Emerging barihunk Xavier Edgardo; NPR examines the baritone voice; Verdi's Attila in Seattle

Puerto Rican barihunk Xavier Edgardo

We just had to share emerging barihunk Xavier Edgardo, who is simply adorable. The 22-year-old singer has been studying at the University of Puerto Rico, where he also sang in the choir. He honed his solo skills for two seasons at the International Vocal Arts Institute run by the esteemed Joan Dorneman, assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera.

Edgardo has participated in and won a number of vocal competitions, include many in Europe. In 2009, he was asked to participate in the prestigious Pablo Casals Festival. He has participated in masterclasses with a number of great singers, including fellow Puerto Rican Justino Diaz, Denis Sedov, Sherril Milnes, Mignon Dunn and Elaine Ortiz Arandes. He is currently a member of the Opera of Puerto Rico chorus. We plan of following the solo career of this young talent in future seasons.

Gerard Souzay: A Barihunks favorite

If you haven't heard Tom Huizenga's analysis and breakdown of the baritone voice, we recommend that you click HERE and listen to it. The article includes sound clips, including one of Gerard Souzay's beautiful rendition of Faure's "Clair de lune."

John Relyea reprising Attila in Seattle

We want to remind readers that Canadian barihunk John Relyea is returning to the Seattle Opera in the role of Attila on January 14th. This should be a huge hit and is a "must see" opera for any Verdi fan. Visit the Seattle Opera website for additional cast information and performance dates. Attila also contains two great baritone parts, including a baritone duet! We covered Relyea when he recently sang the role in a concert format this fall in Washington, D.C. Click HERE to see our previous post.

John Relyea sings Publio's "Tardi S'Avvede" from Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito:



Relyea’s previous Seattle Opera credits include the title roles in Don Quichotte and Bluebeard’s Castle, and Giorgio in I puritani. He won the 2005 Seattle Opera Artist of the Year award for his Four Villains in Les contes d’Hoffmann.

You can watch Attila in its entirety on YouTube by clicking HERE. The cast includes barihunk Samuel Ramey, Giorgio Zancanaro and soprano Cheryl Studer.

DON'T BE A SCROOGE. BUY YOUR 2012 BARIHUNKS CHARITY CALENDAR TODAY. ALL PROCEEDS GO TO BENEFIT THE PORTLAND OPERA STUDIO AND THE SEAGLE MUSIC COLONY. CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE YOU CALENDAR TODAY.

Desert Heat in Arizona: Kaduce & Gregory; Jonathan Beyer Broadcast Tonight

Lee Gregory & Kelly Kaduce Gregory

The "opera couple" phenomenon is getting increasingly popular, especially in Europe where photographers follow around Erwin Schrott and Anna Netrebko like the U.S. press follows around Paris Hilton. One of our favorite opera couples is barihunk Lee Gregory and his equally beautiful and glamorous wife Kelly Kaduce Gregory. Fans in the Great Southwest are in luck, as they are appearing together at the Arizona Opera on October 7 & 9 in Phoenix. Tickets and additional cast information can be found on the company's website.

Jonathan Beyer (photo by David Bachman)

If you're craving some great baritone singing today, check out Jonathan Beyer's recital Sibelius, Rimsky-Korsakov, Dvorak, and American songs, which we be broadcast live at WUOT radio in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you're a connoisseur of great singing  make sure to catch this broadcast tonight.

Beyer has taken the opera world by storm by winning opera competitions and delivering excellent recital programs. Check out his record of winning competitions.

• National Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Competition
• 1st Place Winner at the Marian Anderson Prize for Emerging Classical Artists
• Won the George London Foundation Competition
• Won the McCammon Competition
• Won the Sullivan Foundation Grant
• Won the Irma M. Cooper Competition
• Wont the Violetta DuPont Competition
• Won the Rochester's Classical Idol
• Won the New Jersey Verismo Competition
• Won the Philadelphia Orchestra's Greenfield Competition
• Won the Astral Artist Auditions
• Won the Pittsburgh Concert Society Auditions
• Won the SAI Competition
• Won the American Opera Society Competition
• Won the San Antonio Opera Competition
• Won the American Prize in Art Song and Opera
• Won the Union League Civic and Arts Foundation Competition
• Won the Bel Canto Foundation
• And he's received these additional awards: Gerda Lissner Foundation, Jensen Foundation, Solti Foundation, Charles Lynam Competition, Licia Albanese Puccini Foundation, National Opera Association, Anna Sosenko Foundation, George Solti Foundation, Mario Lanza Foundation, Dresden Opera Competition, NATS, Giulio Gari Foundation, Palm Beach Opera, Jose Iturbi Foundation, Shreveport Singer of the Year, Liederkranz, Orpheus Competition, the Loren L. Zachary, Irene Dalis, Connecticut Opera Guild, and Neue Stimmen competitions.

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