Nathan Gunn to lead University of Illinois opera program

Nathan Gunn with wife Julie (left) and Patricia Racette (right)

Barihunk Nathan Gunn can add "artistic director" to his list of credits, as he is scheduled to lead the new Lyric Theatre program at the University of Illinois. The program, which will focus on opera, operetta and musical theater, is replacing the former program run by artistic director Eduardo Diazmunoz, who is embarking on a new career in Australia.

Nathan Gunn, is a University of Illinois graduate who has maintained a longtime association with the school. Gunn joined the school's faculty as a voice professor in 2007. His wife, Julie Jordan Gunn, who is a pianist and vocal coach, will be the director of Lyric Theatre studies. He will be in charge of the artistic direction and fiscal integrity of new program.

Gunn is not giving up his performing career.  In fact, the will be touring Australia with Broadway legend Mandy Patinkin, as well as performing his signature role of Papageno in Mozart's The Magic Flute with the Metropolitan Opera in December. In February, he will also return to the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Figaro in Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia. In the summer of 2014, he takes on the role of Gaylord Ravenal in Show Boat at the San Francisco Opera. He'll be directed by Francesca Zambello, who allegedly coined the term "barihunk" to describe Nathan Gunn.

NY Times Praises Nathan Gunn's Cabaret Show

Nathan Gunn at Cafe Carlyle (Michelle V. Agins/The New York Times)

Stephen Holden of the New York Times wrote the following review of Nathan Gunn's appearance at New York's Cafe Carlyle:

Nathan Gunn commands an operatic baritone whose mighty heft and richness confer an outsize authority on everything he touches. When he dips into popular music, he suggests a vocal Babe Ruth aiming for the fences, all the while maintaining a hero’s confident stance. At the Café Carlyle, where he opened “An Evening With Nathan Gunn” on Tuesday evening, he belted it out of the ballpark four times. There were also singles, doubles and a couple of strikeouts. [Continued HERE]

Nathan Gunn and "The Missus"

Julie & Nathan Gunn

Reporter Donna Karger recently profiled Julie and Nathan Gunn, who are performing at New York's famed Cafe Carlyle. The musical couple are performing American standards together through April 16th. Songs will include "I've Got a Crush on You," "My Funny Valentine" and "Polka Dots and Moonbeams."

Apparently, Karger was more focused on Nathan Gunn who she consistently referred to by name, while calling Julie Gunn, a wonderful musician in her own right, "the wife" and "the missus." Hey, we're focused on barihunks, too, but we're happy to call her Julie.

Tickets are available for Julie and Nathan Gunn at www.thecarlyle.com.

Unfortunately, New York 1 doesn't provide embedding codes, but you can watch the segment HERE.

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Nathan Gunn: Coast to Coast

[Photo courtesy of NY Philharmonic]

Here's a great shot of barihunk Nathan Gunn waiting to go on stage with the New York Philharmonic.

If you want to see Nathan Gunn perform and you live in the U.S., you're in luck. He's performing on both coasts and in America's heartland.

On September 2, he'll join his wife Julie Gunn at the University of Illinois in performing selections from his CD "Just Before Sunrise." He then heads for San Jose, California to kick off the opening season of Symphony Silicon Valley on September 30th, where he'll perform Mahler's Songs of a Wayfarer. From November 9 through December 3 he'll be on the opposite coast performing Gugliemo in Così fan tutte at the Metropolitan Opera. He'll be joined by and all-star cast that includes Danielle de Niese, Miah Persson, Isabel Leonard, Pavol Breslik, and Wolfgang Holzmair, conducted by William Christie.



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