Ryan Kuster in 9/11 Tribute & SF Opera Fall Season; Hampson's 9/11 opera

Ryan Kuster (L) & Thomas Hampson (R)

One of the most gifted young barihunks on the operatic horizon Ryan Kuster, who we've featured previously on this site. He was a graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia before participating in San Francisco Opera's prestigious Adler Fellowship Program.

Kuster will be performing in the city of San Francisco's official tribute to the 10th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attack. The city and the San Francisco Opera have teamed up for a performance of Mozart's Requiem at Sharon Meadow in Golden Gate Park at 2 PM today. Kuster will be joined by fellow singers Nadine Sierra, Maya Layhani and Daniel Montenegro along with maestro Nicola Luisotti.

The San Francisco Opera has wisely engaged the future star in a number of this season's operas. Kuster will perform Escamillo in Carmen, Masetto in Don Giovanni, Astolfo in Lucrezia Borgia and a Mandarin in Turandot. For performance and ticket information visit the San Francisco Opera website.



The San Francisco Opera is also premiering composer Christopher Theofanidis' "Heart of a Soldier," which opened last night. The opera tells the story of Rick Rescorla, a British-born adventurer who fought in Vietnam before settling in New York as head of security for a brokerage firm based in the World Trade Center. On September 11, 2001, his extraordinary courage and calmness in a crisis paid off: Rescorla led all of the 2,700 people under his care to safety—literally singing them down the stairs—before heading back into the burning building for one last check. He never emerged.

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Miscellaneous News

We've fallen a little behind with our posts as our Barihunks team is enjoying opera at Glyndebourne, Santa Fe and Bayreuth. We appreciate the emails encouraging us to maintain daily posts, so here are some quick updates from the opera world. Please help us keep us to date by submitting news and photos to Barihunks@gmail.com, which continues to be our best source of barihunk activity.

Eugene Brancoveanu

Opera fans on the West Coast can see the gifted Romanian barihunk Eugene Brancoveanu in three upcoming performances. He will be at the Firehouse Arts Center in Pleasanton, California on September 11 at 3 PM. Brancoveanu’s performing selections from opera. On Sunday, November 13^th, he travels north to Brookings, Oregon to perform An Afternoon of Opera and Musical Theater with tenor Thomas Glenn and soprano Ronit Widmann-Levy joined by the gifted accompanist Peter Gruenberg.  In April 2012, he will be a soloist in Orff’s Carmina Burana with the underrated Fresno Philharmonic Orchestra in Central California.

Christopher Theofanidis & Thomas Hampson in Vanity Fair

We've previously covered American barihunk Thomas Hampson's upcoming performances as 9/11 hero Rick Rescorla in Christopher Theofanidis’ “Heart of a Soldier,” which opens September 10 at the San Francisco Opera. We thought that readers would enjoy this article from the San Francisco Examiner. Also, make sure to check out the September 2012 issue of Vanity Fair, which features a wonderful profile on the Hampson and "Heart of the Soldier." [Page 202]

Matthias Hausmann

The Austrian Cultural Forum NYC will Present “From Austria With Love,” sung by Mathias Hausmann and accompanied by pianist Craig Rutenberg on Thursday, October 6 at 7:30 PM. The program will feature songs by Austrian composters who lived in American including Mahler, Korngold, Zeisl, Krenek, Stolz and Kalman. Admission is free but tickets must be reserved by calling 212-319-5300 ext. 222. 

Michael Leibengut

On September 16, 2001, Michael Leibengut will make his debut with the Luzerne Festival in the premiere of Georg Friedrich Haas' "Nacht," a chamber opera in 24 scenes. For additional information, visit the Luzerne Festival website. 

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Thomas Hampson in 9/11 World Premiere at San Francisco Opera - Heart of a Soldier

"Thomas Hampson": Heart of a Soldier at San Francisco Opera

In commemoration of the upcoming 10th anniversary of the devastating terrorist attacks that struck the United States on September 11, 2001, the San Francisco Opera has commissioned a new opera from composer Christopher Theofanidis. American baritone Thomas Hampson has been engaged to sing the role of Vietnam War veteran and 9/11 hero Rick Rescorla, an employee of Morgan Stanley who was killed in the attacks.

Bloomberg has published this article about Hampson's career and this role in particular.

The talented Kate Lindsey & Lucas Meachem in San Francisco Opera's "Don Giovanni"

We haven't really had an opportunity to tout the upcoming San Francisco Opera season, which stars many singers featured on this site. In October they will be performing "Don Giovanni" with the barihunk trio of Lucas Meachem, Marco Vinco and the astonishing young talent Ryan Kuster.  In November, they will feature Broadway superstar/opera singer Paulo Szot as Escamillo in Bizet's "Carmen." Although he's past his barihunk prime, the summer season will feature Sam Ramey in Verdi's "Attila." San Francisco Opera fans still talk about his sexy Mefistofeles in Boito's opera twenty-two years ago. The summer season will close will barihunk mega-star Nathan Gunn in one of his greatest roles, Papageno in Mozart's "The Magic Flute."

Nathan Gunn brings his famed Papageno to San Francisco Opera

The San Francisco Opera is currently featuring Wagner's "American Ring Cycle," which shouldn't be missed by any serious opera lover. The production is directed by Francesca Zambello, who is also directing "Heart of a Soldier." For more information about The Ring or San Francisco Opera's upcoming season, please visit their website.

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