Barihunks join in countertenor hunkiness in Pinchgut's Giasone (broadcast tonight)

David Greco as Oreste, David Hansen as Giasone & Nick Dinopoulos as Ercole (Photo: Keith Saunders)

Perhaps the sexiest opera performance in the world right now is the Australian premiere of Cavalli's 17th century classic Giasone at Pinchgut Opera. We posted this sexy promo video on our Facebook page last week featuring countertenor David Hansen, but we've been waiting for some barihunk photos. Although David Hansen is the center of the opera and the brilliant marketing campaign, the opera also features David Greco as Oreste and Nick Dinopoulos as Ercole, the latter who has appeared on this site before.

The sexy Argonauts and Alexandra Oomens as Alinda (Photo: Keith Saunders)

The updated production has created quite a buzz, as Hansen performs naked onstage, singing the post-coital aria "Delizie e contenti" in the bathtub. The opera was also cut from its 4-hour length to about 2 1/2 hours. Dinopoulos plays the Leporello-esque role of attendant to Giasone.

The opera will be broadcast tonight at 7 PM Australian time (3 AM EST/Midnight PST) on ABC Classic FM. There are two performance left, on December 8 & 9 at City Recital Hall in Sydney.

Pinchgut has a great history of producing sexy versions of updated operas. Readers may recall barihunk Hadleigh Adams' performance as Pollux with the company in Rameau's Castor & Pollux.

Jesse Blumberg in English language "The Return of Ulysses"

Jesse Blumberg and Hai-Ting Chinn (Is it just us, or is this one of the sexiest pictures of Jesse Blumberg ever?)

Opera Omnia is presenting their third opera,  Claudio Monteverdi’s The Return of Ulysses. As with all their operas, it will be performed in an English translation. The cast features barihunk Jesse Blumberg and mezzo-soprano Hai-Ting Chinn in the leading roles, with accompaniment by a period-instrument ensemble led by music director Avi Stein.

Opera Omnia, which was founded in 2008, concentrates on musical-dramatic works of the 17th century, performing them in English translations with modern stagings. Their mission is to expose new audiences to early opera masterworks. They have previously performed Monteverdi’s The Coronation of Poppea and Cavalli’s Giasone in English translations at Le Poisson Rouge. The Return of Ulysses will be performed at the Baryshnikov Arts Center’s Howard Gilman Performance Space with staging by Crystal Manich.

Jesse Blumberg & Laura Heimes perform Handel's Apollo & Dafne

Monteverdi's The Return of Ulysses is the story of Ulysses’s return to Ithaca and reunion with his wife Penelope, who has remained faithful during his long absence. Also in the cast are Tammy Coil as Minerva, Joseph Gaines as Iro, Karim Sulayman as Eumete , Owen McIntosh as Telemachus, Joe Chappell as Neptune, Nicholas Tamagna as Peisander Richard Lippold as Antinous and Elaine Lachica as Love.

Performances run from September 10-12 and tickets are priced at the ridiculously low cost of $20.00 each. Go online and reserve your tickets today! You won't want to miss this.