Philip Cutlip to perform Handel rarity Joseph and his Brethren

Philip Cutlip

Barihunk Philip Cutlip will join the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra for Handel's rarely performed oratorio Joseph and his Brethren. He will be joined by tenor Nicholas Phan, mezzo-sopranos Abigail Levis and Diana Moore, and sopranos Sherezade Panthaki and Gabrielle Haigh.

The Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra has performed just about everything Handel ever wrote,  except the composer’s 1743 oratorio Joseph and His Brethren. This Baroque rarity recounts Joseph’s reconciliation with his Jewish family in Egypt. The oratorio gave Handel the opportunity to depict the grandeur of the Pharaoh’s court and the faith of Joseph’s estranged brothers in a plot of intrigue and mistaken identity.

Sandrine Piau sings "Prophetic Raptures" from  Joseph and his Brethren:

Performances are on December 14th in San Francisco, December 15th in Palo Alto, and December 16th and 17th in Berkeley. Tickets are available online. 

Cutlip will also be performing the much more familiar Messiah with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra from December 8-10 in San Francisco, Berkeley and Rohnert Park. Tickets are available online.

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! 

Matthew Morris in World Premiere Songs; Part of Barihunk Quartet in Don Giovanni

Matthew Morris

Matthew Morris will be joining the Brooklyn New Music Collective for  for an evening of song cycles, most of them performed for the first time ever. The concert will feature world premieres from James Kallembach, Glen Roven and Roger Stubblefield, plus songs from James Matheson and Steven Gerber. There will be a reception with wine after the show.

Glen Roven told us that his "Four Surreal Songs" were inspired by a visit to the Helly Nahmad Gallery where they were exhibiting a show of surrealist painters -- Jean Arp, Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí, Man Ray, Yves Tanguy and Max Ernst. The catalog featured poems by Paul Éluard in English translations, which Roven decided to set to music.

The October 16th performance will be at the Old Stone House in Brooklyn. Tickets are available online.

Also, don't forget about Morris' upcoming performance as Masetto in Mozart's Don Giovanni with New York's newest and highly innnovative opera company, Venture Opera.

He'll be joined by Philip Cutlip in the title, Eric Downs as Leporellod and Christian Zaremba will sing the Commendatore. The perfect Barihunk Quartet!

Venture Opera's production of Mozart's Don Giovanni casts the serial seducer as a Catholic priest who abuses his power to have his way with women. Taking place in one of the oldest surviving gothic-revival religious buildings in New York, the adaptation revolves around the theological question of the Act of Contrition.

Performances will be on November 6, 8 and 10 at the Angel Orensanz Foundation in the heart of the Lower East Side. Tickets and additional cast information are available online.

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

 

Baritone quartet in updated Don Giovanni

Baritone quartet in Venture Opera's Don Giovanni

Four of the hottest guys in opera are coming together to create a Barihunk Quartet in Mozart's Don Giovanni with New York's newest and highly innnovative opera company. Venture Opera was founded by Jonathon Thierer in 2014 and perform installation opera throughout New York City in venues that enhance their artistic vision.

Philip Cutlip will sing the title role and be accompanied by his sidekick Eric Downs as Leporello. Matthew Patrick Morris will sing Masetto and Christian Zaremba will sing the Commendatore. 

Philip Cutlip (left) and Matthew Morris (right)

Venture Opera's production of Mozart's Don Giovanni casts the serial seducer as a Catholic priest who abuses his power to have his way with women. Taking place in one of the oldest surviving gothic-revival religious buildings in New York, the adaptation revolves around the theological question of the Act of Contrition.


Performances will be on November 6, 8 and 10 at the Angel Orensanz Foundation in the heart of the Lower East Side. Tickets and additional cast information are available online.

Barihunks featured in new Kurt Weill adaptation

Philip Cutlip and Justin Hopkins

The Collegiate Chorale concludes its 2014-15 season with the U.S. Premiere of Kurt Weill’s The Road of Promise featuring barihunks Philip Cutlip and Justin Hopkins. Performances are on May 6 and 7 at the Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall.  The May 7 performance will feature a special pre-concert talk about the background, historical context, and musical content of the piece.

The Road of Promise is a new concert adaptation of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfel’s epic 1937 stage spectacle, The Eternal Road, led by Tony Award-winning conductor/director Ted Sperling and a 200-voice chorus and symphony orchestra. Like the original stage work, The Road of Promise combines a story about a synagogue under threat of persecution with defining stories from the Old Testament. As the congregation awaits their fate, a 13-year old boy appears who knows nothing of his Jewish heritage or faith. The Rabbi enlightens him and gives the community strength by recounting the stories of Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Miriam, Moses, Ruth, Isaiah, and more, all of which come alive through Weill’s magnificent musical score. The young boy listens to the stories unfold and emerges as the new hope for his people.

Also featured in the cast are Anthony Dean Griffey, Mark Delavan, AJ Glueckert, Lauren Michelle, Megan Marino, Ron Rifkin, and Eli Tokash. You can watch a trailer about the piece HERE.

Celebrating the 150th Anniversary of The Pearl Fishers

Philip Cutlip as Zurga at Minnesota Opera

On this date 150 years ago, Georges Bizet' s Les pêcheurs de perles  (The Pearl Fishers) premiered at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris. Along with Carmen, it's one of his nine operas that has managed to maintain a place in the standard repertoire of opera companies around the world. Occasional performance of La jolie fille de Perth and Ivan IV can still be seen, but they are relatively rare.

The Pearl Fishers tells the story of how two men's vow of eternal friendship is threatened by their love for the same woman, whose own dilemma is the conflict between secular love and her sacred oath as a priestess.

Despite a good reception by the public, press reactions to The Pearl Fishers were generally hostile and dismissive, although other composers, notably Hector Berlioz, found considerable merit in the music. The opera was not revived in Bizet's lifetime, but from 1886 onwards it was performed with some regularity in Europe and America.

William Burden and (the original barihunk) Nathan Gunn in Pearl Fishers:

After its opening run, The Pearl Fishers was not performed again until eleven years after Bizet's death when it was presented in Italian at La Scala on March 20, 1886. After this it received regular stagings in European cities, often with the Italian version of the libretto. These revivals, which possibly reflected the growing success of Carmen, were followed by the publication of several versions of the music that incorporated significant differences from Bizet's original.

The opera is also somewhat responsible for the term "barihunks," as opera lore has it that director Francesca Zambella coined the phrase to describe a shirtless Nathan Gunn, who was singing the role of Zurga in her Philadelphia production in 2004.

The role of Zurga has certainly kept us busy at Barihunks, as it is often staged either shirtless or with a liberal amount of skin exposed. Barihunks on the site as Zurga include Lee Poulis, Philip Cutlip, Nmon Ford, Troy Cook, Craig Verm, Liam Bonner, David Adam Moore and, of course, Nathan Gunn.

Upcoming performances of the opera, include performances the Fort Worth Opera Festival from April 19 to May 2, 2014 starring Lee Poulis as Zurga and Sean Panikkar (of Forte fame) as Nadir. As an added bonus, barihunk Justin Hopkins has been cast as Nourabad. The production will be directed by the exciting and talented John de los Santos. 

A concert performance in Nantes, France will feature two barihunks familiar to readers of the site, Etienne Dupuis as Zurga and Nicolas Courjal as Nourabad.

Philip Cutlip to Star in Bernstein Cabaret

Philip Cutlip

Barihunk Philip Cutlip is starring in "We are Women: A Bernstein Cabaret," a tribute to the music of Leonard Bernstein devised by the composer's daughter Jamie Bernstein.  The show was built around many of Bernstein’s songs for or about women and is the story of a mother and daughter who navigate the tricky terrain of their love lives, and, along the way, learn to accept themselves and delight in the love of others.

The show includes tunes from his hits On the Town, Candide and West Side Story, with music direction by Michael Barrett of Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts. Featured songs include “We Are Women” from Candide, “Tonight” from West Side Story, “Who Am I” from Peter Pan, “Conversation Piece” from Wonderful Town, “The Winner” from Trouble in Tahiti and “I Can Cook Too” from On the Town.

Joining Philip Cutlip will be tenor Jeffrey Picon, soprano Elizabeth Shammash and soprano Lauren Worsham. Jamie Bernstein will narrate.

The show will run from August 9-12 at the Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling 413-997-4444. 

Rocky Mountain High: 3 Barihunks in Crested Butte

Marcell Bakonyi

Yesterday we featured barihunks out in the English countryside, so it's only appropriate that we head up into the Colorado Rockies today. In beautiful Crested Butte, Colorado a trio of barihunks is also taking up Mozart. At the Crested Butte Music Festival, Philip Cutlip (Papageno), Keith Miller (Sarastro) and Marcell Bakonyi (Speaker) are performing the Magic Flute at the famed ski resort.

Keith Miller & Philip Cutlip

We've featured Cutlip and Miller extensively on this site in the past, but Bokonyi is a new singer for us. Bakonyi was born in 1980 in Győr, Hungary. He studied voice at the Leo-Weiner Conservatory of Music in Budapest, and later at the Hochschule für Musik, Stuttgart with Professor Julia Hamari where he also attended classes in Lieder singing. Since 2009 he has been a member of the ensemble of the Landestheater Salzburg where he sang the roles of Bartolo and Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro, as well as Kaspar in Der Freischütz, Angelotti in Tosca and Bacco in Arianna, Dulcamara in L'elisir d'amore and Leporello in Don Giovanni.

Crested Butte is best known for their international film festival, skiing and as the birthplace of mountain biking. The Music Festival presents diverse array of music, dance and opera. This year's lineup includes Broadway tunes, bluegrass, jazz, sacred, chamber, symphonic and operatic fare. There is also a young artist training program headed by tenor Marcello Giordano. The Magic Flute will run from July 25-29. Visit their website for additional information.

In a sign that barihunks are being viewed as sex symbols more widely, Keith Miller was asked to model for this Suburu ad and we think he looks pretty hot.

 

CONTACT US AT Barihunks@gmail.com

Philip Cutlip Returns to Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra

Philip Cutlip

San Francisco Bay area residents are in for a treat as the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra is once again teaming up barihunk Philip Cutlip with early music conductor extraordinaire Nicholas McGegan.  The two have performed together in highly acclaimed performances of Haydn's The Creation, Handel's Messiah, Handel's Atalanta and Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. Anyone who has heard these two perform together knows it's always a special evening of music making. Cutlip and McGegan are now teaming up for Handel's Alexander Feast with a cast that includes soprano Dominique Labelle and tenor Dann Coakwell. Visit the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra website for additional information.

William Berger sings "Revenge, Timotheus cries" from Alexander's Feast:

Cutlip has been a regular on this site  in repertoire ranging from the Handel, Mozart and Donizetti to Britten, Heggie and Philip Glass. We're eagerly looking forward to his Eugene Onegin with the Edmonton Opera in May 2013. His recording of Joseph De Rocher in Heggie's Dead Man Walking will be released on Virgin Classics on April 24th.

Philip Cutlip as Joseph De Rocher

Frequently heard in performances with New York Festival of Song, Cutlip gave the world premiere of American Love Songs - a set of 10 commissioned pieces for vocal quartet - at the Tisch Center for the Arts and at the 92nd Street Y; appeared in a program of commissioned works at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall; and also toured with NYFOS to Louisville for Rorem's Evidence of Things Not Seen.

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Dead Man Walking Closes in Tulsa, Opens in Dresden

Michael Mayes (L) & John Packard (R) as Joseph de Rocher

Michael Mayes created quite a stir when we posted pictures of him on Barihunks as Joseph de Rocher in the Tulsa Opera production of Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking. We followed it up with a post about his dramatic weight loss and workout routine that got him his "prison gym" body, which also generated intense interest. Mayes received rave reviews for his intense performance and became the talk of the opera world overnight even though he was performing in a city that is hardly considered an opera capital of the world. Such is the power of the internet.

Philip Cutlip (top) and Daniel Okulitch (bottom)

Heggie's opera has quickly become a mainstay of the operatic standard repertory, something that rarely happens this soon after a work's debut. The opera premiered at the San Francisco Opera in 2000 with an all-star cast led by John Packard as Joseph de Rocher, Frederick von Stade an his mother, Susan Graham as Sister Helen Prejean and Jay Hunter Morris as Father Grenville.

Mel Ulrich (L) & Teddy Tahu Rhodes (R)

Some of the hottest barihunks in the world have taken on the role of Joseph de Rocher including Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Mel Ulrich, Daniel Okulitch, Jordan Shanahan, Marcus DeLoach and Philip Cutlip.

Here is a promo piece from the Dresden Opera in German:

Dead Man Walking - Semperoper Dresden from Theater-TV on Vimeo.

Just over 5,000 miles from Tulsa, as the curtain comes down on the final performance of Dead Man Walking, another production is running at the Semperoper in Dresden with John Packard returning as the convicted killer. Remaining performance are on March 4, 9, 18 and 23 with Antigone Papoulkas as Sister Helen Prejean. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online. 

In related casting news about barihunks who played Joseph de Rocher, read our recent post about Daniel Okulitch, who is reprising Willy Wonka in Atlanta, a role that he created. Philip Cutlip opens two weeks from today as Guglielmo in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte at New York City Opera in a cast that includes fellow barihunk Rod Gilfry. Michael Mayes heads to the Ft. Worth Opera Festival to perform in Mark Adamo's Lysistrata, Jordan Shanahan will be performing in La boheme with the Green Mountain Cultural Festival, Marcus DeLoach will be performing in Of Mice and Men with the Utah Opera and Teddy Tahu Rhodes will be taking his famous Don Giovanni to Bordeaux opposite the Leporello of fellow barihunk Kostas Smoriginas

And we leave you with Jordan Shanahan:

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Happy Birthday, Philip Glass; Matthew Worth Excels in Glass' Orphee at Virginia Opera

Philip Glass, Martina Arroyo, Joyce DiDonato and Gerald Finley at 2009 Opera News awards. [Photo by Dario Acost]

Was there any doubt that we'd be celebrating the 75th birthday today of the great American composer Philip Glass? We regularly feature his work on this site, including the recent production of "Les Enfants Terribles" with barihunk Timothy McDevitt and soprano Jessica Cates showing off their bodies after training at the gym for the ballet/opera; Barihunks Matthew Worth and Christopher Temporelli in Orphée at the Virginia Opera (more on that below); Lots of coverage of Hydrogen Jukebox at the Ft. Worth Opera including some great shirtless pictures of barihunks Dan Kempson and Justin Hopkins; Lots of video of his operas, including the ability to watch Kepler in its entirety with Austrian barihunk Martin Achrainer.

Profile (born Jan. 31, 1937, Baltimore, Md., U.S.) American composer of innovative instrumental, vocal, and operatic music.  Glass studied flute as a boy and enrolled at age 15 at the University of Chicago, where he studied mathematics and philosophy and graduated in 1956. 

Philip Glass is a prolific and widely-respected American composer of innovative,  vocal and operatic music. He work consistently uses repetitive structures and is often minimalistic. Glass studied math and philosophy before pursuing music at the Julliard School. His opera Satyagraha (1980) tells the story of Mahatma Gandhi's life. The Metropolitan Opera commissioned The Voyage in 1992.

Barihunk Philip Cutlip recorded Orphee

His interest in atonal music drew him on to study composition at the Juilliard School of Music (M.S., 1962) in New York City and then to Paris to study under Nadia Boulanger. His acquaintance there with the Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar decisively affected Glass's compositional style, and he temporarily jettisoned such traditional formal qualities as harmony, tempo, and melody in his music. Instead he began creating ensemble pieces in a monotonous and repetitive style; these works consisted of a series of syncopated rhythms ingeniously contracted or extended within a stable diatonic structure. Such minimalist music, played by a small ensemble using electronically amplified keyboard and wind instruments, earned Glass a small but enthusiastic following in New York City by the late 1960s.

Glass's opera Einstein on the Beach (1976), composed in collaboration with Robert Wilson, earned him broader acclaim; this work showed a renewed interest in classical Western harmonic elements, though his interest in startling rhythmic and melodic changes remained the work's most dramatic feature. Glass's opera Satyagraha (1980) was a more authentically “operatic” portrayal of incidents from the early life of Mohandas K. Gandhi. In this work, the dronelike repetition of symmetrical sequences of chords attained a haunting and hypnotic power well attuned to the religio-spiritual themes of the libretto, adapted from the Hindu scripture the Bhagavadgt. The opera The Voyage (1992) had mixed reviews, but the fact that it had been commissioned by the New York Metropolitan Opera (to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival in the Americas) confirmed Glass's growing acceptance by the classical-music establishment.

[Excerpted from  © Encyclopædia Britannica]

Matthew Worth (L) as Orphée at Virginia Opera; Jeffrey Lentz (R) as Heurtebise (Preston Gannaway,The Virginian-Pilot)

One of the best Glass productions that is currently running is Orphée at the Virginia Opera with American barihunks Matthew Worth and Christopher Temporelli (and the very adorable tenor Jonathan Blalock, who also appeared in the aforementioned Hydrogen Jukebox). Here is what the Virginian-Pilot had to say:

The large cast had no weaknesses. First among equals was Matthew Worth as Orphée, using a powerful and rich baritone to great effect as the tormented poet who struggles to find meaning in his life and art. His performance conveyed both the strengths and weaknesses of the character, and did so in a sympathetic manner that carried the audience along on Orphée’s journey.

Remaining Norfolk performances are 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, 8 p.m. Friday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. 623-1223 or 866-673-7282; www.vaopera.org

CONTACT US AT Barihunks@gmail.com

Philip Cutlip: Singer with a dancer's body

If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area and are looking for something to do this weekend, look no further than Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley. One of America's greatest dance companies is teaming up with one America's great orchestras in performing Purcell's "Dido & Aeneas." To top it off, they've brought in a barihunk who is as sexy as the dancers.

The Mark Morris Dance Company and the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra with soloists Philip Cutlip and Stephanie Blythe will be performing the baroque masterpiece on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Morris, who danced the role in until 2000, will move to the conductor's podium for this performance. For dance enthusiasts, you'll be curious to note that Morris has switched up his traditional casting for this performance. Amber Star Merkens will take on the role of Dido with Domingo Estrada Jr.'s performing Aeneas. Previously, the role of Dido/Sorceress was performing by a male lead. Visit the Cal Performances website for additional cast and performance information.

Here is a clip from when Mark Morris was still performing Dido & Aeneas:



Anyone who has not experienced the intuitive magic between these two companies is in for a treat. Barihunk Philip Cutlip is a regular with the orchestra and has provided some of the most thrilling baritone solos in the orchestras history. The two organizations have also collaborated on Handel's "L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, " Henry Purcell’s "King Arthur" and Jean-Philippe Rameau’s ballet-opera "Platée."

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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!

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A "Rape of Lucretia" Photo Tribute

Heather Jewson & David Krohn in Aspen

Perhaps only Mozart's "Don Giovanni" has provided more material for Barihunks than Benjamin Britten's "Rape of Lucretia." The opera contains three roles that are often cast with barihunks - Junius, Collatinus and Tarquinius. Because the opera revolves around young soldiers it is usually cast with young, buff singers. Rather than bore readers with a lot of text, here is a photo tribute to one of the sexiest operas in the repertory.

Nathan Gunn in Vienna

Dan Kempson in Pittsburgh

The Rape of Lucretia revolves around a bet made between three Roman officers, Collatinus, Junius, and Prince Tarquinius, while they are at war with Greece. The three men bet on which of their wives will be faithful. As it turns out, only Lucretia, the wife of Collatinus remains true to her man. In a jealous rage, Prince Tarquinius rides back to Rome and rapes Lucretia. Overcome by shame, Lucretia commits suicide.

Robyn Rocklein & Seth Kershinik at Arizona Opera Theater

Benjamin Britten (November 22, 1913 – December 4, 1976) composed The Rape of Lucretia, a two-act English tragic drama based on the play "Le Viol de Lucrèce" by André Obey. The opera was premiered at Glyndebourne on July 12, 1946. The setting is in Rome in 500 BC.

 

Phillip Addis in Victoria; Colin Clarke at ENO

Grant Doyle at ROH; Kiera Duffy & Philip Cutlip in Toledo

Christopher Maltman sings "Within this frail crucible of light," where Tarquinius pauses to collect his courage before doing the dreadful deed.

Matt Worth in Berkeley

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Erik Anstine Featured on Seattle Opera Blog

Barihunks in disguise: Anstine and Cutlip (Photo by Rozarii Lynch)

We recently introduced Erik Anstine to readers and we suspect that he has a big career ahead of him. He is currently one of the priests in the Seattle Opera's "Magic Flute," which includes the Papageno of barihunk Philip Cutlip and the Sarastro of barihunk and ex-football player Keith Miller. The second cast also includes British barihunk Leigh Melrose as Papageno, a singer who we blogged about last year and who should be better known on this side of The Pond. Cheers to the Seattle Opera for showcasing him to U.S. audiences. The always entertaining Seattle Opera blog has a profile of Anstine and tenor Eric Neuville, which you can read HERE.

Seattle Young Artist member Erik Anstine

Tickets remain for the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday performances. The costumes for this productions are by the internationally renowned fashion designer Zandra Rhodes and are not to be missed! You can click HERE for ticket and performance information.

Philip Cutlip (Top) and Keith Miller (Bottom)

Here is a sampling of Anstine singing Mozart's "Ha! Wie will ich triumphieren" from Die Entführung aus dem Serail.



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Rave Reviews for "Dead Man Walking"

Philip Cutlip in Dead Man Walking

With and all-star cast and the composer and librettist in the audience, the Houston Grand Opera scored an artistic triumph with their production of Jake Heggie's "Dead Man Walking."

The Houston Chronicle wrote:

Cutlip's De Rocher is, as he must be, a major source of the darkness. He sings with tough force and acts the hardened killer with the right scary edge and jeering arrogance. Then as Sister Helen gradually begins to reach him, he lets us see glimmers of humanity, his fear, his shame. Cutlip makes the transition very convincing, from his initial wariness, to the pained confession of his guilt to Sister Helen, and finally to their bond of forgiveness and support as he prepares to die.

Read the entire review at the Houston Chronicle website.

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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.”

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Philip Cutlip in Messiah

Philip Cutlip in Rape of Lucretia

Barihunk Philip Cutlip who recently scored a huge success with a 21st century masterpiece, Philip Glass' "Orphee," is going back three centuries in time and performing Handel's Messiah with the Minnesota Orchestra. Performances begin on Wednesday, December 8, with additional performances on December 9, 10 and 11. Cutlip will be joined by soprano Klara Ek, countertenor Brian Asawa and tenor Thomas Cooley.

Click HERE for tickets and additional concert information.

Send your Messiah listing to Barihunks@gmail.com

Cutlip Talks About Enrico

The Seattle Opera Blog has an interview with barihunk Philip Cutlip, who is singing Enrico in their production of Lucia di Lammermoor. You can read the entire interview HERE. Performances run from October 16-30 with alternating casts.

Visit the Seattle Opera website for ticket and cast information.

Contact us at Barihunks@gmail.com



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Philip Cutlip in new Philip Glass Recording

Philip Glass continues to gain a presence on Barihunks, most recently for the performances of Kepler with Martin Achrainer at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Previously, we posted about Philip Cutlip performing in Glass' Orphée in Portland.

Now Orphée is back in the news, as the Orange Mountain Music label has announced that they are releasing a recording of the Portland Opera Company production, which featured Cutlip. Orphée (1993) was the first of a trilogy of operas that Glass composed on subjects by Jean Cocteau, which also comprises La Belle et la Bête (1994) and Les Enfants Terribles (1996). Orphée was made from a series of live performances that took place between November 6-14, 2009 at Portland Opera. The recording includes a full libretto in French and English, color production photos and cast and performer biographies.


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More Beefcake From "Rape of Lucretia"

[Kiera Duffy and Philip Cutlip]


[Kiera Duffy and Lee Gregory]


Benjamin Britten's operas are the gift that keeps on giving for this site. One opera that we always keep an eye out for is "Rape of Lucretia," which is usually cast with at least one shirtless hunk in the cast.

Fortunately for Barihunks readers, the delightful and talented soprano Kiera Duffy has posted some pictures from the recent production of Toledo Opera's "Rape of Lucretia." The opera featured two of the hottest barihunks around, Lee Gregory and Philip Cutlip.

The Toledo Blade wrote of Cutlip:

"As the bad boy Etruscan prince, Tarquinius, Philip Cutlip is menacing and macho."

Read the entire review HERE.

By the way Duffy is featured in the film The Audition, an amazing movie about the Metropolitan Opera auditions. The movie also featured barihunks Christopher Bolduc and Ryan McKinny.

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