Richard Rittelman in West Coast premiere of Menotti rarity

Richard Alexandre Rittelmann

UPDATE: THIS OPERA HAS BEEN POSTPONED

Richard Rittelmann, who recently partook in our calendar shoot in France, will be appearing across the globe in the West Coast Premiere of Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Boy Who Grew Too Fast. Proceeds from  the opera will used to bring the anti-bullying message to the Marin County Schools. Performances with the Golden Gate Opera are on October 9 and 11 at the Marin Center’s Marin Showcase Theatre.

The story is about a nine-year-old boy who has just moved to town and is mocked by his classmates because of his immense size and his name, Poponel Skosvodomonit.  Miss Hope, his new teacher, tells the boy about a Dr. Schrink, who has invented a shrinking machine. The mother takes the boy to the doctor, who says he will be able to help Poponel reach a normal size but at a price – the boy must conform to everyone else’s actions. When Mad Dog, a terrorist, comes to the school and demands a hostage, only Poponel volunteers. His act makes him grow until he overwhelms the terrorist. 

We couldn't get the ticket link to work, but Golden Gate Opera can be reached at (415) 339-9546 or Info@goldengateopera.org. 

Richard Alexandre Rittlemann in finals of Armel Vocal Competition; Highlights overall talent

Richard Alexandre Rittlemann

Richard Alexandre Rittlemann, who was featured in this year's Barihunk's calendar, has advanced to the final round of the Armel Vocal Competition. The competition is unique, as it seeks not just the best voice, but the best all-around performer, placing major emphasis on acting and stage movement. The singers actually have to perform in an opera that is co-produced with an opera house. This year's partner company's include the English Touring Company, Szeged National Theatre in Hungary, Muziektheater Transparent in Belgium, Cluj-Napoca Hungarian Opera and Josef Kajetán Tyl Theater in the Czech Republic. The final judging in on June 5th.

Anyone who watched Rittelmann in the disturbing broadcast of Birdwhistle's Punch and Judy at Neue Oper Wien will know what a complete performer he is.

Richard Alexandre Rittelmann in Punch & Judy

Rittelmann has a busy summer ahead of him. From June 15-20, he takes on three roles in the premiere of Alberto Caruso's Il Piccolo Principe (The Little Prince) in Turin. The opera is set in an airport in a 1950s ghost town 'in a terminal without borders or fixed routes. The piece is built around the concept of ​​carrying suitcase, which becomes a metaphor for what people carry around each day: our dreams and aspirations, our regrets and mistakes, as well as our good intentions.

From July 7-11, he'll appear in a double-bill of Offenbach's one-act, Paris-based operettas Pomme d'Api and M. Choufleuri restera chez lui le... (Mr. Cauliflower will be at home on... ) with the Chamber Opera of Geneva. The pieces will be conducted by Franco Trinca and directed by Jean Pierre Rousseau.

On August 5th, he'll perform Escamillo opposite the Carmen of Sandrine Sutter  at the French Festival Nuits Lyriques de Château Thuerry. The following night he'll perform French arias with accompanist Francois Rene. Additional information is available online.

RIchard Rittelmann in Liszt rarity

Richard Alexandre Rittelmann as Escamillo and in the Barihunks Calendar

Richard Alexandre Rittelmann, who was one the winners of our Barihunks Charity Calendar photo contest, has some interesting concerts on the horizon.

On February 8th, he'll sing Ludwig, one of the main baritone parts in Franz Liszt's rarely performed Die Legende von der heiligen Elisabeth at the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos under Arturo Tamayo. Liszt wrote the score between 1857-62, using a libretto by Otto Roquette. The story depicts the life of Hungary's Saint Elizabeth and incorporates the Catholic plainchant used on her feast day, as well as Hungarian melodies. From the plainchant, Liszt extracted a short motive, which he used as a symbol of the cross. The piece is scored for plenty of low voices, including three baritones and two basses as well as a mezzo-soprano, soprano and a chorus.

A little side note of interest, Rittlemann is part Hungarian. Tickets are available online. 

Eva Marton sings the prayer from Die Legende von der heiligen Elisabeth:

On February 20th, he then returns to more standard fare when he performs the torreador Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen. He sings the role opposite the gypsy Karine Ohanyan on the French Riviera at the Palais de l'Europe in Menton.

From March 6-21 he sings Sergeant Sulpice in Donizetti's La figlia del reggimento at the Teatro Nuovo in Torino
.

Richard Alexandre Rittelmann wins Best Italian-Themed Photo Prize

Richard Alexandre Rittelmann

German-Hungarian barihunk Richard Alexandre Rittelmann has won our online contest for the Best Italian-Themed photo in our 2015 Barihunks Charity Calendar. He will be awarded $250 for his winning photo. Rittelmann's photo shows him posed as the popular fantasy of a shirtless pizza delivery guy holding his a box.

Rittelman just closed a four night run as the Mandarin in Puccini's Turandot at l’Opéra de Nice. He'll be flying back to San Francisco next month, where his photo shoot took place, and promises a "surprise" appearance, possibly with another barihunk.

You can order your Barihunks calendar by clicking on the LULU button below.

Pick our best Italian Themed Photo: $250 to winning barihunk

Now that we've wrapped up our Sexiest Photo Submission, which resulted in a virtual tie between Ernesto Petti and Kasey Yeargain, we've off to the best Italian Themed Photo.

Our calendar this year is titled "VIVA, ITALIA!" and we asked singers to submit photos that fit that theme. Our five judges couldn't narrow it down to just five singers, so we have six to choose from. We're also reducing the voting period from seven days to three days, so cast those votes. We'll also let you vote for multiple singers. The winning singer will receive $250 in prize money.

Here are the selections (and vote in the right sidebar, not in the comments section):

Donovan Singletary: Italian Ice Cream

David Adam Moore: Mozart's Guglielmo

Doug Carpenter: Italian Cooking

L'Oiseleur des Longchamps: Monteverdi's Orfeo

Richard Alexandre Rittlemann: Pizza Delivery

Xavier Rivera: Rossini's Barber

You can order your own calendar by clicking below. You'll enjoy 19 of opera's hottest men for the entire year.

Watch Richard Rittelmann live from Budapest

 

Richard Alexandre Rittelmann

Richard Alexandre Rittelmann, who will appear in this year's Viva, Italia! Barihunks Charity Calendar, is reprising his stunning performance in Harrison Birdwhistle's Punch & Judy at the Armel Opera Festival in Budapest.

This year's festival is alternating at three locations, with performances of Sándor Márai's Embers, Mozart's Mitridate, a comtemporary production of Beaumarchais' Figaro, and the one-act play Parody, the winner play of the first composer-competition of Armel Festival.

With Punch & Judy, Harrison Birtwistle and his librettist Stephen Pruslin created a stylized tragedy full of grotesque moments, the music of which is just as capable of portraying a monstrous being as it is of portraying love. Their work opens up a positively other-worldly realm, full of fairground illusions and insane twists.

Richard Alexandre Rittelmann

To this day, the opera has retained its polarizing effect. Just a few minutes into the action, Punch brutally murders his own child and Judy—and as the plot progresses, he ends up killing almost everyone else he encounters. Only Pretty Polly, whom he practically worships, is allowed by him to live. But eventually, Punch is overcome by horrible nightmares and the music begins to change in character.

The Festival runs until October 17th, which will culminate with an Awards Ceremony where the best production, best performer and the audience-awarded production will be announced. The winning opera will once again be staged at the opera festival in Avignon on June 3, 2015.

If you can't attend the Festival, you're in luck, as Punch & Judy will be streamed on the German-French cultural channel, Arte Concert on October 14 at 10 AM PST/1 PM EST/7 PM in Budapest. Click HERE to watch the broadcast. The site even has a convenient countdown clock, so you won't miss the show.

Richard Alexandre Rittelman in Carmina Burana at UNESCO site

Richard Alexandre Rittelmann

German-Hungarian barihunk Richard Alexandre Rittelmann, who is now based in France, recently completed a photo shoot for the 2015 Barihunks Charity Calendar, which is themed "Viva, Italia!" The above photo is just a headshot teaser for some amazingly hot pictures that will be featured in May of the new calendar.

On August 24, Richard Alexandre Rittelmann will be appearing in one of his signature role, the baritone part of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. This performance will be an adaptation for chamber music scored for two pianos, percussion, a 40-person chorus and soloists. During the performance, video images will be projected onto the walls. Tickets are available online.

This will be Rittelmann's sixth performance of the work, having performed in twice in Paris, with Michel Plasson in Nimes, under the baton of Bernard Tetu in Lyon and with Marco Guidarini in Nice.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Vauban's masterpiece, the Besançon Citadel, is considered to be one of the finest in France. The Citadel houses three award-winning museums behind its ramparts, the Museum of French Resistance and Deportation, the Franche-Comté Museum and the Natural History Museum.

Barihunks is currently taking new submissions for the 2015 Barihunks Charity Calendar. The calendar will feature Italian and Italian-American singers, as well as non-Italian singers in Italian themed photos. Submissions should be sent to Barihunks@gmail.com and must be received by September 21st. All proceeds will once again go to support young artists.