Mathias Hausmann in provocative Dantons Tod

Mathias Hausmann (center) Photo: Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz

The Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz is presenting Gottfried von Einem's Dantons Tod with barihunk Mathias Hausmann as Georges Danton along with an array of hunky, shirtless men. The production is directed by Günter Krämer. The opera is being performed in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the composer's birth.

Dantons Tod Photo: Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz

Georg Büchner's pitiless drama offered the Austrian composer Gottfried von Einem an ideal opportunity to examine Fascist structures of domination. Premiered at the Salzburg Festival two years after the Second World War, the work has lost nothing of its topicality today. 

Dantons Tod Photo: Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz

In the opera, the French Revolution has disposed of the absolutist rulers, but the people continue to live in fear and trepidation. While the erstwhile revolutionary Georges Danton seeks pleasure in gambling and love, Robespierre intends to bring about the equality of all people with violence and terror. It is only when he himself comes to the attention of the tyrannical regime that Danton is persuaded to become politically active again. But doubts about his own motives and the possibility of achieving liberty and fraternity through violence stand in the way of his power to act.

Additional performances are on October 13, 15, 19 and November 1, 4, and 15. Tickets and additional cast information is available online.

Mathias Hausmann in controversial Tannhäuser in Leipzig

Mathias Hausmann in Tannhäuser

Mathias Hausmann will be featured as Wolfram in Oper Leipzig's Tannhäuser, which opens on March 17 and runs through May 27.  The remainder of the cast includes Elisabet Strid as Elisabeth, Kathrin Göring as Venus, Burkhard Fritz as Tannhäuser and Patrick Vogel as Walther.

A scene from Calixto Bieito's Tannhäuser in Ghent

The production has been mired in a bit of controversy and confusion, as it was originally scheduled to be directed by Katharina Wagner, a descendant of the composer. The opera company announced that due to  “logistical challenges,” it will now be directed by the provocative Spaniard Calixto Bieito. Bieito's interpretation of Wagner's Tannhäuser premiered at the Vlaamse Opera in Ghent in 2015.

Katharina Wagner will return to Leipzig for Richard Wagner’s Lohengrin in November 2020.

Barihunks rotating Don Giovanni in Munich

Mathias Hausmann (left) and Günter Papendell (right)

Barihunks Günter Papendell and Mathias Hausmann are rotating the title role of Mozart's Don Giovanni at the Gärtnerplatztheater in Munich, Germany through July 12th. The production is being guided by the Viennese actor and director Herbert Föttinger, who is mostly associtate with the Theater in der Josefstadt. His concept is to look at Don Giovanni as a conglomerate of freedom, anarchy, seduction and sex; one who women desire and men desire to be.

Papendell will be joined by Levente Páll as Leporello, Christoph Filler as Masetto, Sergii Magera as the Commendatore, as well as Jennifer O'Loughlin as Donna Anna, Lucian Krasznec as Don Ottavio, Camille Schnoor as Donna Elvira and Sophie Mitterhuber as Zerlina. Papendell, can still be seen at his home base at the Komische Oper, where he's simultaneously performing Jason in Reimann's Medea on July 2 and 15. He'll be perfoming Don Giovanni in Munich on June 27 and July 6, 8, 9 and 12.

Günter Papendell in Don Giovanni in Munich

Mathias Hausmann will be singing Don Giovanni on June 26 and July 1, 2, 5 and 8. He'll be joined by Matija Meić as Leporello, Christoph Filler as Masetto, Christoph Seidl as the Commendatore, as well as Sophia Brommer as Donna Anna, Szabolcs Brickner as Don Ottavio, Nadja Stefanoff as Donna Elvira and Mária Celeng as Zerlina. On July 16, he'll perform in Händel's Alexander's Feast with the company. This Fall, he heads to the Oper Leipzig where he'll take on the role of Rodrigo in Verdi's Don Carlo. 

Mathias Hausmann's Austrian Composers Program at Half-Price

Mathias Hausmann

Fans of Austrian barihunk Mathias Hausmann who live on the East Coast are in luck, as his concert on Wednesday, October 12th is available at half-price. The gifted recitalist will be performing songs from his favorite fellow Austrians, including Mahler, Korngold, Eisler, Zeisl, Stolz and Benatzky. Visit the goldtar ticketing website for your half-price tickets. The performance will be in the Terrace Theater at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

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Erwin Schrott sings "Votre toast" at La Scala

This video is from the December 7, 2009 performance of Carmen at La Scala, which we've previously posted on this site because of the trio of barihunks in the production.

The aria starts around the 2:00 mark.

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Hot Schrott to Perform WIth Hot Trio of Barihunks

[Photos from www.erwin-schrott.com]




We haven't featured über-barihunk Erwin Schrott in awhile, so we thought we would check to see what's on his schedule. It looks like Milan's La Scala has him engaged through February 2010.

He'll be singing Carmen with hunkentenor Jonas Kaufmann and fellow barihunk, Austrian Mathias Hausmann as Morales.

[Mathias Hausmann]


A month later, he'll be joining two other barihunks, Mirco Palazzi and Alex Esposito, in Don Giovanni, where he will sing the role of the title character. Alex Esposito has been featured on this site before and is known for his compelling stage performance. He'll be singing Leporello and Palazzi will perform Masetto.

Mathias Hausmann studied singing with Karl Ernst Hoffmann in Graz as well as with Ryland Davies at the Benjamin Britten International Opera School of the Royal College of Music in London.

Hausmann has been a member of the ensemble at the Volksoper in Vienna where he has become a fan favorite. His barihunk roles include Papageno and A Midsummer Night's Dream.




Thirty-one year old Mirco Palazzi studied singing in Pesaro with Robleto Merolla. He has performed in Naples, Parma, Ravenna, Stuttgart, Japan, Naples and at La Scala.

He can be heard on the Opera Rara recordings of Rossini’s Zelmira and Adelaide di Borgogna (live from the Edinburgh International Festival), Donizetti’s Pia de’ Tolomei and Il diluvio universale and highlights of Meyerbeer’s L’esule di Granata.

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