Birthday Interview with Samuel Ramey

Samuel Ramey as Attila (left)

He has been referred to as the original barihunk by some, for leading the way in sexy portrayals of the low voice repertory. His video of Boito's Mefistofele from the San Francisco Opera has become a cult classic with opera aficionados. He continued his sexy shirtless portrayals as Attila that were not only sexy, but set the vocal standard to this day.

His amazing vocal flexibility and range has allowed his to sing roles ranging from Argante in Handel’s Rinaldo to the title role in Bartok’s Bluebeard’s Castle. His repertoire includes the florid pasages of Handel, the bel canto roles of Bellini and Donizetti, the great baritone roles of Verdi and Puccini, great American operas and even many of the great Russian and French bass roles.

Rather than post our annual birthday tribute, we asked the legendary bass to answer a few questions for readers.

1. You were considered a "barihunk" before Francesca Zambello coined the phrase, singing both Attila and Mefistofele shirtless.  Did you ever imagine that baritones and basses would become the sex symbols of opera? 

Ramey: Generally speaking, most baritones and basses are "sexier" than most tenors.  So I can‘t say I‘m surprised.

2. You're now singing two comprimario roles at the Dallas Opera. What draws you to the stage when most singers are enjoying retirement? 

Ramey: I feel that I still have something to offer as a performer and I still love being on the stage.  I‘ve been trying to reinvent myself but it‘s not easy.  I appreciate the Dallas Opéra for giving me this opportunity.

3. Your Attila and Mefistofele are considered definitive interpretations by most opera aficionados. Were these your favorite roles. Which other roles did you love?

Ramey: Attila and Mefistofele were certainly two of my favorite roles, but I have quite a few favorites.  Others would be Mephistopheles in Faust and Damnation de Faust, Mozart‘s Figaro and Don Giovanni, Nick Shadow in Rake's Progress, Filippo II in Don Carlo, Bertram in Robert le Diable, Boris Godunov.

4. What role did you never get to sing that you would have loved to perform? 

Ramey: I‘ve always loved the early Verdi operas.  One I always hoped to sing was Silva in Ernani, but the opportunity never presented itself.

5. Karita Mattila just posted on our Twitter feed that Placido Domingo was her best stage kiss. Who was yours?

Ramey: I didn‘t have many stage kiss opportunities but I‘d have to say that my best stage kiss was Marie McLaughlin.

 

Listen to Henk Neven live on the BBC

Henk Neven

Our goal at Barihunks is two-fold, to promote great low-voice singers, especially since baritones tend to get lost in the shadows of the tenor and soprano p.r. machines. We also believe in promoting singers who take care of their voices as well as their bodies. Not only is it good for a long, healthy career (i.e. - Thomas Hampson, Simon Keenlyside, Rod Gilfry and Nathan Gunn), but it makes opera a more believable art form and it allows it to compete with the omnipresence of television, movies and online media.

There are few singers who we've been more excited about than the Dutch barihunk Henk Neven. When he shot onto the scene, we instantly compared him to a young Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau for his ability to beautifully convey the nuances of an art song. We first featured him almost two years ago, long before he was receiving Gramophone magazine nominations for his great singing.

He's also our birthday feature for tomorrow, so we were thrilled when we learned that BBC3 was giving the public Henk Neven as a birthday gift. His French song recital with English soprano Geraldine McGreevy and accompanist Graham Johnson can be heard live at 7:30 PM London time (2:30 PM EST/11:30 AM PST).

The program from Wigmore Hall features music by Debussy, Faure, Satie, Roussel and the rarely-heard Andre Caplet. Faure's song 'Le plus doux chemin' is the inspiration for Graham Johnson's latest series of themed recitals, exploring the tonal beauty, vibrant imagery and sense of spontaneity that is French chanson.

Henk Neven is a former Radio 3 New Generation Artist, and also studied with Graham Johnson and his latest CD is an acclaimed recital of mostly French songs.

Click HERE to listen to the broadcast.

A Birthday Tribute to Randal Turner

Randal Turner

We have a lot of favorite singers on Barihunks, ranging from the mega-stars like Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Mariusz Kwiecien to the upcoming singers like Matthew Morris, Hadleigh Adams and Jonathan Estabrooks. Then there is Randal Turner, who is in that middle ground with his student days behind him and stardom just a big break away.

Despite being from Indiana and attending the esteemed singing program at Indiana University, his career has been primarily in European opera houses. Perhaps it's because he's based in Zurich.

However, we still can't figure out why he's not been engaged by more American companies. We saw his sexually charged and vocally sublime Don Giovanni in Detroit, as well as his debut at New York City Opera in Rufus Wainwright's Prima Donna and were incredibly impressed. We've been selling his debut CD on the site, which was his West Coast recital debut and filled with music from America's greatest composers: Jake Heggie, Ricky Ian Gordon, Glen Roven, Clint Borzoni and his fellow Swiss-based American, Julia Schwartz.

We're at a loss why he's not on the schedules of more American opera companies. If any of them are reading this, we're eager to hear him in some early to mid-Verdi, some non-Ring Wagner and some more American or English opera (Billy Budd!). Of course, we won't complain about another Don Giovanni either.

Happy Birthday to one of our favorite singers!

Happy Birthday, Leonard Bernstein

Leonard Bernstein

Leonard Bernstein was an American composer, conductor, and pianist. His special gift of bridging the gap between the concert hall and the world of Broadway made him one of the most glamorous and popular musical figures of his day.

Thomas Hampson sings "Lonely Town":

As a composer Bernstein was a controversial figure. His large works, including the symphonies Jeremiah (1943), Age of Anxiety (1949), and Kaddish (1963), are not considered masterpieces. Yet they are skillfully shaped and show his sensitivity to small changes of musical variety. He received more praise for his Broadway musicals. The vivid On the Town (1944) and Wonderful Town (1952) were followed by Candide (1956), which, though not a box-office success, is considered by many to be Bernstein's most original score. West Side Story (1957) received international praise. Bernstein's music, with its strong contrasts of violence and tenderness, determines the feeling of the show and contributes to its special place in the history of American musical theater.

His role as an educator, in seminars at Brandeis University (1952–1957) and in teaching duties at Tanglewood are legendary and still watched by students today.  He found an even larger audience through television, where his animation and distinguished simplicity had an immediate appeal. Two books of essays, Joy of Music (1959) and Infinite Variety of Music (1966), were direct products of television presentations.

Thomas Hampson sings "Lucky to be me":

Bernstein had his greatest impact as a conductor. His appearances overseas—with or without the New York Philharmonic—brought about an excitement approaching frenzy. These responses were due in part to Bernstein's energy and emotion. It is generally agreed that his readings of twentieth-century American scores showed a dedication and authority rarely approached by other conductors of his time. His performances and recordings also ushered in a revival of interest in the music of Gustav Mahler.
 
There was some surprise when, in 1967, Bernstein resigned as music director of the Philharmonic. But it was in keeping with his nature and the diversity of his activities that he sought new channels of expression. After leaving the Philharmonic Bernstein traveled extensively, serving as guest conductor for many of the major symphonies of the world, including the Vienna Philharmonic and the Berlin Philharmonic. He became something of a fixture in those cities in the last few decades of his life.

Sherrill Milnes sings "Maria":

Bernstein also became caught up in the cultural upheaval of the late 1960s. He angered many when he claimed all music, other than pop, seemed old-fashioned. Politically, too, he drew criticism. When his wife hosted a fund-raiser for the Black Panthers in 1970, charges of anti-Semitism were leveled against Bernstein himself. Press reports caused severe damage to his reputation. Bernstein also brought criticism with his stance against the Vietnam War. His activism ultimately led J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI to monitor his activities and associations.

Jubilant Sykes sings Sanctus/Agnus Dei from "Mass"

In 1971 Mass: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players and Dancers premiered at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. It was, according to biographer Humphrey Burton, "the closest [Bernstein] ever came to achieving a synthesis between Broadway and the concert hall." The huge cast performed songs in styles ranging from rock to blues to gospel. Mass debuted on Broadway later that year.

He died in New York City, on October 14, 1990, of a heart attack brought on by emphysema and other complications.

A Birthday Tribute to Simon Keenlyside

Simon Keenlyside as Macbeth

One of the most popular singers in the world, as well as on this site, is the seemingly ageless Simon Keenlyside. The British barihunk turns 53 today, so we thought we'd celebrate his artistry. 

Simon Keenlyside is one of the world's most sought after and charismatic singers, noted for his versatility and highly charged performances on stage. He has been acclaimed for Billy Budd and Prospero in the world premiere of Thomas Ades' 'The Tempest' at the Royal Opera House; Count Almaviva in Milan and Vienna under Muti; Don Giovanni in Ferrara under Abbado, Pelleas in San Francisco, Geneva, Paris, and most recently in  Salzburg, Berlin and London under Rattle, his first Wozzeck at the Paris Opera, and Posa (Don Carlos) at the Royal Opera House under Pappano and at the Metropolitan Opera under Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

 

He has recorded 'Des Knaben Wunderhorn' under Rattle, the title role in 'Don Giovanni' under Abbado, 'Carmina Burana' under Thielemann, Marcello in 'La Bohème' under Chailly, the title role in 'Billy Budd' under Hickox, Count Almaviva under Jacobs and Papageno under Mackerras.  Since appearing in recital at La Scala in 1998 he has gone on to give recitals all over the world. 

Simon Keenlyside sings Schuman's "Dichterliebe":

Simon will return to the Royal Opera House (Germont Père and Count Almaviva) and the Vienna State Opera (Posa, Rigoletto and Wozzeck). For Sony BMG Simon has released an orchestral arias disc, which won the Gramophone 2007 best recital award, an operetta disc with Angelika Kirchschlager, and a recital disc of Brahms Lieder and Schumann's Dichterliebe, and most recently his “Songs of War” recital disc, both with Malcolm Martineau. His other releases include a recital disc of Schubert, Wolf, Fauré and Ravel also with Malcolm Martineau for Wigmore Live.

Keenlyside can next be seen next month at the Vienna State Opera in Verdi's Don Carlo as Rodrigo. Also in the cast is Rene Pape as Philipp II, Roberto Alagna as Don Carlo and Krassimira Stoyanova as Elisabeth. In October, he returns to the Metropolitan Opera in Thomas Ades' "The Tempest."

Happy Birthday, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

What could we possibly say about Mozart that either hasn't been said or you don't know already? Born on January 27, 1756, he was a child prodigy, who wrote his first symphony when he was eight years old and his first opera at age twelve. He went on to write some of the most important masterpieces of the Classical era, including symphonies, operas, string quartets and piano music. Of course, he has been an endless source of material for Barihunks, especially his operas Don Giovanni and Cosi fan tutte, which provide us with an ongoing stream of sexy low voices.

We think the best way to celebrate his birthday is with some music from our favorite singers:

Erwin Schrott sings "Madamina" from Don Giovanni:

Markus Werba sings "Hai già vinta la cuasa" from "Marriage of Figaro":

Ildebrando D'Arcangelo & Ruxandra Donose sing "Il core vi dono" from Cosi fan tutte:

Gérard Souzay sings "Deh vieni alla finestra"from Don Giovanni:

Simon Keenlyside sings "Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja" from the Magic Flute:

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ETTORE BASTIANINI

It is no secret that one of our favorite barihunks of all-time is Ettore Bastianini. We feature him whenever we have an excuse, but what's better than his birthday. Like the German tenor Fritz Wunderlich, we lost him long before his artistry was fully realized. Bastianini died of throat cancer at the age off 44, long before many baritones celebrate their greatest successes.



Bastianini was considered one of the finest Verdi and verismo voices of his day. He made his recital debut as a bass in Siena in 1945 and his stage debut later that year in Ravenna as Colline in Puccini's "La bohème." He later moved into the baritone range where he voice seemed better suited. His top notes thrilled audiences throughout his career for their ringing splendor.

He was a regular at La Scala between 1954-1963 and the Vienna State Opera between 1958-1964. In the United States, he performed regularly at Metropolitan Opera between 1954-1957 and at the Lyric Opera of Chicago between 1955-1958.  His last performance was in 1965 at the Metropolitan Opera.




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September 5th: Celebrating the birth of four composers

Johann Christian Bach & John Cage

September 5th must be a great day to be born if you want to be a composer. On this day Giacomo Meyebeer, Johann Christian Bach, John Cage and Amy Beach were all born. You certainly couldn't find four different composers, so we're going to present a selection from each. 

Amy Beach & Giacomo Meyerbeer

The 19th century composer Giacomo Meyerbeer is best remembered for his grand operas, but wrote some beautiful choral works for male voices, two songs with solo instrumental obbligato and a number of beautiful songs. Thomas Hampson has wonderful recording of many of these and here he is singing  Meyerbeer's "Menschenfeindlich":



Johann Christian Bach was the youngest surviving son of the master Johann Sebastian Bach. Having abandoned his father's Lutheran faith for Catholicism, he is best remembered for his sacred works. Here is Victoria de los Angeles & Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau singing "Ah, lamenta oh bella Irene" by Johann Christian Bach with Gerald Moore at the piano:



Here is John Cage's "Litany for the Whale" from 1980. This beautiful piece is scored for two male voices, and has a call and response structure to it. The two singers, recorded in a resonant chamber, are given five pitches to sing, one assigned to each letter in the word "whale." It has a calm, meditative quality that harkens back to medieval chants. The singers are Alan Bennett and Paul Elliott.



Amy Beach was the first truly successful American female composer. Among her works are a mass, piano concerto, symphony and 150 songs. We had a difficult time finding a suitable recording by a baritone singing an Amy Beach song, so we're going to break a few rules of this site and present the immortal tenor Jussi Bjoerling performing "Ah, love, But a Day" with words by Robert Browning.

For the next two weeks we will be accepting submissions for our first Barihunks charity calendar, which will benefit young artist programs. Send High Res photos and a brief bio to Barihunks@gmail.com

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Happy Birthday, Mel Ulrich!

Mel Ulrich

We've never understood the early retirement of American barihunk Mel Ulrich, who was still burning up the stage when he prematurely called it quits. He teased us in January, when he performed a concert 90 miles outside of Ft. Worth, but it didn't lead to any additional engagements. We want Mel to know that we truly miss him on the stage and that we are going to celebrate him on his birthday.

Come back, Mel! We miss you.

The always sexy Mel Ulrich

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Celebrating J.S. Bach's Birthday

(Image from L.A. Chamber Orchestra)

The great master Johann Sebastian Bach was born on this day in 1685, so Barihunks would like to celebrate with some of our favorite singers performing his music.

Gerard Souzay, Christopher Maltman & Michael Adair

Gerard Souzay sings music from the Bach Magnificat:

Christopher Maltman sings from Cantata BWV 61, BWV 147 and the Magnificat:

Michael Adair sings St. John's Passion (FYI, he uses the monikor Barihunks on Twitter, not us):



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Happy Birthday, Theodor Uppman

Happy Birthday, Theodor Uppman

Today would have been Theodor Uppman's 91st birthday. The man who created the role in Benjamin Britten's "Billy Budd" died in 2005 at the age of 85.

Although he had an amazing career in opera, he will always be remembered as Billy Budd. The music critic Alan Blyth said of his portrayal, "I recall how fresh and spontaneous an interpreter he proved to be. His looks and mellow, yet virile, tone, allied to a seemingly natural gift for portraying a strong, yet still boyish sailor, were unforgettable attributes, and he made his solo, when condemned to death, as eloquent as it should be."

At the opening night performance of Billy Budd, the cast along with Benjamin Britten received seventeen curtain calls. 

The California native studied at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia and made his stage debut i1947 at the San Francisco Opera opposite the great Maggie Teyte in Debussy's  Pelléas et Mélisande." He continued to perform into the 1980s when he took up teaching and coaching. One of the singers who he coached was Simon Keenlyside, another great Billy Budd.

Uppman excelled as a recitalist, as a Britten specialist and in lighter operatic fare, especially Mozart,

In his later years he became a professor of voice, teaching at both Mannes College of Music and the Manhattan School of music, from 1988 unti his death.

Here is a clip of him singing "O Mimi, tu piu non torni" from La Boheme with the great tenor Franco Corelli.

Duncan Rock: The next great Billy Budd?

As a special tribute to Uppman, here is the barihunk Duncan Rock singing Billy's famous aria. He would  have loved to have seen this role passed on to such a gifted and equally expressive performer.





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Happy Birthday, Zach Altman

Kempson (L) and Altman (R)

When we ran a shirtless photo of barihunk Zach Altman wearing nothing but a towel and it ended up being one of the most visited post on Barihunks. It has held a spot in the Top 10 posts ever since.

Today is Zach Altman's 26th birthday, so we thought it was a fitting time to celebrate with a new post and new photo.

The Philadelphia native is now headed to the Sarasota Opera to participate in their apprentice artist program.

What many people don't know is he one half of a Barihunk Duo, as his partner is Dan Kempson, who has also been featured on this site. The couple may not get to perform together much since they are both baritones, but they did appear on court television together over a demo tape dispute.

Sexy Zach Altman - A Barihunks favorite

Hopefully, one of our composer fans of this site will write a special duet for the sexy pair. If it happens, we promise to post it on the site.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY from Barihunks, you sexy thang.

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Happy Birthday, Elliot Madore

We hope to be celebrating many more birthdays for the extremely talented and sexy Elliot Madore.

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Happy Birthday, Morgan Smith

Barihunks would like to wish Morgan Smith a Happy Birthday! Smith is a resident at the opera in Leipzig, where he is currently portraying Leander in Prokofiev's "Love for Three Oranges."

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Happy Birthday Chris Herbert!

[Chris on the left, with an unusually grumpy looking Jesse Blumberg]

A great excuse to post some pictures of one of our most adorable barihunks.

If you want to see Chris live, he'll be performing a recital of Wolf and Poulenc with Thomas Bagwell. at Mannes Goldmark Hall, Mannes Building, 150 West 85th Street in New York City on January 24th at 1:30 PM.

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Happy Birthday, Dmitri Hvorostovsky!

The "Siberian Hunky" celebrates his 47th birthday on October 16th. In our eyes he just gets sexier every year.

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Happy Birthday, Erwin Schrott

[Pictured with his wife soprano Anna Netrebko on a holiday card from http://anna-netrebko.blogspot.com]

Uber-Barihunk Erwin Schrott turns 36 today and this site would like to wish him a Happy Birthday! Erwin, if you're honoring the old tradition of a birthday spanking, I think we have plenty of volunteers.

Also, in the Bradelina tradition, we're now dubbing you and your wife Schrottko.

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