Barihunk turned pop singer to represent Macedonia in Eurovision Song Contest

Vasil Garvanliev in the 2014 Barihunks calendar

Macedonian barihunk, turned hunkentenor, turned pop singer Vasil Garvanliev is representing his native country in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam. Readers may remember him as one of our models in the 2014 Barihunks Calendar!

Garvanliev and his family moved to the United States when he was a child where he sang in the Chicago’s Children Choir. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto and the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music. He was a member of Calgary’s Opera Emerging Young Artist Program, Glimmerglass Young Artists Program and a member of Opera Atelier, as well as part of the Toronto Summer Music Festival & Academy. He was a winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions – Illinois District in 2014-15.

He performed over 50 operatic roles before switching to a pop career. As a pop singer, he has released the singles Gjerdan, Patuvam and Mojata Ulica.

In the Eurovision competition he'll be singing You, composed by his friend Nevena Neskoska, a Macedonian born composer who studied songwriting at the Berklee College of Music.

Tickets will go on sale March 26 for performances which run from May 11-16.

Macedoonia has participated in the Eurovision competition times, but has never placed higher than 7th place when Tamara Todevska performed Proud last year.

Two Barihunks advance to Final 6 at Montreal Competition

Takaoki Onishi and Vasil Garvanliev

Barihunks Takaoki Onishi from Japan and Vasil Garvanliev from Macedonia have advanced to the Final 6 at the Montreal International Musical Competition, which began on May 25. The competition started with 24 singers from nine countries and was pared down to six after recitals this weekend from the Final 12.

Joining them for the next round are France Bellemare, Anaïs Constans, Keonwoo Kim and Hyesang Park.

You can watch the final round on Tuesday, June 2, and Wednesday, June 3, at 7:30 p.m. EST online.   If you can't watch live, the video will be available online for three months after the competition.

The singers are performing for $80,000 in prize money, including, $30,000 for 1st Prize, $15,000 for 2nd Prize, $10,000 for 3rd Prize, $5,000 for best French Art Song, $5,000 for best Canadian Artist, $5,000 for best artist from Quebec and a $5,000 People's Choice award.  The three top prize-winners will perform with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal at a Gala concert on June 5. 

Three barihunks advance to semi-finals in Montreal Competition

Vasil Garvaliev backstage and onstage at the Montreal Competition (Photos: CBC Music)

Barihunks Byeong-Min Gil from South Korea, Takaoki Onishi from Japan and Vasil Garvanliev from Macedonia are among the 12 finalists in the Montreal International Musical Competition, which began on May 25. The competition started with 24 singers from nine countries and will be reduced to 6 after each of the singers performs a recital this weekend.

The singers are performing for $80,000 in prize money, including, $30,000 for 1st Prize, $15,000 for 2nd Prize, $10,000 for 3rd Prize, $5,000 for best French Art Song, $5,000 for best Canadian Artist, $5,000 for best artist from Quebec and a $5,000 People's Choice award.  The three top prize-winners will perform with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal at a Gala concert on June 5.

Takaoki Onishi and Byeong-Min Gil at the Montreal Competition (Photos: CBC Music)

Byeong-Min Gil is currently studying with Attila Jun at the College of Music at Seoul National University. He took the top honors at the 2014 Busan Ilbo Voice Competition in and 3rd Prize at the Schubert Lied Competition.

Takaoki Onishi is currently completing his Graduate Diploma at Juilliard School. This season, he joins the Ryan Center of Lyric Opera of Chicago. He won the top prizes at the Gerda Lissner International Vocal Competition, Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation International Competition and the Opera Index Inc. Competition.

Vasil Garvanliev, who has appeared frequently on this site and in our calendar, is a graduate of the University of Toronto and the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music. He was a member of Calgary’s Opera Emerging Young Artist Program and a member of Opera Atelier, and took part in the Toronto Summer Music Festival & Academy. He was a winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions – Illinois District in 2014-15.

You can watch the competition online.  Gil and Onishi performed yesterday, but you can watch Garvanliev today at 7:30 EST/4:30 PST. The video will be available for three months.

Other semi-finalists include Claire De Sévigné, Yauci Yanes Ortega, Anaïs Constans, Keonwoo Kim, Owen McCsusland, Hyekyung Choi, Min Gue Cho, France Bellemare, Hyesang Park.

Properly introducing Brian Mextorf; Competing in Met SE Regional Finals

Brian Mextorf

We briefly introduced Brian Mextorf back in September 2013, when he was workshopping composer Clint Borzoni's Antinuous and Hadrian with Operamission in New York City. He recently was named a winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (North Carolina District), so we thought this was a good time to properly reintroduce him to readers.

Mextrof hails from Williamsport, Pennsylvania and studied music at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music (B.M.) and the Westminster Choir College (M.M.). This season he'll be an Emerging Artist with Virginia Opera for the 2014-15 season. In 2012, he was a member of the Gerdine Young Artist with the Opera Theatre of St. Louis where he performed three roles in the North American premiere of Unsuk Chin’s Alice in Wonderland.

A favorite of Operamission, in addition to Borzoni's work, he has appeared as Lesbo in their production of Handel’s Agrippina and Edward Ficklin’s Flash of Recognition. He sang Judas in the Philadelphia Orchestra's performance of Bach's St. Matthew Passion under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Séguin in a cast that included fellow barihunks Luca Pisaroni and Andrew Foster-Williams.

Christian Zaremba and Alexander Elliott to compete in Met Semi-Finals

He will also be making his debut at Opera Saratoga as Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas. His Dido will be Jennifer Johnson Cano and the performance will be led by the brilliant conductor Nicole Paiement. Performances run from July 6-21 and tickets are available online.

Mextorft will compete in the Metropolitan Opera's Southeast Regional Finals on February 15, 2015. We'll be watching those closely, as a number of other singers who have appeared on this site will be competing in the regionals, including Vasil Garvanliev, Robert Balonek, Ricardo Rivera, Cairan Ryan, Alexander Elliott, Colin Ramsey, Steven Eddy, Christian Zaremba, Andrew Lovato and Chris Carr.       

Also competing are a number of singers who we've not featured yet, but will profile this week. They include Jonathan Harris, Phillip Gay, Andrew Bogard, Zachary Read, Brian Vu, Ben Taylor, Nathan Milholin, Christopher Besch and Christian Pursell.    

Calgary Opera highlights barihunk Vasil Garvanliev

 THE FOLLOWING WAS POSTED BY THE CALGARY OPERA:

Vasil Garvanliev

Ladies and gentlemen, we don’t want to alarm you, but we have some deliciously shocking news from the cast of Silent Night. You might not be aware, but there is famous BARIHUNK amongst our cast! Vasil Garvanliev is known for many notable attributes, he was a child star in his home country, Macedonia, a talented opera baritone and a hunk-tastic image that is easy on the eyes who has attracted the attention of opera fans far and wide since a risqué photo was captured with Opera Atelier in 2012.

Vasil Garvanliev

When first confronted with his Barihunk status, Vasil said he was confused and flattered. “A picture of me during my performance where I was topless all of a sudden was posted online and boom! It went everywhere, I was shocked and flattered.”

We spoke with Vasil about the reactions his fellow cast members have, and true to form, the rehearsal hall mirrors the locker room, with a lot of poking fun.

“People make fun of me, they yell 'Take your shirt off!' It’s just a joke. I’m the young guy on stage with this group of baritones, so that’s my role.”

Vasil Garvanliev

What can Barihunk fans look forward to most about Vasil’s character in Silent Night? “I’m the comic relief that is also going to break your heart in this story.” Vasil said. “This is my third time performing in Calgary. I consider this city home as I studied with Calgary Opera’s Emerging Artist Program here. I always love coming back and performing for the Calgary audience.”

Look for Vasil as a hunky French man in uniform in the upcoming Canadian Premiere of Silent Night. Tickets are available Nov. 8, 12 & 14 by going online at www.calgaryopera.com or calling the box office at 403.262.7286
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Daniel Okulitch as Lt. Horstmayer

We should also mention that the opera features another popular barihunk, Daniel Okulitch, who portrays Lt. Horstmayer. 
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Don't forget to order your 2015 Barihunks Charity Calendar now that our link is working! Click HERE to order now.


 

Barihunk Quartet in Opera Atelier's Persée

Olivier Laquerre (Méduse) left, Vasil Garvanliev (Phinèe) center, and Curtis Sullivan (Cyclope) 2nd from right Photos on left and right by Bruce Zinger

 

Opera Atelier has revived their critically acclaimed production of Lully’s Persée with four barihunks in the cast: Olivier Laquerre as Méduse, Vasil Garvanliev as Phinèe, Stephen Hegedus as Protenor/Divinite Infernale and Curtis Sullivan as Cyclope.

The company first staged the production in 2000, which was the opera's first fully staged production since it inaugurated the Royal Opera House at Versailles in 1770 during the wedding celebrations of the future King Louis XVI to Marie Antoinette. Their 2004 revival of Persée was the subject of a documentary.

Stephen Hegedus (right)

The Royal Opera House has invited Opera Atelier to bring Persée back to Versailles for the first time  since the 1770 performances. It will be performed on May 23, 24, and 25 after the current run at the Elgin Theatre in Toronto. There are performances tonight, as well as May 2 and 3.

You can also catch Stephen Hegedus performing Bach’s Magnificat and Bruckner’s Te Deum with l’Orchestre symphonique de Québec on May 28.

Bevy of baritones in Met Auditions in New York

Pnini Grubner and the bass & baritones from the Met Opera Eastern Regional

If you want to hear lots of great low male voices, you'll want to attend the upcoming Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in the Eastern Region on Tuesday, November 19th and Wednesday, November 20th. The group includes at least three singers who have appeared on this site, Jorell Williams, Vasil Garvanliev and Michael Adams. The latter two have also appeared in our Barihunks Charity Calendar.

The competition will be at Merkin Hall from 10 AM - 3.30 PM on Tuesday and from 10 AM - 6 PM on Wednesday. The final concert will be held on January 16th at Merkin Hall. Audience members are welcome to come and go as they please. A $20 donation is suggested for admission. All the money raised is used to provide cash prizes to our winners which they can use to further their careers. You can sign up ONLINE for any or all of the three concerts.

Judges will be Gayletha Nichols, Roger Malouf and Bill Powers.

One of the participants who is new to us is Israeli bass-barihunk Pnini Grubner. The 28-year-old will be performing "Vecchia zimarra senti" from Puccini's La bohème. "Quand la flamme de l'amour " from Bizet's La Jolie Fille De Perth, "Épouse quelque brave fille" from Massenet's Manon, Aleko’s Aria ("Ves tabor spit) by Rachmaninov and "Non più andrai" from Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro.

23-year-old Michael Adams, who was a hit in our 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar is considered by many to be one of the favorites in this competition. The Texas native will be performing  "Avant De Quitter Ces Lieux" from Gounod's Faust, excerpts from Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, "Come Paride vezzoso" from Donizetti's L’elisir D’amore, Onegin's Arioso ("Uzhel Ta Samaja Tatiana") from Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin and "Rivolgete a Lui lo Sguardo" from Mozart's Così fan tutte.

Jorell Williams at the 2011 Lotte Lenya Competition:

Winners of the District auditions advance to their Region Finals where they compete to win a trip to New York to participate in the National Semi-Finals, a competition held on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera. Approximately ten of the Semi-Finalists are selected as National Finalists and compete the following Sunday in a public concert, the Grand Finals Concert, accompanied by the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. The jury awards approximately five Grand Winner awards of $15,000 each. The concert is broadcast nationwide on the Metropolitan Opera Radio Network. The remaining National Finalists receive $5,000 each, and those singers who were National Semi-Finalists but did not advance to the National Finals will be given $1,500 to further their studies.

Many of the world’s foremost singers, among them Renée Fleming, Susan Graham, Thomas Hampson, Ben Heppner, Jessye Norman, Samuel Ramey, Frederica von Stade, Deborah Voigt and Dolora Zajick have received awards from the National Council.

Vasil Garvanliev

 You can enjoy barihunk Vasil Garvanliev all year in our new 2014 Barihunks Charity Calendar. Remember that all proceeds go to young artists. We've already given out our first grant and are eager to raise money to help more of the singers who will keep opera alive and thriving for the next generation. Click HERE to order you calendar today.

Curtis Sullivan's sexy Pasha Selim at Opera Atelier

Curtis Sullivan Photo: Bruce Zinger

Photo: Bruce Zinger

Photo: Bruce Zinger

Curtis Sullivan Photo: Bruce Zinger

Opera Atelier, who we feel produces some of the most visually stunning opera in the world, is at it again with their revival of Mozart's Abduction from the Seraglio. The production stars barihunk Curtis Sullivan, who is a regular with the company and appeared in the original production.

We don't know about you, but if the Pasha Selim looked like Curtis Sullivan, we're not sure why Konstanze would want to be rescued. We also may have run off with the Pedrillo, who in this production is Adam Fisher, who we must confess could distract us from the low voices.

The opera also featurees Lawrence Wiliford as Belmonte, Ambur Braid as Konstanze, Carla Huhtanen as Blonde, hunkentenor Adam Fisher as Pedrillo and Gustav Andreassen as Osmin. Also featured are the Atelier Ballet and the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra under the baton of David Fallis. There are three performances remaining on October 30 and November 1 and 2.

Vasil Garvanliev

Also appearing with Opera Atelier this season will be Vasil Garvanliev, who appears as our September feature in the 2014 Barihunks Charity Calendar. He'll be performing Divinité Infernale in Lully’s Persée, which will run from April 26 – May 3, 2014. You can order your calendar and help out young artists by clicking HERE. If you have suggestions for who should receive a charity donation post it on our Facebook timeline or Tweet #Barihunks2014. We will announce our first grantee later this week.

Barihunks in the mainstream press talk about fitness

Vasil Garvanliev

The term "barihunks" seems to have entered the mainstream vocabulary and our wish is that it finally makes it into the Oxford Old English Dictionary (OED) this year. That's when we'll know the term is here to stay. One thing we know for sure is that you can't walk into a theater without hearing the term thrown around. We recently received a call from a singer while he was getting his makeup done backstage and he had to let me know that the entire crew was talking about his recent appearance on the site.

Yesterday, the Toronto Star ran a piece about singers working out and how the introduction of HD videos and rising physical acting demands from director are forcing singers to work on both their voices and their bodies. A soprano whose boyfriend has appeared on this site regularly told me, "Having a great body may not provide an edge to someone singing Norma or Brunnhilde, but is sure does for roles like Juliette, Mimi or Leïla."

Tenor Adam Fisher and Barihunk Vasil Garvaliev

The Star article focused a lot on tenor Adam Fisher, who is opening in Operetta Theatre’s La Vie Parisienne on Tuesday, and barihunk Vasil Garvanliev, a regular on this site and at Opera Atelier. In fact, our favorite quote came from Marshall Pynkoski, co-artistic director of Opera Atelier, who observed,  “It is muscular control, not weight, that supports strong singing...No one is at their best pulling 100 extra pounds."

You can read the entire article HERE. 

We also got a kick out of the recent headline in the Terra Haute Tribune-Star announcing "Barihunk Gunn to close out Hasfield Hall's series on May 2." Gunn has been one of an increasing army of singers who has touted the benefits of working out for having not only a successful career, but a long-lived career. Readers may remember the features that the Wall Street Journal's Health Section did on Nathan Gunn and on New Zealander Teddy Tahu Rhodes, another fitness buff and surfer.

He commented to the Terra Haute paper, "I think something like that is good for my business. It helps break down those old outmoded stereotypes about opera.”

Singers looking for a social network in their efforts to stay fit or get fit can join Operaticus on Facebook, which has the tagline, "Look as good as you sound." Singers share workout tips, post pictures and even encourage meetups to go work out. The group was founded by BariChunk turned BariHunk Michael Mayes whose transformation has launched his career and made him the definitive exponent of Joseph De Roucher in Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking, a role that requires the singer to do pushups while singing.

Fans of Michael Mayes can still catch his performances in Tom Cipullo's Glory Denied at the Fort Worth Opera. Performances run through May 11th and it's one of the hottest tickets of the summer.

Sexy Der Freischutz at Opera Atelier (yes, Der Freischutz!)

Vasil Garvanliev backstage

We've been touting Vasil Garvanliev as one of opera's sexiest up and coming stars for a few years now. He has landed the plum role of Kaspar in Opera Atelier's Der Freischutz, which is an underperformed work in North America. Make sure to check out our previous posts about this Garvanliev.

As with any Opera Atelier production, they have managed to create a sensuous production that manages to bring Weber's often stodgily performed piece to life. Robert Harris in the Toronto Globe & Mail wrote:

The most famous scene in Freischutz is the Wolf’s Glen scene, where Max receives his doomed, magic bullets, and it’s here that Atelier’s command of staging worked to full effect. The point of the Wolf’s Glen scene is to shock and amaze, and the sight of a dozen seemingly naked bodies, rushing across the stage, waving banners, writhing in torment, haunting Max (and us) certainly did the trick. But did so in a way that never overwhelmed the production, instead heightening its spooky, frightening ambiance.

Curtis Sullivan as Samiel

We received an email a month ago from a singer that said, "Wait until you see Curtis Sullivan's outfit in Freischutz. You and your readers will be quite pleased." Well, we just got the photos and we are indeed quite pleased. Robert Harris wrote:

Curtis Sullivan was a truly malevolent and frightening Samiel, the Devil figure in the piece, even though he performed his entire role seemingly in the nude.

Der Freischutz dancers

There are two performances of Der Freischutz left on November 2nd and 3rd. Visit their website for additional performance information or to purchase tickets. On April 6th, the company will reprise their much heralded production of The Magic Flute with two barihunks, Olivier Laquerre and João Fernandes, as well as one of the sexiest tenors that we've ever seen, Aaron Ferguson.

Hot tenor Aaron Ferguson

Don't forget to click on the link in our sidebar to the right and purchase your 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar. Once again, all proceeds will go to benefit young artists and young artist training programs. Last year, we donated to the Portland Opera Studio, Seagle Music Colony and bought music for six aspiring singers.

Tattoo Parlor Features Teddy Tahu Rhodes Pictures

We've been covering Teddy Tahu Rhodes' tattoos since 2008 and the three posts have all been very popular with our readers. So we were thrilled when we learned that Shane Tattoos in Melbourne is now featuring these amazing photos of the New Zealand barihunk on their homepage.

According to their website, they specialize in Maori, Ta Moko, Kirituhi, Polynesian and Japanese tattoo designs, as well as graphic body designs. They can be reached at shanetattos@gmail.com.

By the way, if you're in to opera singers with tattoos, make sure to check out our post about the extremely sexy Vasil Garvanliev. He's currently performing Kaspar in Opera Atelier's Der Freischutz.

Of course, we've been covering "Teddy Bare" a lot lately for his sizzling performance in South Pacific and his torrid and very public romance with co-star Lisa McCune. The production is currently in Melbourne and will open in Brisbane on December 27th. Tickets are available online.

Another sexy ad campaign and barihunk-laden season at Opera Atelier

Opera Atelier's laterst  marketing photo

A recent conversation with the head of an American opera company included a lot of questions about marketing. He was a little surprised with the response that no company matches the Canadian baroque specialists Opera Atelier when it comes to creativity, appealing to younger audiences and making opera seem accessible. After all, they've taken operas that are over 300 years old and made them downright sexy and appealing. Best of all, the same high standard that they use in their marketing campaigns translates to the stage, where they produce some of the most visually stunning performances to be seen anywhere.

When we preach about opera companies needing to compete with television and movies, without compromising standards, Opera Atelier is the model.

Making Der Freischütz sexy

The 27-year-old company has done it again for their latest season, which includes Mozart's The Magic Flute and Weber's Der Freischütz. We don't think that we have EVER seen a sexy marketing campaign for Weber's most performed opera before now. What's even more amazing is that four singers who have appeared on Barihunks are in the cast, including Olivier LaQuerre as Kuno, Mike Nyby as Killian/Prince Ottokar, Curtis Sullivan as Samiel and the deliciously sexy Vasil Garvanliev as Kaspar.

Performances of Der Freischütz run from October 27 through November 3.

Jack Rennie as Love with Peggy Kriha Dye as Armide and Curtis Sullivan as Hatred in The Glimmerglass Festival/Opera Atelier production of Armide. (Photo Karli Cadel/The Glimmerglass Festival)

Their other production is The Magic Flute, which is an opera that is more often featured on this site. Usually the opera is featured because it stars one of the many adorable Papagenos singing the role today. Opera Atelier features Olivier LaQuerre as the tallest Papageno you'll probably ever see at 6'9" (2.06 metres). His Freischütz castmate Curtis Sullivan reappears as the Speaker along with João Fernandes as Sarastro.

Vasil Garvanliev: The world's sexiest Kaspar?

The Magic Flute will run from April 6-13, 2013. Complete cast information and tickets are available at the Opera Atelier website.

CONTACT US AT Barihunks@gmail.com

Another Barihunk From Opera Atelier

João Fernandes

Few opera companies are better at Baroque opera or sexy opera than Opera Atlelier and they've done it again with Handel's "Acis and Galatea." A number of our favorite posts have come by way of this creative company, including those of Curtis Sullivan, Phillip Addis, Vasil Garvanliev and Olivier Laquerre. Now you can add João Fernandes as Polyphemus to the mix. Check out the guns on that man!


There are two performances of this production left and they are on Saturday, November 6 and Sunday, November 7. You can purchase tickets HERE.  Here is the trailer for the opera. You can hear Fernandes sing at the 1:40 mark:




Fernandes has made a career out of singing early Romantic and Baroque opera, including performances of Giove in La Calisto  at the Royal Opera House, Claudio in Handel's Agrippina at New York City Opera, Bellone in Rameau's Les Indes Galantes  at the Paris Opera) and Don Afonso in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte and Seneca in Monteverdi's L’incoronazione di Poppea at Lyon Opera).

Opera Atelier's Quartet of Barihunks

[Garvanliev, Laquerre, Sullivan and Addis & the Opera Atelier banner for Figaro]

Toronto's Opera Atelier is known for cutting edge baroque performances, sexy marketing and even sexier singers. The boutique opera company's latest offering is Mozart's "Marriage of Figaro" with four certifiable barihunks, Phillip Addis, Curtis Sullivan, Olivier Laquerre and Vasil Garvanliev. All of them have appeared on this site before except for the youngest of three, Garvanliev. The Macedonian singer now resides in Toronto where he is wrapping up his graduate studies at the University of Toronto.

Garvanliev has been a child star in native country since the age of seven singing pop songs. He was a finalist in the Macedonian Eurosong Festival with his own original composition in February 2007. Here is a video of him from Macedonian TV:



The "Marriage of Figaro will run from April 24-May 1. Visit the Opera Atelier's wonderful website for more information.

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