Italian barihunk and calendar model Gianluca Margheri finally has a website, where you can follow his career. It's loaded with great pictures and video. The first that caught our eye is that he'll be taking on Don Giovanni at the Hungarian State Opera from March 20-26. It's a traditional performance of the opera, so expect another shirtless, sexy, testosterone fueled performance like the one from Zomeropera last year.
You can enjoy some excerpts from that performance below or on his YouTube site.
Next up is Rossini's Stabat Mater at Maggio Musicale Fiorentino on May 14th. He'll be joined by tenor Edgardo Rocha and mezzo-soprano Marina Comparato.
We're still baffled why no-one in the United States has engaged this amazing talent. Make sure to check out his website and follow him on Twitter @GianlucaMargher.
Christopher Maltman and Fernando Radó as Don Giovanni
If you can't catch Margheri there are plenty of other barihunk performances of Mozart's Don Giovanni. Christopher Maltman will take on the role Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City from March 17-29. Opéra de Monte-Carlo will feature Erwin Schrott as the Don and Fernando Javier Radó as Masetto with the amazing Sonya Yoncheva as Donna Elvira. The Metropolitan Opera has two remaining performances left with Peter Mattei, Luca Pisaroni and Adam Plachetka as the male leads.
There is a noticeable gap in Erwin Schrott's official schedule from the time that he wraps up Mefistofele in Monte Carlo in November until his January concert in Hannover, Germany with his wife Anna Netrebko.
We've learned that the favorite opera couple of the paparazzi are headed to Netrebko's native Russia for two concerts together. They will begin at the Grand Hall of Moscow Conservatory on December 24. They will Rossini’s Stabat Mater with the State Symphony Orchestra "New Russia" under the baton of Claudio Vandelli. On December 28th they will head over to the Svetlanov Hall at the Moscow International Music House and perform with the National Philarmonic of Russia under Vladimir Spivakov.
Since we just celebrated the anniversary of the first performance of "Porgy & Bess" here is Schrottko as an unlikey couple from the opera:
The couple then heads off for their concert in Hannover, with additional stops in Mannheim, Lucerne and Stuttgart. Schrott's next stage appearance will be as "Don Giovanni" at Covent Garden from February 16-29 with our favorite Leporello, Alex Esposito.