Barihunk trio in successful Pop-Up Opera in San Francisco nightclub

Hadleigh Adams at SF Opera's Lab Pop-Up Opera in San Francisco

For years, opera companies have been trying innovative ways to attract younger audiences to the artform. The San Francisco Opera may have figured out the formula, as their Pop-Up concert at The Chapel, an old mortuary converted into a 1914 nightclub, drew a packed audience of 500 rowdy attendees to the heart of San Francisco's hip Mission District.

Hadleigh Adams sings "Come un'ape ne'giorni d'aprile" from La Cenerentola:

Barihunk Hadleigh Adams was the perfect emcee, eliciting shouts from men and women to take off his shirt (which he didn't do!). He was joined by fellow barihunks Anthony Reed and Brad Walker, tenor Pene Pati, mezzo Laura Krumm and soprano Amina Edris. All are alums of the prestigious Merola Opera Program, who went on to become Adler Fellows with the San Francisco Opera. They were joined by Ronny Michael Greenberg at the piano, who recently accompanied barihunk Marco Vassalli for his U.S. debut recital.

The SF Opera Lab explores innovative programming that celebrates the power of the human voice theatrically in intimate spaces beyond the War Memorial Opera House. They are also intended to be informal and drinks are allowed at the performance.

Hadleigh Adams & Laura Krumm sing "Dunque io son" from The Barber of Seville:

 The next SF Opera Lab production opens tonight with seven performances running through APril 10th. Michael Cavanagh will direct Ana Sokolović's Svadba-Wedding and audience members will be part of the action with actual champagne served at the wedding. Additional information is available online.

Hadleigh Adams will be performing Falke in Die Fledermaus with the Cincinnati Opera in June. Anthony Reed can be seen this season at the San Francisco Opera in Jenufa, Andrea Chenier, Aida and Madama Butterfly. Brad Walker will be appearing with the San Francisco Opera this season in Carmen, Andrea Chenier and The Makropulos Case.

NO JOKE: Barihunk Trio in Festive April Fool's Day Concert

Hadleigh Adams (Photo: Scott Wall/San Francisco Opera)

The innovative SF Opera Lab will be presenting their next Pop-Up concert on April Fool's Day with performances by barihunks Hadleigh Adams, Anthony Reed and Brad Walker. All three are alums of the prestigious Merola Opera Program who went on to become Adler Fellows with the San Francisco Opera.

The SF Opera Lab explores innovative programming that celebrates the power of the human voice theatrically in intimate spaces beyond the War Memorial Opera House. They are also intended to be informal and drinks are allowed at the performance. The concert will be performed at The Chapel, a converted mortuary that was built in 1914 and has been renovated into a live music venue. 
 

Bass-barihunks Anthony Reed and Brad Walker

The concert is on Friday, April 1st (doors at 8:15pm/show at 9pm) and there will be an after-party with a live DJ. Adams will perform and emcee the concert.  Tickets are $20 advance and $25 at the door. Seating is limited, so order tickets in advance.

Hadleigh Adams will be performing Falke in Die Fledermaus with the Cincinnati Opera in June. Anthony Reed can be seen this season at the San Francisco Opera in Jenufa, Andrea Chenier, Aida and Madama Butterfly. Brad Walker will be appearing with the San Francisco Opera this season in Carmen, Andrea Chenier and The Makropulos Case.

Barihunks seeking photo submissions for 2015 VIVA, ITALIA! Barihunks Charity Calendar

Xavier Edgardo in the 2014 Barihunks Calendar

It's time to start recruiting singers for our 2015 Barihunks Charity Calendar. This year we have a theme - VIVA, ITALIA! - so we're looking for singers with and Italian pedigree or photos with an Italian theme (i.e. - drinking some Chianti while studying Verdi, enjoying a pizza while shirtless, you name it!!! Use your imagination).

Anthony Reed from the 2014 Barihunks Calendar

Zachary Gordin from the 2014 Barihunks Calendar

As always, every penny of our calendar sales will go to support young artists. Last year, our two largest grants went to pay for students to participate in master classes at Center Stage Opera in the Los Angeles area with barihunk Zachary Gordin, and an innovative concert featuring bass-barihunk Aaron Sørensen and hunkentenor Jonathan Blalock at a jazz club. We also bought music for singers, paid for some voice lessons and bought a tuxedo for an impoverished singer making his U.S. concert debut.

As important it is for people to buy the calendars, we have nothing to sell if singers don't participate. Submissions should be sent to Barihunks@gmail.com.

Anthony Reed receives "Encouragement Award" at Met Regionals

Anthony Reed in the new Barihunks Charity Calendar

Anthony Reed, who is featured in the month of May in the new Barihunks Charity Calendar, received an Encouragement Award at the 52nd Annual Wisconsin District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions held last night at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts in Milwaukee.

Reed studied voice at the University of Wisconsin in Eau Claire and during his senior year first competed in the Met Auditions. He won, advanced to the next round,  and was asked to sing a featured recital for the Florentine Opera, where he and two other winners sang aria selections.

In 2010, he performed Frère Laurent in four productions of Gounod's Romèo et Juliette at the Seagle Music Colony.  The following summer he returned to the prestigious summer program as a Lisa Reid scholar to sing Lindorf, Coppélius, Dr. Miracle, and Dapertutto in their production of Offenbach's Les Contes d’Hoffmann.  During the summer of 2012 he was a member of the Wolf Trap Opera Studio appearing in the chorus for both Don Giovanni and The Rake’s Progress.   

In 2013, Reed made his professional operatic debut at the Fort Worth Opera Festival singing Truffaldino in Richard Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos, as well as being featured in the inaugural year of Frontiers, a new showcase of new opera works.​

Kangmin Justin Kim, Corrie Stallings, Caitlin Ruby Miller, Ian Koziar and Joe Shaddaay

Reed is currently attending the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. He will be performing in two upcoming productions there this season. On November 22, he'll appear as Dr. Dulcamara in Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore and then on May 2 & 4, 2014 as Don Magnifico in Rossini's La Cenerentola.
 
Winners at this years Wisconsin District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions were countertenor Kangmin Justin Kim, mezzo Corrie Stallings, soprano Caitlin Ruby Miller, tenor Ian Koziar and tenor Joe Shaddaay

Don't forget that money from this year's Charity Calendar will be determined from suggestions on our Facebook page or on Twitter using the hashtag #Barihunks2014. Money can go to young artist programs or any efforts involving young artists, including recording, recitals or performances. You can purchase a calendar and help out young artists by clicking HERE.

2014 Barihunks Charity Calendar is NOW ON SALE!

Xavier Edgardo: Mr. January

The wait is over! The 2014 Barihunks Charity Calendar is not available for purchase and it's HOTTER than ever.

This year's calendar features sixteen of the sexiest men in opera from five countries. And we mean it when we say SEXIEST. American barihunks include Aaron Sorensen, Anthony Reed, Christiaan Smith-Kotlarek, Christopher Temporelli, Craig Verm, David Adam Moore, Doug Carpenter, Michael Mayes, Keith Miller, Timothy McDevitt, Wes Mason and Zachary Gordin. Also appearing are Jonathan Estabrooks from Canada, Gianluca Margheri from Italy, Xavier Edgardo from Puerto Rico and Vasil Garvanliev from Macedonia.

Once again, every penny raised from the calendars will go to support young artists and young artist programs. This year, we used only a handful of photographers, giving the calendar a more cohesive look.

Click HERE to buy your calendar today.

Wes Mason to perform recital and conduct master class

 

When a concert promotes its singer as a "barihunk," how can we not post about it? We caught the Tidewater Opera Initiative's post on Facebook about Wes Mason's upcoming recital that refers to Mason as their "handsome barihunk." Make sure to visit their Facebook page and like them.

Wes Mason has been a regular on this site and is one of our favorite singers in the business. He's appeared in our charity calendar, which benefits young artists, and has agreed to appear again this year. Make sure to check out our recent post about his new promotional photos and his celebrity doppelgänger. 

Mason will be appearing with the Tidewater Opera Initiative on two consecutive days. On Saturday, July 20th at 7 PM, he will perform a recital featuring some of opera and Broadway's greatest hits. On Sunday, July 21st from 2-5 PM, he will conduct a special master class for members of the Governor's School for the Arts vocal program and Tidewaters's opera chorus.

Wes Mason and fellow barihunks Michael Mayes, John Boehr and Anthony Reed

Both events will take place at Christ and St. Luke's church in downtown Norfolk, and all proceeds benefit Tidewater Opera Initiative's upcoming production of Mozart's Cosi fan tutte. Tickets for Saturday's concert are $15 and can be purchased at the door. Sunday's master class is open to the public for a suggested donation of $5 at the door.

Tidewater is a regional opera organization based in the Tidewater area of Virginia dedicated to the development of local professional opera singers. Wes Mason hails from Norfolk, Virginia and graduated from the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. His big career break when he starred in the world premiere of Jorge Martín’s Before Night Falls with Fort Worth Opera.

We've also witnessed his amazing karaoke skills and ability to impersonate famous actors and singers. 

Introducing Bass-Barihunk Aaron Sorenson

Aaron Sorenson (Photo by Barihunks)

Despite the fact that our homepage includes the definition of a "barihunk" that includes basses, the most common question we get is: "Can a bass be on barihunks?" The answer is a resounding YES and we admittedly love any low voice (even the mezzos!). Aaron Sorenson is a great example of why we'd be fools to not include basses on this site.

We had the pleasure of seeing his artistry live at the Fort Worth Opera as Benoit and Alcindoro in La Boheme, as well as a hilarious turn as the Wigmaker in Richard Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos. While we were in Fort Worth, we joined photographer Michael Yeshion for a photo shoot with Sorenson, Michael Mayes and Anthony Reed. A few of those shots are previewed here and more will be appearing in our 2014 Barihunks Calendar.

Basses Aaron Sorenson and Anthony Reed (Photo by Michael Yeshion)

The Nebraska native honed his craft at Yale Opera Program and has gone on to sing Masetto in
Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Father Trulove in Stravinky’s The Rake’s Progress at the Wolf Trap Opera, Zuniga in Bizet's Carmen and Angelotti in Puccini's Tosca at the Glimmerglass Opera Festival, and Britten's A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, Tosca, and The
Rake’s Progress with Des Moines Metro Opera.

He'll be returning to the Fort Worth Opera Festival next season as the French General in Kevin Puts' Pulitzer Prize-winning opera Silent Night.

We also found this little tidbit on the Wolf Trap Opera blog: “When not singing (opera), Aaron Sorensen can most often be found in the kitchen whipping up something delectable and sinfully delicious. Taught by his grandmothers and mother, he is a foodie at heart and is infamous for his desserts. He is also an avid fan of hiking and the outdoors. It doesn’t happen often, but when time allows Aaron also enjoys watching movies and pointless television. So far, the best movie he has seen this year is, without a doubt, The Muppet Movie!”

If you're a barihunk based in New York, we recommend that you contact Michael Yeshion for your headshots. If you want to be considered for next year's calendar, he can shoot some great photos for you. Any barihunk can submit photos for consideration to the calendar or the website at Barihunks@gmail.com. A photo in a Barihunk tee-shirt increases your chances of inclusion.

Barihunks Lunch in Fort Worth

Wes Mason, Michael Mayes and Jonathan Boehr

It's no secret that we're huge fans of the Fort Worth Opera Festival, which has become one of the best summer opera festivals in America, if not the world. Under the inspired leadership of general director Darren Woods, the once fledgling company has become a required stop for serious opera lovers. The company is known for its combination of old standards and works by new composers. The new works often become the hit of the festival, as is the case this year with Tom Cipullo's Glory Denied starring Michael Mayes. Woods is also notorious for finding gifted young opera singers before other companies "discover" them, so it's a wonderful opportunity to catch the next wave of great singers.

Wes Mason, Michael Mayes and Jonathan Boehr goof off; Anthony Reed flexes his guns

 

Aaron Sorensen, Michael Adams, Steven Eddy, Wes Mason, Michael Mayes, Jonathan Boehr & Anthony Reed

As is often the case when one of the Barihunks bloggers flies into town, a lunch with the hottest low voices tends to break out. Singers are all given a Barihunk tee-shirt and other gifts, which have ranged from coffee mugs to iPods. This year singers were given gift cards of varying value depending on their ability to answer Barihunks trivia questions. Jonathan Boehr was the winner of the $100 gift card and three CDs featuring baritones. Wes Mason was too busy having fun and missed answering a question where he was part of the answer. Wes also entertained the group with some of his amazing impersonations, which included Christopher Walken, Marlon Brando, Thomas Hampson and tenor Jonathan Blalock [see photo at bottom of the feed].

Jonathan Boehr, winner of 1st prize in the Barihunk Trivia Contest

Michael Adams sporting Michael Mayes' glasses and look

All of the singers shown above are appearing with the Fort Worth Opera Festival this year. Wes Mason is Marcello in La bohème, Michael Mayes is Capt. Jim Thompson in Glory Denied, Steven Eddy is Harlequin in Ariadne auf Naxos, Michael Adams is the Custom House Sergeant in La bohème and the Corporal in Daughter of the Regiment, Aaron Sorensen is Benoit/Alcindoro in La bohème, Jonathan Boehr is Schaunard in La bohème, and Anthony Reed is Truffaldino in Ariadne auf Naxos. Tickets and additional information are available online.

Wes Mason channeling tenor Jonathan Blalock's famous Southern smile

Say Cheese! Three Barihunks to Perform Together in Brookfield, Wisconsin

Anthony Reed, Michael Roemer & Tim Rebers (L-R)

There are a number of shows being put together that feature barihunks, including "Barihunks on Tour." This site has nothing (directly) to do with any of them, but we have been surprised that no one has copied the overused "Three Tenors," "Three Sopranos," "Three Countertenors" format to produce a "Three Barihunks" show. If you're in Wisconsin on Sunday, April 15th, you can get a brief preview of what that might look like.

Barihunks Anthony Reed, Michael Roemer and Tim Rebers will be part of a concert that features singers from the Wisconsin District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Joining the "Three Barihunks" will be guest tenor Scott Ramsay and sopranos Lindsay Sessing and Meagan Seubert. The performance will begin at 2 PM at the Dawes Studio Theatre at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts in Brookfield, Wisconsin. For tickets call the Wilson Center Box office at (262) 781-9520.

The singers worked with coach Jamie Johns over the last six months to refine their performance techniques. The monthly coaching sessions focused on operatic repertoire and culminated in this joint recital.

Michael Roemer and Adam Shelton in the duet from the Elixir of Love:

The Vocal Coaching Program was founded by Patricia Crump, a former member of the CMA Board of Directors and president of Supporters of Opera Singers, an organization established to administer funds donated to assist young Milwaukee area singers. She is also Director Emerita of the Wisconsin District Auditions of the Metropolitan Opera National Council.

CONTACT US AT Barihunks@gmail.com 

Met Audition Winner Update: Anthony Reed in Recital; Ricardo Rivera Advances

Aaron Rogers & Anthony Reed

With the Green Packers out of the playoffs and not heading back to the Super Bowl, the good folks of Wisconsin are looking for things to do other than shovel snow. We'd suggest trading one A.R. for another, meaning QB Aaron Rogers for bass-barihunk Anthony Reed.

On Wednesday, January 25th at 7:30 PM, Reed will be performing in a concert sponsored by the Florentine Opera. Reed will be joined by soprano Lindsay Sessing and tenor Kevin Newell. All three singers were winners in the 2011 Metropolitan Opera/Wisconsin District Auditions.  The concert will be at St. John's on the Lake, 1840 N. Prospect Avenue in Milwaukee. Call (414) 291-5700 for additional information.

Unlike a football game, we can pretty much guarantee that this will be a winner. The young bass has been impressing judges and honed his skills at the Seagle Music Colony.

Anthony Reed sings Mozart's "O Isis und Osiris" from the Magic Flute:

Anthony Reed and four other singers will now advance to the Midwest Regional Auditions to be held Feb. 4, 2012, at the Ordway Center Main Hall in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Ricardo Rivera

A reader who attended the Metropolitan Opera National Council/Eastern Region Auditions alerted us to barihunk Ricardo Rivera who won 1st Place that day and will now advance to the National Semi-Finals on the Metropolitan Opera Stage in March.

Rivera has been cleaning up in competitions, having previously won 1st Place and the Audience Prize in the 2011 NY Lyric Opera Competition, 4th Place in the 2011 Connecticut Opera Guild Competition, Encouragement Awards from the 2011 Gerda Lissner, 2011 Licia Albanese-Puccini, 2011 MONC, 2010 Opera Index, and 2010 Career Bridges Competitions, and was a recipient of the Richard F. Gold Career Grant in 2009.

On January 29th, he'll perform Orsini in Wagner's "Rienzi" with the Opera Orchestra of NY at Avery Fisher Hall. Click HERE for tickets and additional cast information. On February 15th, he'll be the baritone Soloist in Sophia Gubaidulina's "Perception" with the Pacifica Quartet and eighth blackbird in Chicago." Click HERE for additional information.

Barihunks would like to wish both singers the best of luck!

CONTACT US AT Barihunks@gmail.com

Announcing our Second Beneficiary for our 2012 Barihunks Charity Calendar: Seagle Music Colony

Seagle Barihunks: Christopher Temporelli, Seth Mease Carico and Wes Mason.

 

We’re pleased to announce our second recipient of a donation from the 2012 Barihunks calendar, the Seagle Music Colony at Schroon Lake in beautiful upstate New York. There are many reasons to support this great training program, but the fact that it was founded in 1915 by baritone Oscar Seagle, an early 20^th century singer, certainly helped us in our decision. It’s also run by Darren Woods, who runs one of the best opera festivals in the world, the Ft. Worth Opera Festival. If your summer festival schedule includes Ravinia, Tanglewood and/or Spoleto and you haven’t checked out Ft. Worth, then you haven’t experienced the best of American opera.

A number of barihunks have trained at Seagle, including Ned Hanlon, John Cabrali,  Joe Hagar, Anthony Reed, Nicholas Wardcan and FOUR of our calendar models, Wes Mason, Seth Carico, Christopher Temporelli and Dan Kempson.  Since it’s founding in 1915, numerous singers have gone on to have amazing careers in opera and on Broadway. Their mission statement is “To identify, train and develop gifted singers and to present quality opera and musical theatre performances to the public.” They’ve obviously been successful, as Seagle alumni have performed at the Metropolitan Opera, Santa Fe Opera, New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera and, of course, the Ft. Worth Opera.

Oscar Seagle made several concert tours in the United States and Europe, and recorded albums for Columbia, including the popular World War I hit "Dear Old Pal of Mine." He served from 1903-1914 as teaching associate in Europe with his teacher, the great Polish tenor Jean de Reszke. De Reszke was a star of the Metropolitan Opera as well as Queen Victoria's favorite singer.

Darren Woods has served as General Director at the Seagle Music Colony since 1996. In 2000, it was named "Best Summer Vocal Training Program in the United States" by Classical Singer Magazine. Seagle receives over 500 applicants each year and it has expanded from two productions and eight performances per summer to six full productions and over thirty-five performances. Our favorite young director, John de los Santos (whose video you can see at the right) is also a regular at Seagle. 

We’re delighted to have them join the Portland Opera studio as one of our beneficiaries this year. We encourage you to purchase a calendar and help support his amazing organization. If you’re feeling extra generous this holiday season, please visit them online to make a donation HERE or mail a check to Seagle Music Colony, 999 Charley Hill Road, PO Box 366 – Schroon Lake, NY 12870.

Randal Turner (top), Seagle participant Dan Kempson (bottom left) & David Adam Moore (bottom right)

  BUY YOUR 2012 BARIHUNKS CHARITY CALENDAR TODAY BY CLICKING HERE!

Three Barihunks Advance at Metropolitan Opera Auditions in Wisconsin

Darik Knutsen (Top), Joseph Beutel (r), Anthony Reed (l)

 
Three barihunks were among the five singers selected by judges to advance to the next round at Saturday's Wisconsin District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Bass-baritone Joseph Beutel,  bass Anthony Reed and baritone Darik Knutsen will join mezzo-soprano Kathryn Leemhuis and soprano Alisa Jordheim in the next round of competition. Anthony Reed was also chosen to perform a Florentine Opera recital.

The five will next compete at the Upper Midwest Regional in St. Paul, Minnesota on February 4, 2012.

Joseph Beutel

Joseph Beutel is an emerging bass-baritone originally from Indiana.  For the Minnesota Opera this season, he will appear as the British Major in Silent Night, Le Bailli in Werther, Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor and the Bonze in Madame Butterfly, and covering the role of Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte.  He has joined the Minnesota Opera’s Resident Artist program after spending the summer as a Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Artist, where he covered the role of Méphistophélès in Faust and the Catholic Priest in The Last Savage. Previous roles have also included the Impresario/Direttore in the young artist production of Viva La Mamma! at Seattle Opera; Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, Mustafà in L’italiana in Algeri, Simone in Gianni Schicchi, and Herr Reich in Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor for IU Opera Theatre and the Sergeant in Pirates of Penzance

Darik Knutsen

Darik Knutsen, baritone from McLean, VA is excited to make his Kennedy Center debut with Evelyn Lear's Wagner Society, as well as his Madison Opera debut in Phillip Glass's Galileo Galilei this season. He also looks forward to recitals with the American Opera Society of Chicago and with the Lyric Opera of Chicago's Wilmette Chapter. The past two summers Knutsen was an Apprentice with the Santa Fe Opera where he sang the role of Wagner in Faust (2011) and Schlemil in The Tales of Hoffmann (2010).       

Here is Darik Knutsen rehearsing with Mark S. Doss, who was Mephistopheles in the Santa Fe Opera's production of Faust last season:

Knutsen has also worked with the Chicago Opera Theater for the past two seasons where he sang the role of Arcas in Charpentier's Médée (2011), and understudied the role of Charlie in Jake Heggie's Three Decembers (2010). Other operatic experience includes the title role of Eugene Onegin at the Chautauqua Institute of Music, as well as Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte and Peachum in The Threepenny Opera at Northwestern University. Knutsen is the recipient of numerous awards including 2nd Place Winner in the Central Region Finals of the Metropolitan Council Auditions (2010), Winner of the American Opera Society Scholarship (2011), and 1st Place in the Bel Canto Foundation of Chicago (2011). Mr. Knutsen is a current voice student of Marlena Malas.

Anthony Reed

Bass Anthony Reed hails from Alexandria, Minnesota, attended the University of Wisconsin at Eau-Claire and was part of the 2011 Seagle Music Colony.

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