Luis Alejandro Orozco in Maria de Buenos Aires in New Orleans, Fort Worth

Luis Alejandro Orozco

Barihunk Luis Alejandro Orozco, who just performed his signature role of  Payador Piazzolla's Maria de Buenos Aires with Mill City Summer Opera, will reprise the role with the New Orleans Opera's chamber series on September 9 and 10. The special performances will also include dinner and a post-performance tango dance party. 

The production will also feature soprano Catalina Cuervo, Milton Laayza in the role of Duende-Elf and Robert Lyall conducting musicians from the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. The piece, which is set in a theater-in-the-round, will be directed by Tomer Zvulun, the artistic Director of the Atlanta Opera.

Orozco will perform the piece again next Spring with the Fort Worth Opera with John de los Santos directing his unforgettable conception. Barihunk Paul La Rosa will be performing Payador with the director at San Diego Opera in January.

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!

David Adam Moore takes on Carmina Burana and Silvio at New Orleans Opera

David Adam Moore as he appeared in the Barihunks Calendar

We've always found Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana" a somewhat sexy piece of music with its songs about the pleasures and perils of drinking, gluttony, gambling and lust. With that in mind, having sexy barihunk David Adam Moore sing the baritone part seems like dream casting. Moore will be performing a fully-staged version of Carmina Burana, as well as Silvio in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci with the New Orleans Opera opening tonight.

This is the first time that the New Orleans Opera is producing Carmina Burana and they are going all out. They will be joined by the New Orleans Ballet Theatre along with the combined choral forces of the New Orleans Opera Chorus, Loyola University Chorus and the New Orleans Vocal Arts Chorale in what promises to be a spectacular show. There will be a second performance on Sunday, April 29, so if you're anywhere in the area, click HERE for a ticket.

Bernd Weikl sings Estuans Interius from Carmina Burana:

Moore will play the "other man" in Pagliacci opposite the Russian-born, American-raised soprano Inna Dukach. Here is an interview with Moore conducted by New Orleans Opera Executive Director Timothy Todd Simmons. You can hear about his "other career" in the visual arts, his country music roots and his upcoming recording of "Soldier Songs," which we've featured on the site:

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Ryan McKinny as Jochanaan in New Orleans

Ryan McKinny as Jochanaan (Photo: New Orleans Opera)

Check out the photo of barihunk Ryan McKinny as Jochanaan in Richard Strauss' Salome at the New Orleans Opera, which had its final performance today. We're not sure how we missed this performance!

McKinny's career has taken off since he was a Grand Finalist in the 2007 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and was featured in the film tenor-laden film The Audition. He has performed regularly with the Houston Grand Opera and Los Angeles Opera and has begun establishing a reputation in Europe, singing in Berlin and Leipzig. In fact, his next performance will be with Oper Leipzig as Hercules in Gluck's Alceste (Alkestis). He returns to the United States on May 4th when he sings Lt. Ratcliffe opposite Nathan Gunn in Benjamin Britten's Billy Budd at the Metropolitan Opera.

 Ryan KcKinny as Jochanaan and Mlada Khudoley as Salome in the 

New Orleans Opera's production of Salome:

 Theodore P. Mahne of the New Orleans Times-Picayune wrote:

As Jokanaan, baritone Ryan McKinny was simply amazing. Even from the depth of the cistern in which he is imprisoned, his rich voice soared. When he is brought to the surface, his prophetic warnings resonate with increased power and command. 

There is a savage beauty to McKinny’s acting, depicting a man of God who had removed himself from the ways of the world to live in the desert. Now chained in the palace of the Tetrarch, McKinny’s Jokanaan moves like a caged animal, carefully aware of his surroundings, easy to spook, yet knowing that he has a strength and power to overcome his captors.

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Matt Worth From "La La" in Barber to "Pa Pa" in Magic Flute

Hunky Matt Worth

One of our favorite singers, Matt Worth, is singing the Barber of Seville with the Connecticut Concert Opera company. The performance is a bit of a homecoming for the rising star, as he was raised in West Hartford.

The role should also be fresh in his mind, as he just wrapped up a successful run in the same role at the Pittsburgh Opera. There will be one performance on October 30th at 8 PM and you can purchase tickets by visiting the Connecticut Concert Opera website. 

You can read the entire profile on Matt Worth by visiting the website of the Hartford Courant. You can also follow Matt Worth on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/worthmatthew.

Worth can next be seen at the New Orleans Opera where he will portray Papageno in The Magic Flute. Performances are on November 19 and 21 at the Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Art.

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Matthew Worth Heats Up New Orleans

Barihunks favorite Matthew Worth just wrapped up two performances as Mercutio at the New Orleans Opera. We have been trying to get pictures from the production, but so far, it's been to no avail. Here's what the Times-Picayune review had to say.

Matthew Worth offered a particular highlight as Mercutio. He gave a agile and pleasing rendering of the tricky “Queen Mab” aria. A striking performer, watch for his star to rise.

We'll keep an eye out for pictures.

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