Introducing Photogenic Italian Bass-Barihunk Andrea Mastroni

Andrea Mastroni (photo: Nicodemo Luca Lucà)

We have a particular soft spot for basses in our pantheon of barihunks. When we saw pictures of Italian basso Andrea Mastroni by the great Milanese photographer Nicodemo Luca Lucà on Twitter we drawn to how seductive and sensuous he came across through the lens. 

Andrea Mastroni was born in Milan and originally studied the clarinet.  He then began studying voice with the great Italian soprano Lello Cuberli and Rita Antoniazzi. He graduated with honors from the Istituto Claudio Monteverdi in Cremona, while also obtaining a degree in Aesthetic Philosophy. In 2005, he won the Mario Basiola Prize and in 2007 took home both the Giuseppe Di Stefano Competition and the Bibiena Prize.

Andrea Mastroni

Andrea Mastroni

He is currently singing Colline in Puccini's La bohème at the Teatro La Fenice through May 30th. In July, he heads to Verona to tackle more Puccini when he sings Timur in Turandot at the famous arena. He then switches to Verdi, alternating the roles of the King and Rafis in Aida at the Arena di Verona. Last season, Mastroni's sinister and dark Sparafucile in Verdi's Rigoletto was a big hit singing opposite Leo Nucci and Aleksandra Kurzak.

Andrea Mastroni sings Pergolesi's "Quoniam tu solus sanctus": 

Mastroni has also focused on 19th century chamber music and lieder, performing such standards as Schubert's Die Schöne Müllerin and Winterreise, as well as Schumann's Dichterliebe. He can be heard on a number of recording and DVD's, including as Il Conte Vaudemont in Verdi's I Vespri Siciliani opposite Leo Nucci and Daniela Dessi, Oroe in Rossini's Semiramide and Frere Laurent in Gounod's Roméo et Juliette opposite Andrea Bocceli and Maite Alberola.

Hvorostovsky/Netrebko concert from Moscow's Red Square to be broadcast

When we posted about Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Anna Netrebko's upcoming concert in Moscow's  Red Square last month, we promised that we've have additional broadcast details upon availability. We have particularly good news for you if you're in Europe or Russia, but disappointing news for everyone else.

The June 19th concert will be broadcast live across Russia beginning at 20:30 Moscow time on Russian State TV's cultural channel - RUTV. Audiences in France and Germany can enjoy the performance two hours later on ARTE. Four days later on June 23, the concert will be shown during prime time by Germany's ZDF. SKY Arts will broadcast the performance in the United Kingdom in October 2013, with cinecast details to be announced at a later date. Release in the U.S. is still a possibility, so stay tuned.

Hvorostovsky and Netrebko will sing music from Puccini's Tosca, Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur, Giordano's Andrea Chenier, Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, Verdi's I vespri siciliani, Verdi's Rigoletto, Verdi's Don Carlo and Verdi's Il trovatore. The singers will be accompanied by conductor Constantine Orbelia and the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia.