Barihunk "Barber" at AVA

Wes Mason and Steven LaBrie

The Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia keeps churning out some of the greatest singers performing on major stages today, including sopranos Ailyn Pérez and Angela Meade, tenors Michael Fabiano and Stephen Costello, mezzo Joyce DiDonato and barihunks Keith Miller and Daniel Mobbs.

Once again they have another class with its fair share of great singers, including two who we've regularly featured on Barihunks. Wes Mason and Steven LaBrie, will be joining classmate Christian Bowers in AVA's triple-cast performances of Rossini's Barber of Seville.

Performances will run from November 3-17 in Philadelphia, Warrington and Haverford, Pennsylvania. For tickets and additional cast information call 215.735.1685 or visit the AVA website.

We first discovered Wes Mason in 2010 while he was preparing the role of Reinaldo Arenas in Jorge Martín's Before Night Falls at the Fort Worth Opera Festival. His remarkable performance prompted critic Scott Cantrell of the Dallas Morning News to remark: "Onstage and singing much of the time, Wes Mason portrays Arenas with movie-star looks, a handsome baritone and strikingly clear diction."

He is returning to Fort Worth this year to perform Marcello in Puccini's La boheme from April 20-May 11. We always include the Fort Worth Opera Festival on our travel agenda and this year will be no exception. Visit their website and order your tickets now.

Steven LaBrie sings "Non siate ritrosi" from Mozart's Così fan tutte:

We were tipped off about Steven LaBrie by one of his fans in Philadelphia. We've watched his career progress with his Second Prize win at the 2012 Gerda Lissner Foundation Competition and his performance of Xavier Montsalvatge's operatic telling of the children's classic El gato con botas (Puss in Boots) at Gotham Chamber Opera.

AVA's Mock "Vanity Fair" Photo Shoot

The Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) in Philadelphia featured a wonderful mock version of Vanity Fair's photo of sexy opera singers that included barihunks Mariusz Kwiecien, Nathan Gunn and Erwin Schrott. AVA low voices include Scott Conner and Wes Mason, who has been a regular on this site.

From left to right: Mariusz Kwiecien, Polish baritone; Maija Kovalevska, Latvian soprano; Rolando Villazón, Mexican tenor; Nathan Gunn, American baritone; Danielle de Niese, Australian-born soprano; Erwin Schrott, Uruguayan bass; Anna Netrebko, Russian soprano. Photograph by Wayne Maser; styled by Sarajane Hoare.

Just a few of the exciting artists AVA audiences can look forward to hearing this year.  (l-r) Alexandra Maximova, Scott Conner, Maria Aleida, Nelson Ebo, Wes Mason, John Viscardi, and Chrystal Williams (Photo by Paul Sirochman)

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Happy Birthday, Zach Altman

Kempson (L) and Altman (R)

When we ran a shirtless photo of barihunk Zach Altman wearing nothing but a towel and it ended up being one of the most visited post on Barihunks. It has held a spot in the Top 10 posts ever since.

Today is Zach Altman's 26th birthday, so we thought it was a fitting time to celebrate with a new post and new photo.

The Philadelphia native is now headed to the Sarasota Opera to participate in their apprentice artist program.

What many people don't know is he one half of a Barihunk Duo, as his partner is Dan Kempson, who has also been featured on this site. The couple may not get to perform together much since they are both baritones, but they did appear on court television together over a demo tape dispute.

Sexy Zach Altman - A Barihunks favorite

Hopefully, one of our composer fans of this site will write a special duet for the sexy pair. If it happens, we promise to post it on the site.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY from Barihunks, you sexy thang.

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Nicholas Masters

The Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia continues to churn out barihunks like Beyonce churns out hit songs. Meet Nicholas Masters, an adorable bass who recently performed in Monteverdi's "Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria" and Puccini's "La Boheme" at Wolf Trap Opera. At AVA he has performed in Lucia di Lammermoor, Falstaff and Anna Bolena.

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What's THAT Between Ben Wager's Legs?

We've heard of "hung like a horse," but an actual horse between your legs deserves a posting on Barihunks. Here is Ben Wager enjoying a little playtime with his horsey.

The AVA graduate has joined the ensemble of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, where he will perform Zuniga in Carmen, Angelotti in Tosca, and Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte. Additional engagements for 2009-10 include Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Mozarteum of Salzburg under Ivor Bolton and Rossini’s Stabat Mater with the Oregon Symphony, and his debut at Los Angeles Opera as Julian Pinelli in Schreker’s Die Gezeichneten.

He is also scheduled debut at Opera Cleveland as Nourabad in Les pêcheurs de perles, Masetto in Don Giovanni at Dallas Opera, and as Nikitich and Chernikovsky in Boris Godunov.

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2 Barihunks and a Hunkentenor

[Photos by Ed Hille]

Barihunks waited eagerly for the production of Britten's "The Rape of Lucretia" to open at the Opera Company of Philadelphia. We even promoted it over a year ago when we first heard that Nathan Gunn would play the role of Tarquinius, a favorite at this site. Our excitement and anticipation increased when we learned that the role of Collatinus would be played by emerging barihunk Ben Wager. To top things off, the critical role of the Male Chorus was being played by the hunky William Burden, meaning that the Gunn/Burden partnership was returning that created one of the original barihunk/hunkentenor partnerships when they performed Pearl Fishers together topless.

We have to confess that we were a little disappointed when Phillie took much of the sexiness out of their portrayals dressing them like they were headed to Siberia in winter. We prefer our Rape of Lucretia like this: http://barihunks.blogspot.com/2009/04/some-more-matthew-worthshowing-some.html.

Nonetheless, we can't complain with two barihunks and a hunkentenor on the same stage. Even the Philadelphia Inquirer took note:

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/magazine/20090604_Looking_as_good_as_they_sound.html

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