libretto and it will be directed by Dutch director Ivo van Hove.
Andrew Garland working out in his Barihunk tee-shirt
The Cincinnati Opera has announced its casting for next season and it is delightfully laden with some of opera's most popular barihunks. Fans of Daniel Okultich can see him twice, as the former Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music graduate appears as Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen and as Giove in Cavalli's La Calisto. Andrew Garland will also appear in La Calisto as Mercurio.
La Calisto willrun fromJuly 17-27, 2014 at the Corbett Theater in
the School for Creative and Performing Arts near Music Hall. The cast also includes male soprano Michael Maniaci as Endimione, Jennifer Johnson Cano as Diana/Destino, Alexandra Deshorties as Giunone, Aaron Blake is Pane/Natura and bass Nathan Stark as Sylvano.
Fans of Andrew Garland can purchase his amazing CD American Portraits at the GPR Records website. It includes songs by Stephen Paulus, Jake Heggie, Lori Laitman and Tom Cipullo. You won't be disappointed!
Andrew Garland
Okulitch will be opening the season in Bizet’s Carmen on June 12th and the cast includes Stacey Rishoi in the title role, William Burden as Don José, Jessica Rivera as Micaela and Nathan Stark as Zuniga.
Gabriel Preisser backstage in Philadelphia for Silent Night
July 10 and 12 they will be presenting the Pulitzer Prize-winning
opera by Kevin Puts, Silent Night, which is filled with baritones. The
performances will take place near the 100th anniversary of the outset of
World War I. A number of baritones are reprising roles from the
productions in Minnesota and Philadelphia, including Gabriel Preisser as
Lt. Gordon, Craig Irvin as Lt. Horstman and Andrew Wilkowske as
Ponchel.
Also in the cast are Thomas Blondelle as Nikolaus Sprink, Erin Wall as Anna Sorensen, barihunk Phillip
Addis as Lt. Audebert and the gifted young tenor Thomas Glenn as Jonathan Dale.
Daniel Okulitch famous naked in "The Fly" and in Tales of Hoffmann
Canadian barihunk Daniel Okulitch has remained one of our most popular singers since we first posted him in . He's opening tonight as all four villains in Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffmann." Performances are running through February 7th and tickets are available online.
Samuel Ramey sings "Scintille, diamanti" from The Tales of Hoffmann:
Okulitch, who has made a name for himself as a great exponent of Mozart, will take on both baritone roles in Le nozze di Figaro after wrapping up in Edmonton. He heads to the Arizona Opera in April for three performances of the Figaro and three more at the Komische Oper in Berlin, before switching to the Count in the same opera at the Santa Fe Opera in June.
Benjamin Covey
Another emerging Canadian barihunk will be in the cast of The Tales of Hoffmann. Benjamin Covey, who received his master’s in opera at University of Toronto and honed his skills San Francisco Opera’s prestigious Merola Program, returns to being a student (at least on stage) playing Hermann. Covey can next be seen at the Toronto Masque Theatre in "The Lessons of Love," an operatic double bill of John Blow’s Venus and Adonis and the premiere of Alice Ping Yee Ho's The Lesson of Da Ji.
