Joseph Lattanzi to reprise lead role in Fellow Travelers

Joseph Lattanzi and Aaron Blake in Fellow Travelers

The Lyric Opera of Chicago has announced that barihunk Joseph Lattanzi will reprise the role of Hawkins Fuller in Gregory Spears' opera Fellow Travelers.

Fellow Travelers, which was written in collaboration with librettist Greg Pierce and director Kevin Newbury, was developed in a 2013 Opera Fusion workshop. Lattanzi sang both the workshops for the opera, as well as the world premiere at the Cincinnati Opera last year. Newbury will also direct the Chicago performances.

Joseph Lattanzi sings "Our very own home" from Fellow Travelers:

The cast will include tenor Jonas Hacker as Timothy Laughlin, who falls in love with Hawkins Fuller during the height of the McCarthy era in 1950s Washington D.C. Devon Guthrie will sing the role of Mary Johnson, Hawkins’s assistant and Timothy’s confidante.

This chamber work will be presented in four performances at the Athenaeum Theatre between March 17-25, 2018

You can catch Lattanzi as Sonora in Puccini's La Fanciulla del West at Virginia Opera from November 10-December 3. Performances will be in Norfolk, Richmond and Fairfax. 

Nathan Gunn discusses playing Jesus in new opera in San Francisco

Nathan Gunn as Yeshua (Jesus) and Sasha Cooke as Mary Magdalene

The San Francisco Opera under the inspired leadership of David Gockley keeps adding exciting new operas to the repertory. The latest is the world premiere of Mark Adamo's The Gospel of Mary Magadalene. (Their fall season also includes the world premiere of Tobias Picker's Dolores Claiborne starring Dolora Zajic). Adamo is the composer of two other hit operas, the hysterical Lysistrata and the classic tale Little Women, the latter which has become the most performed opera in America.


Supported by six years of his own research into ancient texts and modern biblical scholarship, Adamo has written a libretto for The Gospel of Mary Magadalene that scrutinizes Christian scripture and transforms it into an alternate history of sorts. Played out through human characters struggling with the role of sexuality in a patriarchal world, the opera reimagines a neglected, yet pivotal, female character who was traditionally (and erroneously) labeled as a prostitute but who, amidst the contentious religious politics of the time, was able to show Jesus the moral dignity of women.


The YouTube channel for San Francisco Classical Voice has posted a series of interviews with barihunk Nathan Gunn talking about the world premiere of Mark Adamo's Gospel of Mary Magadalene at San Francisco Opera.

Performances are running form June 19 to July 7 and tickets are available online.

Nathan Gunn on playing Jesus:

Nathan Gunn on working with his colleagues:

Nathan Gunn on working with composer Mark Adamo:

You can also listen to Cy Musiker from public radio station KQED talk about the The Gospel of Mary Magdalene. 

Matthew Worth and Samuel Ramey in New Orleans Opera "Barber of Seville""

Matthew Worth

American barihunk Matthew Worth, who recently garnered critical acclaim for his Curly in Oklahoma! with Central City Opera, is trading in his cowboy hat for a razor. He'll be opening as Figaro in Rossini's Barber of Seville at the New Orleans Opera on November 16th. You can listen to him singing the famous Largo al factotum on his website. There are only two performances of the opera, on Friday, November 16 and a matinee on Sunday, November 18. Tickets are available online.

Worth will next appear as Father Brendan Flynn at the Minnesota Opera in the world premiere of Douglas Cuomo's adaptation of "Doubt" starring mezzo Denyce Graves and soprano Christine Brewer. The opera is being directed by the Kevin Newbury, who will be directing another world premiere, Mark Adamo's The Gospel of Mary Magdelene at the San Francisco Opera with barihunk Nathan Gunn next summer. Performances of Doubt run from January 26th to Febraury 3rd. Visit The Minnesota Opera website for additional information. (If you're having impure thoughts about Matthew Worth as a priest, please visit your local parish).

Ramey's legendary Mefistofele

In a bit of luxury casting, one of the original barihunks, Sam Ramey, has been cast as Don Basilio alongside Worth in New Orleans. We love that Ramey is taking on new roles and extending his illustrious career. In January, he'll be singing Timur in Puccini's Turandot at the Metropolitan Opera in the famous Franco Zefferilli production. Visit the Met website for additional cast information and tickets. 

Enjoy your favorite barihunks year around with the 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar. Once again, all proceeds will go to benefit young artists and young artist programs. For the price of lunch you can help keep opera alive and thriving!