Barihunk Trio in New England premiere of Fellow Travelers; Coming to Arizona and Madison

Jesse Darden as Timothy Laughlin and Jesse Blumberg as Hawkins Fuller (Photo by Liza Voll)

The Boston Lyric Opera is presenting the New England premiere of Gregory Spears' Fellow Travelers from November 13-17. The cast will included the barihunk trio of Jesse Blumberg as Hawkins Fuller, David McFerrin as Senator Joe McCarthy and Simon Dyer in multiple roles. 

The remainder of the cast includes Jesse Darden as Timothy McLaughlin, Chelsea Basler as Mary Johnson, James Maddalena as Senator Charles Potter, Vincent Turregano as Tommy McIntyre, Brianna Robinson as Lucy and Michelle Trainor as Miss Lightfoot. Tickets are available online. 

Simon Dyer and David McFerrin

Fellow Travelers, which is set in Washington D.C. against the backdrop of the McCarthy-era "lavender scare," tells the story of Timothy “Skippy” Laughlin, an aspiring young journalist, and Hawkins “Hawk” Fuller, a handsome, profligate State Department official. A chance encounter with Hawk leads to Tim's first job in DC, and his first love affair. As his involvement deepens, Tim struggles to reconcile his political convictions, his religious beliefs, and his love for Fuller – an entanglement that will end in a stunning act of betrayal. The libretto is based on the novel by American novelist, essayist and critic Thomas Mallon.

Joseph Lattanzi as Hawkins Fuller and Jonas Hacker as "Skippy" McLaughlin

The opera is also being performed on the other side of the continent at the Arizona Opera with Joseph Lattanzi reprising the role of Hawkins Fuller, which he created at the Cincinnati Opera in 2016. The cast includes Marcus DeLoach as Senator Joe McCarthy, Thomas Cannon as Senator Charles Potter, Jonas Hacker as Timothy McLaughlin, Katherine Beck as Mary Johnson, Cadie Jordan as Lucy and Kaitlyn Johnson as Miss Lightfoot. Tickets are available online. 

The opera will also be performed next year at the Madison Opera with Ben Edquist as Hawkins Fuller, Sid Outlaw as Tommy McIntyre and Andy Acosta as Hawkins Fuller. 

 

PROTOTYPE Festival to present Breaking the Waves

John Moore in Opera Philadelphia's Breaking the Waves

The PROTOTYPE Festival, along with Beth Morrison Projects will present Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek's Breaking the Waves on January 6, 7, and 9 at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.

The piece premiered at Opera Philadelphia premiered on September 22 at Opera Philadelphi with the barihunk John Moore as the main protagonist Jan Nyman. He will reprise the role in with the PROTOTYPE Festival along with co-star Kiera Duffy as Bess McNeill. Singing the role of the Church Councilman is Marcus DeLoach, who has also appeared on this site.

The opera was a co-commission between Opera Philadelphia and Beth Morrison Projects. In Philadelphia, the opera had a "for mature audiences" warning as both leads appear nude.

The opera is based on the Oscar-nominated 1996 film by Lars von Trier. The libretto tells the story of Bess McNeill (sung by Kiera Duffy), a religious young woman with a deep love for her husband Jan, a handsome oil rig worker. When Jan becomes paralyzed in an off-shore accident, her marital vows are put to the test as he encourages her to seek other lovers and return to his bedside to tell him of her sexual activities. He insists that the stories will feel like they are making love together and keep him alive. Bess’s increasing selflessness leads to a finale of divine grace, but at great cost.

Tickets for all performances are available online. 

The PROTOTYPE Festival will also present the world premiere of Matt Marks' Mata Hari with barihunk Joshua Jeremiah, the New York premiere of David Lang's Anatomy Theater, the New York premiere of M. Lamar and Hunter Hunt-Hendrix's Funeral Doom Spiritual, the world premiere of Sarah Small's Secondary Dominance, the Brooklyn Youth Chorus’ newest project Silent Voices and Julian Wachner's Rev.24.

Order your 2017 Barihunks in Bed calendar TODAY, 

so it arrives before the New Year.  

 

Vittorio Prato

 

Celebrating American Independence Day!

Marcus DeLoach & Philip Cutlip: Dead Man Walking

We thought for American Independence Day it would be fun to feature singers who have starred in the lead of a great American opera. In this case, Jake Heggie's "Dead Man Walking." So here are Marchus DeLoach and Philip Cutlip singing the "Star Spangled Banner." We've also thrown in the great barbershop quartet Acoustix, since today it's a true form of American music. It is believed that the art form originated in black barbershops in the Midwest. And we threw in some Marvin Gaye to really mix it up.

Marcus DeLoach:



An amazing highlight from Philip Cutlip:



And just for fun, here is Acoustix:



And the great Teddy Pendergrass from the 1983 NBA All-Star game:



Enjoy your celebration today!

Contact us at Barihunks@gmail.com

Philip Cutlip Leads All-Star Cast of "Dead Man Walking" in Houston

Philip Cutlip in Houston's "Dean Man Walking"

The Houston Grand Opera has assembled an all-star cast for Jake Heggie's "Dead Man Walking" that would make La Scala or the Metropolitan Opera envious. Heading the cast is barihunk Philip Cutlip as Joseph De Rocher, who has created a buzz on opera blogs and in the mainstream press [see the feature from Houston magazine below]. Joining Cutlip will be the legendary mezzo Frederica von Stade, who will make her farewell to the stage as De Rocher's mother. Two of the world's greatest Rosina's from the Barber of Seville, Joyce Di Donato and Susanne Mentzer, will portray Sister Helen Prejean and Jade Boucher respectively. Measha Brueggergosman will make her Houston Grand Opera debut in the role of Sister Rose.

"Dead Man Walking" has become one of the most popular contemporary operas and has quickly made it into the standard repertory. Like Simon Boccanegra, Don Giovanni and Boris Godunov, it has become a vehicle for the greatest baritones of our time. Because the character works out in prison and has to look impressive physically, the role has always been portrayed by barihunks. The Canadian premiere featured Daniel Okulitch, who also performed the role at the Ft. Worth Opera. Other barihunks who have sung the role include Mel Ulrich, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Marcus DeLoach and John Packard, who will perform the role of Owen Hart in Houston's current production.

Philip Cutlip sporting his prison mustache

Performances will run from Saturday January 22nd through Sunday February 6th. Tickets and additional cast information are available at the Houston Grand Opera website. Here is the highlight video from the opera's website:

Here is the #1 feature of Houston magazine's "Best of Culture," featuring the star of "Dead Man Walking":

Barihunk Philip Cutlip: Best of Culture (Photo by Dorothy Hong)

DEATH  Becomes HIM 

Best o f Cu lt u r e

#1 Opera stars die many deaths. But for “barihunk” Philip Cutlip, 44, facing execution in Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking for HGO—based on the same true story as the 1995 Sean Penn movie—is different. Tougher than performing in boxers in H-Town fave Heggie’s The End of the Affair. “I’ve never been squeamish about exposing all of myself onstage, [but] portraying a man being executed will be far more internally emotional,” says Cutlip. “With every breath he takes, word he utters, person he sees, he knows that he will die.” Besides poignancy, the now 10-year-old show is rife with milestones: Joyce DiDonato reprises the role of Sister Helen Prejean, in which she debuted in New York, and world-renowned Frederica von Stade will retire after playing Cutlip’s mother. “A very moving passing of the torch,” says San Francisco-based Houston fan Heggie, 49, “and to be here for the 10th anniversary is so special.”

Contact us at Barihunks@gmail.com