Barihunks featured in simultaneous productions of Florencia en el Amazonas

Nmon Ford and Steven LaBrie

Two production of Daniel Catán's exotic opera Florencia en el Amazonas are happening almost simultaneously in two very different parts of the United States. Both productions will feature barihunks, with the Madison Opera featuring Nmon Ford and Florida Grand Opera starring Steven LaBrie as Riolobo.

Florida Grand Opera will present five performances between April 28-May 5. Tickets and additional cast information is available online. The Madison Opera will present two performances on April 27 and 29, with tickets and additional cast information available online.

The role of Riolobo has become a popular barihunk vehicle, with such notables as Nathan Gunn, Gabriel Preisser, Shannon De Vine, Luis Alejandro Orozco, Norman Garrett, José Carbó, Joseph Lattanzi and Keith Miller all taking on the role of the ship's mate, who is the focus of the magical realism of the piece. 

Andrew Garland sings Riolobo's Invocation from Florencia:

The two-act opera Florencia en al Amazonas is set on the steamboat El Dorado in 1910, where the famous opera singer Florencia is traveling down the Amazon to perform in Manaus. Florencia desires to encounter her lost love, a butterfly hunter who entered the jungle and never returned. The dramas aboard the steamboat weave love, conflict, loss, a violent storm, and ultimately a cholera epidemic that keeps the passengers quarantined and Florencia’s dream apparently dashed.

In 1996, Florencia en al Amazonas was the first Spanish-language opera to be commissioned by a major American opera house. It premiered at the Houston Grand Opera, and was subsequently performed at the Los Angeles Opera and the Seattle Opera. Daniel Catán died in 2011 at age 62, shortly after the premiere of his last opera, Il Postino, based on the popular Italian film. At the time of his death, he was at work on a new piece, Meet John Doe, inspired by Frank Capra’s classic film of the same title.

Barihunk quartet in Madison Opera's "Carmen"

Corey Crider, Charles Eaton, Thomas Forde and Erik Larson

The Madison Opera will be performing Bizet's Carmen on November 3rd and 5th with a quartet of barihunks. The group is led be Corey Crider as Escamillo, along with Thomas Forde as Zuniga, Charles H. Eaton as Moralès and Erik Earl Larson as Dancäire.

They will be joined by Aleks Romano in the title role, hunkentenor Sean Panikkar as Don José and Cecilia Violetta López as Micaëla. Tickets are available online.

Thomas Forde from the first Barihunks Calendar

Three of the barihunks have appeared with the company before, with Corey Crider performing Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, Thomas Forde in Verdi's Un ballo in Maschera and Erik Earl Larson appearing in Heggie's Dead Man Walking. Charles H. Eaton is making his company debut and was recently interviewed on the company's blog. With all of these sexy men to choose from, one has to wonder why things don't end better for Carmen!

Longtime followers of this blog will recall that Thomas Forde appeared in our original Barihunks Calendar with two photos, both sporting one of our tee shirts. Forde, who lost 100 pounds on his journey from BariChunk to BariHunk, also counsels singers about fitness. Visit his website for more information.

Click HERE to listen to Thomas Forde sing "I'm a lonely man" from Carlisle Floyd's Susannah.

2018 Barihunks Calendar

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!

Barihunk Dan Kempson announces retirement

Dan Kempson in A Streetcar named Desire at Townsend Opera

Barihunk Dan Kempson, one of the most beautiful voices (and bodies) in the business, has announced his premature retirement from opera. Here is his announcement that he posted on Facebook.

This has been the worst kept "secret" of my life, but many of you know that I'm "retiring from the stage" after I finish out my gigs this season. I haven't done any auditions for about a year, allowing my calendar to run out. I'm doing this for a number of reasons, which range from the professional (wanting to impact the arts/entertainment industry in a way beyond performing) and the personal (I want to see my husband).I haven't said anything on Facebook because I didn't have the next step in place yet. 

But, today I got the call! Starting next fall, I'll be getting my MBA at Columbia Business School! I'm excited and scared in equal measure. And I'm very relieved that I will get to sleep in my own bed, live in the same city as Zach, and go to school in Morningside Heights, my old MSM stomping grounds.

His remaining calendar includes Marcello in Puccini's La bohème with Madison Opera from November 13-15, Constellations at the Neighborhood House in Philadelphia in December, Ping in Puccini's Turandot with the Pacific Symphony in February 2016 and Marcello with the Bangor Symphony in April. 

MAKE SURE TO ORDER YOUR 2016 BARIHUNKS CALENDAR BEFORE THE HOLIDAY RUSH; 18 OF THE WORLD'S HOTTEST SINGERS FROM 9 COUNTRIES.

Madison Opera's "Ten Questions for Trevor Martin"

Trevor Martin

Barihunk Trevor Martin, who is singing Fiorello opposite fellow barihunk Tom Forde's Don Basilio in Madison Opera's Barber of Seville, was asked ten (well eleven) questions for the company's blog. You can see both of these amazing young talents on April 24 and 26. Tickets and additional cast information are available online.

1.  Where were you born / raised?
I was born and raised just south of Atlanta, Georgia.

2.  If you weren't a singer, what profession would you be in?
If I weren't able to do anything in the field of music, I think I would like to be a history professor.  I've always loved it, and some of my history teachers in school were some of the most influential teachers I ever had.

3.  My favorite opera is...
Otello.  Although if you ask me tomorrow, it could just as easily be something completely different.

4.  My favorite pre-show / post-show meal is...
I usually don't eat a whole lot before shows, which always leaves me ravenous afterwards.  Being from the South, I hadn't ever experienced cheese curds before coming to Madison (don't shun me - I didn't know!), so I am sure that will be a big part of my post-show feast here.

5.  People would be surprised to know that...
As much as I travel by plane, I am still terrified to fly!

Trevor Martin in the famous "Bevy of Barihunks" photo from Seagle Music Colony

6.  What is your favorite song to belt out in a bar / the shower / at karaoke?
My go-to karaoke song has always been "My Way" by Mr. Sinatra.  Always tugging on the heartstrings of the audience with that one.

7.  What is your pop culture guilty pleasure?
I always feel so disconnected with current pop culture references around my friends, but recently I have become obsessed with podcasts, especially Serial, The Moth, and This American Life.  Really, anything that tells a compelling story, and I am sold!

8.  A few of my favorite films are...
In no particular order:  Shawshank Redemption, all of the Lord of the Rings (extended versions, of course), Clue, Moonrise Kingdom, and Rudy.

9.  If we were to turn on your ipod right now, what five artists/songs would we see on your recently-played list?  
Nickel Creek, Piero Cappuccilli's "Best Of" album, Childish Gambino, The Goat Rodeo Sessions, and The Nth Power.

10.  What is the worst costume you've ever worn?
I never went trick-or-treating as a child, so I remember getting really excited to go to a costume party in college in Georgia dressed as the only thing I knew I could pull off... a redneck.  Unfortunately, I'm not sure people knew that I had actually put on a costume.

11.  Bonus:  One question you wish someone would ask you (and the answer):
Q:  Which is superior, Star Wars or Star Trek?
A:  I'm so glad you asked.  Star Wars obviously has the better story and characters (Jar Jar Binks notwithstanding), although Star Trek has superior acting and sheer volume of content.  I have many more opinions about this if anyone would care to ask.

Tom Forde in Madison's Sweeney Todd

Tom Forde in Tosca (left)

Tom Forde has been doing a little bit of everything lately. The last time we posted about him, he was taking time off from his ensemble work at the Zurich Opera to play the 7-11 clerk Omar in a Doritos commercial. He's also been mixing in a lot of musical theater work, singing in The Addams Family and Les Misérables.

This season, he'll be at the Madison Opera in both musical theater and opera. First up he'll portray the evil Judge Turpin in Sondheim's Sweeney Todd, which runs from February 6-8 at the Capitol Theater. He'll return in April to sing Don Basilio in Rossini's The Barber of Seville. Tickets for both shows are available online. 

If you want to learn more about Tom Forde, you can read an interview with him online from the Madison Opera blog.

Kelly Margraf plays the villain in return home

Kelly Markgraf

Kelly Markgraf is returning to Madison Opera this season, a year after his successful debut with the company in Mozart's Don Giovanni. He'll be going from seducer to sinister, as he takes on the villainous Don Pizarro in Beethoven's Fidelio opening on Friday, November 21st with an additional performance on Sunday, November 23rd.

This will be Madison Opera's first fully staged performance of Beethoven's only opera in their 53-year history. He'll be joined by soprano Alexandra LoBianco as Leonore and tenor Clay Hilley as Florestan. Tickets and additional cast information are available online.

The opera is being performed almost on the anniversary of its premiere in Vienna on November 20, 1805.

Markgraf as Don Pizarro

Markgraf grew up 100 miles away in Cedarburg, Wisconsin where he was captain of his high school soccer team. Markgraf currently resides in Houston, Texas with his wife, the amazing mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke. When not singing, he runs a tea import business.

You can read an interview with Kelly Markgraf on the Madison Opera blog by clicking HERE.

You can follow him on Twitter @KellyMarkgraf.

 Have you bought your Barihunks calendar. 2015 is fast approaching, so order yours today. 

Michael Mayes returns to signature role in Dead Man Walking

Michael Mayes in Dead Man Walking

February 25, 2012 was a life-changing day for barihunk Michael Mayes. It's the day that he first took the stage as Joseph de Rocher in Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking at the Tulsa Opera. His performance as the accused killer was so riveting that word shot around the opera world about his intense performance. Most importantly, composer Jake Heggie was also impressed by Mayes. He recently told Colorado Public Radio, "I've seen Mike Mayes sing Joe a few times and I can tell you nobody in the entire world has ever done it better or with more authority."

I've seen Mike Mayes sing Joe a few times and I can tell you nobody in the entire world has ever done it better or with more authority. - See more at: http://www.cpr.org/news/story/five-questions-dead-man-walking-composer-jake-heggie#sthash.1emJ4cfn.dpuf

I've seen Mike Mayes sing Joe a few times and I can tell you nobody in the entire world has ever done it better or with more authority. - See more at: http://www.cpr.org/news/story/five-questions-dead-man-walking-composer-jake-heggie#sthash.1emJ4cfn.dpuf

I've seen Mike Mayes sing Joe a few times and I can tell you nobody in the entire world has ever done it better or with more authority. - See more at: http://www.cpr.org/news/story/five-questions-dead-man-walking-composer-jake-heggie#sthash.1emJ4cfn.dpuf

Our readers also took notice, as the photo that we ran of Mayes after he'd buffed up for the role instantly became one of our most viewed pictures. The role itself takes enormous physical stamina and baritones have been known to go to great lengths to get in shape, as the opera includes an aria that's sung while doing pushups. Etienne Dupuis went so far as hiring two trainers when he sang the role at the Opera de Montreal.

Mayes is now back singing what's become his signature role at both the Madison Opera and Central City Opera. The production will be performed in Madison on April 25 and 27, and then in Central City from July 5-25.

Michael Mayes with Erik Larson (and Pete)

Mayes first appeared in the opera not as the main character, but as a motorcycle cop at the Fort Worth Opera Festival in the 2008-09 season. We couldn't help but wonder if the Madison cast has a future de Rocher in it, as Erik Larsen has been cast in the role of the motorcycle cop. Larson made waves when he busted out of his pants and posted it on Twitter (which we, of course, reposted on Barihunks).

After his two runs of Dead Man Walking, Mayes continues with his commitment to contemporary opera. He'll be performing in Ethan Gans-Morse's The Canticle of the Black Madonna, a new opera premiering in Portland, Oregon on September 5, 2014. Set in coastal Louisiana amidst the devastation of the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill, it tells the story of a fictional soldier returning from Afghanistan to his wife. Together, they face the challenges of his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and her struggles to maintain the family business. 

Reader Submission: Snowboarding Barihunk Christiaan Smith Kotlarek

Christiaan Smith Kotlarek

Our latest Reader Submission is the second one by a very fortunate soprano, who seems to get cast opposite some of the hottest men in opera. She was as surprised as us that no one had ever submitted Christiaan Smith Kotlarek.

Christiaan Smith-Kotlarek studied at the Boston University Opera Institute where he was a Phyllis Curtin Artist. His professional credits include roles with the Madison Opera, Indianapolis Opera, Ash Lawn Opera, and Des Moines Metro Opera, where he was also an apprentice artist. In 2007, Christiaan toured the Marche region of Italy singing the role of Marco in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi.

Christiaan Smith Kotlarek

On January 31st he performed in Opera Louisiane's “The Best of Opera and Broadway” hosted by Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Jay Dardenne at the Old State Capitol. In October, he was Christiano in Madison Opera's production of Verdi's Un ballo in maschera which included fellow barihunk Thomas Forde as Count Ribbing. He is currently at the Music Academy of the West where he is covering the role of Papageno in Mozart's The Magic Flute. 

Christiann Smith Kotlarek sings "That Moment On" from the song cycle  

Pieces of 9/11 by Jake Heggie:

While at Boston University, he met composer Jake Heggie, who invited him to sing his song cycle Pieces of 9/11. The composer must have been impressed, as he'll be singing the barihunk role of Joseph DeRocher in Dead Man Walking with the Modern American Music Project in Asheville, North Carolina on April 26 and 27.

His great body is the result of his penchant for snowboarding and extreme sports in his spare time. In fact, he has been a snowboard instructor for about a decade at Norway Mountain in Michigan.

You can read an extensive interview with him on the Madison Opera blog. He also has a blog called OutsideTheOperaBox where he discusses music and fitness.