Jonathan Estabrooks in world premiere of Anna Christie

Melanie Lang and Jonathan Estabrooks

Jonathan Estabrooks, who appeared in the very first Barihunks calendar, will be appearing in the world premiere of Edward Thomas and Joseph Masteroff's opera Anna Christie. The Juilliard-trained singer and producer, who continues to look better with each passing year, will take on the role of Mat Burke, the stoker who falls in love with the title character.

The opera will be presented by Encompass New Opera Theatre in New York on October 4 and will run through October 21, 2018 at the Baruch Performing Arts Center.

The cast includes also includes Frank Basile as Chris Christopherson, Melanie Long as Anna Christie, Joy Hermalyn as Marthy Owen and Mike Pirozzi as Larry the Bartender.

Anna Christie, based on Eugene O'Neill's Pulitzer Prize-winning play explores the lost relationship of a woman and her father, and the sailor she falls in love with. The sea is a powerful symbol in the play and O'Neill having lived by the docks in New York City's waterfront, was acquainted with the sailors, booze, saloons and night life that he wrote about with such passion and authenticity. Abandoned by her father when she was five years old, Anna suffered a life of hardship and carries a dark secret from her past. An emotionally charged reunion with her father, a captain of a coal barge, intensifies when a merchant sailor is pulled from the cold, dark waters of the Atlantic on a foggy night. When the fog clears, Anna, the sailor and her father are caught in a riveting struggle between love and the sea, changing their lives forever.

The play made its Broadway debut at the Vanderbilt Theatre on November 2, 1921 and was made into a 1930 Hollywood film starring Greta Garbo in her first talking picture.

Tickets and additional information is available online.

Celebrating National Red Head Day with our favorite barihunks

Andrew Garland

How else would we celebrate National Redhead Day, but with a post about barihunk Andrew Garland? He'll be performing in Orff's Carmina Burana at Trinity Chapel in Newton, Massachusetts on November 11 and 12. He will be joined by the  University Chorale of Boston College and the Boston College Symphony Orchestra under the baton of John Finney.

Garland also has two performances of Handel's Messiah on the calendar. He'll be performing the piece with the Boston Baroque on December 9 and 10 and then with the Colorado Bach Ensemble on December 17 and 18.

A few fun facts about redheads:

• The highest concentration of redheads is in Scotland (13%) followed by Ireland (10%). Worldwide, only 2% of the population has red hair.
• People with red hair are likely more sensitive to pain.
• Redheads are more likely to be left handed. Both characteristics come from recessive genes, which like to come in pairs.
• Bees have been proven to be more attracted to redheads.
• Men with red hair are 54% less likely to develop prostate cancer
• Redheads have less hair than most other people, averaging 90,000 strands of hair compared to the average of 140,000. However, red hair is typically thicker so they it looks just as full.

William Berger, Jonathan Estabrooks, Gregory Gerbrandt & Duncan Rock (clockwise top L)

Here is what some other barihunk redheads are up to:

• William Berger will be singing Marcello in Puccini's La bohéme at Opera de Rouen next season.
• Jonathan Estabrooks will perform Clara & Jonathan/Crossover to Love aboard the Sea Princess Cruise Liner leaving from Brisbane, Australia. 
• Duncan Rock is performing the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni at the Glyndebourne Festival through December 9th (opposite the Leporello of fellow barihunk Brandon Cedel).
• Gregory Gerbrandt opens tonight as Jim Larkens in Puccini's La fanciulla del West at Opera Colorado.

Our 10th Anniversary "Barihunks in Bed" calendar is out and it's our HOTTEST ever. Click on the LULU button to order your copy before the holiday rush.

Jonathan Estabrooks to portray Oilers Coach Bum Phillips

 

Jonathan Estabrooks

It was announced yesterday that Canadian barihunk Jonathan Estabrooks has been asked to step into the title role of Peter Stopschinski's Bum Phillips: All-American Opera, a one-night-only performance at the Stafford Centre on Thursday, September 24th. Proceeds from ticket sales will support the Bum Phillips Retreat, which supports many activities including Heart Sign Camp, a summer camp for hearing impaired children.

The opera premiered in New York last year at the Ellen Stewart Theater and chronicles Oail Andrew “Bum” Phillips’ time as head coach of the Houston Oilers. The libretto is based on his autobiography, Bum Phillips: Cowboy, Coach, Christian. We posted about last year's performance, which starred barihunks Gary Ramsey and Amlami Shaw, a former pro track athlete who has done professional modeling.

The opera will be directed by Luke Leonard and also stars Victor Khodadad as the Color Announcer

Former Houston Oilers players Earl Campbell, Robert Brazile, Curley Culp, Elvin Bethea, Carl Mauck, Billy “White Shoes” Johnson, Mike Barber, Kenny Burrough Andy Dorris, Greg Bingham, Vernon Perry and Mike Renfro will be in attendance for a post-performance Q&A. 

Ticket prices for the charity event are $100.00 - $200.00. Tickets including the cocktail reception are $500.00. Tickets are available on the Stafford Centre website.

Estabrooks returns to his native country on November 9th to perform in Sir Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. You can follow him on Twitter @JonEstabrooks.

Jonathan Estabrooks to sing Lerner & Loewe

Jonathan Estabrooks

Canadian barihunk Jonathan Estabrooks is returning to his native country to perform with the Vancouver Symphony. He'll be making a familiar foray from opera to the world of musical theater, as he joins soprano Amy Wallis and tenor David Curry in an evening of music by Lerner and Loewe. They'll perform under the baton of Steven Reineke on Friday, November 21 and Saturday, November 22 at the Orpheum Theater. Tickets are available online.

The duo is known for creating some of the greatest musicals of all time, including Camelot, My Fair Lady, Brigadoon, Paint Your Wagon, and Gigi. Estabrooks will be performing such familiar hits as If Ever I Would Leave You, They Call the Wind Maria and Gigi.

Estabrooks will also be signing copies of his debut album ‘These Miles’ after the show in the main lobby.

If you can't make it to Vancouver, you have plenty of time to buy tickets for his performances with the Seattle Symphony and Steven Reineke when he takes on the Broadway classics of Rodgers & Hammerstein from March 6-8, 2015. Tickets are available online. 

Jonathan Estabrooks isn't in this year's Barihunks calendar, but he has appeared in previous years. However, you can still enjoy 19 more of the hottest guys in the opera world by ordering your copy today. Just click the handy LULU button below.

Barihunks Humm & Estabrooks featured online!

Äneas Humm

Five days ago, we posted about the 19-year-old Swiss wunderkind Äneas Humm. You can now watch the 21-minute documentary that appeared on Swiss television online. Although the segment is in German, non-German speakers will enjoy clips of him studying with the great soprano Kristina Laki, performing onstage and peaking behind the curtain at his personal life.

We have also just learned that Humm will be replacing a baritone in Bremen tomorrow and performing Wolfgang Rihm's Hölderlin-Gedichte.

Jonathan Estabrooks

Another barihunk will be online tomorrow, when calendar model Jonathan Estabrooks will be taking questions online and showcasing music from his new CD, THESE MILES. The program, "The Story Of Jonathan Estabrooks" will air on Tuesday, July 8th at YTP RADIO. You can purchase his debut album at Amazon.

New Releases from Canadian barihunks Phillipe Sly and Jonathan Estabrooks

Two of our favorite Canadian barihunks have released CDs this week. They are strikingly different in repertory, but equally enjoyable.

The ridiculously talented Philippe Sly has released "In Love’s Minstrels" with accompanist Michael McMahon. They perform English music from the late 19th and early 20th century by Healey Willan, John Ireland, Roger Quilter, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Gustav Holst.

You can listen to the CD at the CBC website, but if you're logging in from outside Canada you'll have to create a free login (it took us 20 seconds and was worth it!).

Jonathan Estabrooks has released his album, which he funded throught Kickstarter. "These Miles" mixes classical, pop and classic musical theater, 'These Miles.' He's joined by the Macedonia Radio Orchestra in everything from Neil Diamond's Play Me to the Canadian folk song Away from the Roll of the Sea. You can preview it at CD Baby. 

Three Barihunks to perform in "Vavrek and Vrebalov"

Jonathan Estabrooks, Sidney Outlaw and Zachary James

Barihunks seem to be showing up in bunches these days and we're loving it. Our recent post about the Seattle Opera's The Consul actually featured four barihunks in one production. On the opposite coast, we have a barihunk triumverate performing in "Vavrek and Vrebalov" at The National Opera Center, which is being presented by the American Lyric Theater. The performance features Jonathan Estabrooks, Sidney Outlaw and Zachary James in selections from librettist Royce Vavrek and Composer Aleksandra Vrebalov, who were both Resident Artists at the National Opera Center.

The program will include Nora at the Altar-Rail, a short, one-act opera written by composer Jay Anthony Gach with Royce Vavrek as librettist, excerpts from Aleksandra Vrebalov’s first full-length opera, Mileva, and arias and scenes written by Vavrek with some of his favorite collaborators, including David T. Little (a scene from Vinkensport, or The Finch Opera), Jeff Myers (scenes from The Hunger Art, and Maren of Vardo), Rachel Peters (a scene from Prairie Dogs), Andrew Gerle (a scene from The Beach), and Missy Mazzoli (scenes from Song from the Uproar and Breaking the Waves - a new opera in development).

A scene from Aleksandra Vrebalov's Mileva:

Aleksandra Vrebalov is a Serbian composer based in New York City. She studied composition with Miroslav Statkic at Novi Sad University, then with Zoran Erić at Belgrade University, Elinor Armer at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Ivana Loudova at the Prague Academy of Music. She has received commissions from Kronos Quartet, Carnegie Hall, Barlow Endowment, Festival Ballet Providence, Merkin Concert Hall Zoom Series. Vrebalov is also a co-founder of South Oxford Six, a composers' collective in New York.

Vavrek has become one of the most in-demand librettists in the country, creating works for many companies including Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Fort Worth Opera, and Beth Morrison Projects.

The performance is at 3 PM on February 23 at OPERA America in New York City. Tickets are $20 and are available online.  

FIVE barihunks at the "Jeunes ambassadeurs lyriques"

Jonathan Estabrooks, Philip Kalmanovitch, Cairan Ryan, Andrey Andreychik, & Pierre Rancourt

There were five -- yes, count 'em -- five barihunks at tonight's Benefit Gala Concert of the "Jeunes ambassadeurs lyriques" in Montreal. Thanks to Jonathan Estabrooks, we got a picture of all five together backstage. This could keep anyone warm during a cold Canadian winter.

The concert celebrates the next generation of young vocal talent between the ages of 18-35. It's now in its twentieth year and part of the proceeds goes towards funding the audition expenses of the young stars for major artistic productions worldwide. A number of prizes are awarded to the singers, including the Canadian Lyric Prize, German Lyric Prize, Francis Poulenc Prize and more.

Jonathan Estabrooks and Philip Kalmanovitch have both appeared on Barihunks in the past. In fact, both have appeared in our Charity Calendar. Andrey Andreychik, Cairan Ryan and Pierre Rancourt are all new to our site.

33-year-old Andrey Andreychik is a Russian/Canadian singer who graduated from Krasnoyarsk State University with a degree in International Economics. The former chorister studied music at the University of British Columbia where he performed with their opera ensemble.

Cairan Ryan sings "When The Air Sings of Summer" from The Old Maid and the Thief:

Belgian born Cairan Ryan is from Calgary, Alberta. He is currently in his first year as a young artist at the Atelier Lyrique de L'Opéra de Montréal. He won the Prix du Jeunes Ambassadeurs prize at last year's gala. Tonight he won the Prix Lyrique Français Bourse, a $1000 bursary for a German audition tour, and an engagement to be announced in the 2014-15 season in Moscow on behalf of the Russian Consulate. He is the past winner of the McGill Noël E. Spinelli Music Award, was awarded an Alberta Foundation for the Arts Individual Music Project Grant, a McGill University Schulich Scholarship, and a bursary from the Johann Strauss Foundation.

French Canadian baritone Pierre Rancourt is a member of the Montreal Opera’s young artist program "L’Atelier lyrique." He has appeared with the company as Schaunard in Puccini's La bohème, Marullo in Verdi's Rigoletto, as well as a variety of comprimario roles. He holds a Master’s in performance from Quebec City’s Université Laval and has taken part in numerous young artist programs.

Barihunks regulars Jonathan Estabrooks & Philip Kalmanovitch

Philip Kalmanovitch is a recent alumnus of the Atelier lyrique de l'Opéra de Montréal, where he performed Antonio in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro, the Secret Police Agent in Menotti's The Consul and Wagner in Gounod's Faust. He received his Diploma in Operatic Performance with Honours at the University of Toronto and holds a B.A.H. in Drama and a B.A.Minor in Music from Queen’s University. Tonight he received the $2,500 Prix Banque TD Jeune Espoir Lyrique Canadien to support a professional training program and a future Russian engagement courtesy of the Russian Consulate, as well as future engagements with the Vancouver Opera and the Festival Opéra St. Eustache in Quebec.

Julliard graduate Jonathan Estabrooks is a familiar site to users of social media and to readers of Barihunks, as we've closely followed his burgeoning career. He is currently recording his debut album, which will include crossover music. He raised over $25,000 to fund the project on Kickstarter.  He will also star as Schaunard in the film ‘The Bohemians’ by director Jose Cuartes and Bravo Lozano Productions. Estabrooks the won the $1000 Poulenc Award tonight.

Barihunks lunch in New York City

Dan Kempson, Jonathan Estabrooks and Chris Herbert

We hosted another Barihunks Lunch in New York City this week. Although the Met rehearsal schedule prevented a number of singers from attending, three of our favorite young singers joined a table that included a composer, an accompanist, the executive director of an opera organization, a photographer...and even a hunkentenor!

We featured Dan Kempson in our last post, but we should let you know about his upcoming schedule. He's currently covering the role of Jake in Nico Muhly's Two Boys at the Metropolitan Opera, which opens on October 21st. In the Spring, he returns to the Fort Worth Opera to portray Lt. Gordon in Kevin Puts' Silent Night. Fans on the West Coast can catch him in Carl Orff's Carmina Burana with the Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra.

Jonathan Estabrooks sings Soliloquy from Carousel:

Jonathan Estabrooks will be singing two supporting roles in the American Debut production of Felipe Padilla De Leon's Noli Me Tangere based on the famous Filipino novel by Dr. Jose Rizal. The opera will be performed on October 4, 5 and 6 at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College. Keep an eye on our site for updates about his upcoming classical/crossover debut album, which was funded through Kickstarter.  

New York Polyphony sings "Times go by turns"

Christopher Herbert continues to perform recitals in addition to his work with New York Polyphony. The talented vocal quartet resumes touring on October 6th with stops in Alabama, New Hampshire, Virginia and California. Check out their complete schedule online. Their latest album Times go by Turns is available for purchase and download. The program features masses by Thomas Tallis and William Byrd, a three-voice religious setting by medieval English composer John Plummer, and three new works written for New York Polyphony by composers Gabriel Jackson, Andrew Smith and Sir Richard Rodney Bennett.

Jonathan Estabrooks and Barihunks make NY Magazine's coveted "Approval Matrix"

Barihunks is honored to have made the NY Magazine's "Approval Matrix" for the week of August 19th. And we're in the HIGHBROW and BRILLIANT quadrant! See the entire matrix at their website.

The describe the matrix as, "Our deliberately oversimplified guide to who falls where on our taste hierarchies." We are joined by a pretty illustrious group that includes Orson Welles' rediscovered film "Too Much Johnson," PBS' "Judy & Gwen" all-female co-anchor team, Hanya Yanagihara's novel "The People in the Trees," Jeff Bezos, new owner of the Washington Post, Alissa Quart's "Republic of Outsiders" and Sophie Fontanel's "French spinster by choice."

We're so glad that we weren't in the LOWBROW and DESPICABLE quadrant with Justin Bieber, Alex Rodriguez and Sydney Leather.  By the way, we really do try to keep ourselves as highbrow as possible considering that we post lots of operatic beefcake. We hope that you find us informative, as well as enjoyable to look at.

Jonathan Estabrooks

Since we know you're going to ask, the barihunk in the picture is Jonathan Estabrooks, our Mr. July for the 2014 Barihunks Calendar (due out in about 5 weeks). He was also Mr. July this year. We figured since he's Canadian, he gets the month of the Canada Day celebrations.

If you're in New York on August 15th, keep your eyes out for Estabrooks, as he's being photographed for the calendar by MyPhotographyNYC.com, our official Barihunks photographer in New York. This year's calendar is being professionally shot rather than including self-submitted pictures and promises to be the hottest ever.

Jonathan Estabrooks' Kickstarter campaign to produce CD

Jonathan Estabrooks

Jonathan Estabrooks has been a regular on this site and has been featured in our calendar, as well. He also happens to be a great guy and a whiz at social media. His YouTube site features "A Singer's Life" is a great look at the opera business from a singer's point of view. His "Most Wonderful Memes of the Year" appeared on our year-end "Best of 2012" list. When he appeared in our calendar he asked that his social media addresses be included with his photo (Twitter @estarp and Facebook).

His latest venture is on Kickstarter, where he's trying to raise $40,000 to produce a classical/crossover album with full orchestra. He chose songs that spoke to his "...personal journey and sense of discovery, but also to the collective path we all follow in life, love, faith and that yearning to find a place to call home." The CD will also include an appearance by Jonathan Antoine, a semi-finalist on "Britain's Got Talent," whose audition video has 35 million hits on YouTube.

Check out highlights of Jonathan Estabrooks singing Big Band music:

The money is needed to pay for the orchestra, studio space, mixing, mastering, layout and design, printing and promotion. We're going to make a pledge and encourage all of our readers to do the same. What a great way to support an emerging young artist. There are benefits starting for as little as US $5.00, so make your pledge today. Go to this LINK now!

Listen to American Lyric Theater's three new operas live

Jonathan Estabrooks and Christopher Burchett

We've been posting about the American Lyric Theater's project to commission three new operas under the auspices of their Composer Librettist Development Program. They include plenty of barihunks and now you'll be able to enjoy them online at OperaMusicBroadcast.com.

On May 30th at 7 PM EST, you can listen to The Turing Project by composer Justine F. Chen and librettist David Simpatico featuring barihunks Jonathan Estabrooks, Justin Hopkins and Joseph Beutel.

Sunday, June 2 at 7 PM EST, you can listen to The Long Walk by composer Jeremy Howard Beck and librettist Stephanie Fleischmann featuring barihunks Daniel Belcher and Justin Hopkins, as well as one of our honorary hunkentenors Glenn Seven Allen.

On Monday, June 3rd at 7 PM EST, you can hear La Reina by composer Jorge Sosa and librettist Laura Sosa Pedroza featuring barihunk Christopher Burchett.

American Lyric Theater hosts series of events for three new opera commissions

Justin Hopkins in his barihunk tee shirt

Back in November we posted about the American Lyric Theater's exciting project to commission three new operas under the auspices of their Composer Librettist Development Program. ALT has announced a series of events related to those works including a series of concert readings of the operas, which happen to include singers familiar to our readers.

On Thursday, May 30th there will be a concert reading of The Turing Project by composer Justine F. Chen and librettist David Simpatico featuring barihunks Jonathan Estabrooks, Justin Hopkins and Joseph Beutel. They will be joined by soprano Kathryn Guthrie, mezzo-soprano Elise Quagliata, tenor Kyle Bielfield, and tenor Benjamin Robinson.

Jonathan Estabrooks

The Turing Project is a historical fantasia based on the life of the English scientist Alan Turing. A simple man of extraordinary abilities, Turing's achievements include creating the first universal computer; breaking the Nazi U-Boat code, which proved crucial to the success of the allied forces in WWII; and creating the field of Artificial Intelligence. Yet, despite the many benefits Turing's ideas bestowed upon humanity, the British government charged him with Gross Indecency for the crime of being homosexual, and punished him with chemical castration. A year after his sentence was carried out, Turing committed suicide at the age of 41, eating an apple laced with cyanide. The opera explores Turing's extraordinary contributions to mankind, his county's disavowal of him because he was gay, and the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death.

Daniel Belcher

Sunday, June 2, 2013, there will be a concert reading of The Long Walk by composer Jeremy Howard Beck and librettist Stephanie Fleischmann featuring barihunks Daniel Belcher and Justin Hopkins, our honorary tenor barihunk Glenn Seven Allen from our year-end feature, mezzo-soprano Heather Johnson, tenor Kyle Bielfield, soprano Caroline Worra, and soprano Donita Volkwijn.

The Long Walk dives deep into the mind of an American soldier who has returned from Iraq after serving as an officer in an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit. Castner's battle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which he calls "the Crazy with a capital C," is at the center of this moving personal story of a man struggling to reintegrate himself into his family life upon his return from the war.

Christopher Burchett rehearsing Soldier Songs

On Monday, June 3rd, there will be a concert reading of La Reina by composer Jorge Sosa and librettist Laura Sosa Pedroza featuring barihunk Christopher Burchett, mezzo-soprano Audrey Babcock, soprano Audrey Luna, soprano Rosa Betancourt, tenor Dominic Armstrong, and tenor Javier Abreu.

La Reina is the story of one of the most powerful drug "queenpins" in history - Regina. The opera explores the symbiotic relationship between the US and Mexico and their shared responsibilities in the increasingly violent drug wars, fueled by revenge and corruption on both sides of the border. As events from her past invade her present reality in an American prison cell, she interacts with the ghosts of the men who have shaped her life. A shrine of La Santa Muerte (a skull and bones incarnation of the Virgin Mary and the patron saint of drug dealers) comes to life and acts as Regina's guide in her journey through her past. La Santa Muerte forces Regina to relive the tragic sequences of death and treason that led to her crowning as the queen of organized crime, and to her eventual downfall and imprisonment.

Additional information, included related events can be found on the American Lyric Theater's website.

A barihunk trio in Opera Lyra's La Traviata

Benjamin Covey, Gregory Dahl and Jonathan Estabrooks (PHOTO: Sam Garcia)

We don't usually think of La Traviata as an opera where we would find three barihunks that have appeared on our site. In fact, it's rare to find it in Verdi, although his Attila has surely given us plenty of barihunk duos, who also happen to have some pretty exciting music. But Opera Lyra in Ottawa assembled three Canadian barihunks in their production of the Verdi masterpiece: Benjamin Covey as the Marquis, Jonathan Estabrooks as the Baron Douphol and Gregory Dahl as Germont.

Gregory Dahl as Jokanaan in Salome w

As much as we love seeing three barihunks on stage together, the big news from this production is actually the return of Opera Lyra. Like many opera companies during the Great Recession, the Ottawa-based company struggled and cancelled performances, never quite sure if they could fully recover. This concert version of Traviata was a sure-fire way to get opera audiences back in the door. They will follow up with completely staged performances of Bizet’s Carmen and Puccini's Madama Butterfly, as well as a family performance of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance.

Traviata has one more performance tonight at 8 PM at Southam Hall at the National Arts Centre. Tickets are available online.

We love seeing Jonathan Estabrooks back at Opera Lyra since we began covering him when he was first appearing with the company. He has kept busy since moving to New York City, where he just completed his first performance at Carnegie Hall as a soloist with the Oratorio Society of New York in Paul Moravec's The Blizzard Voices.

Check out Jonathan Estabrook's "A Singer's Life":

Estabrooks will also team up with fellow Ottawan Larry Edelson at the American Lyric Theater in New York City. Edelson has cast Estabrooks as  Alan Turing, the World Warr II computer genius who was persecuted for being gay.

Commissioned in honor of the Turing Centennial, The Turing Project is a historical fantasia based on the life of the English scientist Alan Turing. The opera explores Turing's extraordinary contributions to mankind, his county's disavowal of him because he was gay, and the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death. The opera imagines the man inside the legend, the unique perspective he had on the universe, the public and unashamed view he had of his own homosexuality, and the impact he had upon the future of civilization.

Gregory Dahl will head to the Mannitoba Opera on April 13 for three performances as Amonasaro in Aida.

Jonathan Estabrooks video: "The Most Wonderful Memes of the Year - 2012"

Jonathan Estabrooks and his Santa Dancers

We've always maintained that Canadian barihunk Jonathan Estabrooks is one of the most versatile and original singers in the business. He's proved himself again this holiday season with "The Most Wonderful Memes of the Year - 2012" video, which was done at Algonquin College.

Estabrooks' hope is that the video will go viral, so make sure to post it on your Facebook site or Twitter feed. He also wants to perform this on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, so if anyone from "Team Ellen" is reading this, please call and book him on your show. We could even provide you with some barihunk backup dancers who are guaranteed to make your audience go WILD!

You can watch the making of this video at Estabrook's YouTube site:

You can follow Jonathan Estabrooks on Twitter at @estarp. 

Estabrooks is also featured in our 2013 Barihunks Calendar as Mr. July with a shirtless tribute to his native Canada. You can get your own copy by clicking the Lulu button below:

Barihunks Featured in MÄNNER Magazine

Barihunks will be featured in the upcoming January 2013 issue of MÄNNER magazine, Germany's leading LGBT lifestyle periodical. The feature is called "Zeig mir deinen sixpack!" (Show me your sixpack).

The feature provides a look how opera and sexuality are naturally linked, as well as the gay obsession with the art form. The feature is only available in German, but there are two pages of delicious photos to enjoy. Featured in photos are John Chest, Dan Kempson, Zach Altman, Justin Hopkins, Xavier Edgardo, Zachary Gordin, Randal Turner, Jonathan Estabrooks and Duncan Rock.

Also mentioned in the article is our beloved fellow opera site Parterre.com, who we are eternally grateful to for being an early inspiration to create Barihunks. The article also ties in Lucas Kazan's operatically inspired adult movie "The School for Lovers," which features character names that might be vaguely familiar to opera lovers: Ferrando, Guglielmo, Alfonso, Dorino and Fiorino. [NSFW link to The School for Lovers].

The magazine is available for download through iTunes for your iPad and iPhone, so you can carry these operatic beauties around with you everywhere. The issue will be available on December 18th. Of course, you can also hang them on your wall year around with our calendar:

Jonathan Estabrooks' Big Band Trailer and Concert

Jonathan Estabrooks as he appears in the Barihunks Calendar

Canadian barihunk Jonathan Estabrooks is one of those multi-faceted singers who could probably succeed at just about anything in show business, from opera, to Broadway to tv/movie acting and anything in between. Folks in Ottawa are going to experience his amazing gifts as a Big Band singer in his "Christmas with a Twist" concert with the Ewashko Singers and Pollcast at the Unitarian Church on December 15th. The concert will feature the music of Bing Crosby.

Tickets available at the door ($30.00), or in advance (General: $25.00; Students and Seniors: $20.00).

Fans of Estabrooks in New York can catch him on March 5th when he performs Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Paul Moravec’s The Blizzard Voices. The New York premier of  Moravec’s oratorio, based on the poetry of Ted Kooser, tells the story of the Great Plains “Children’s Blizzard” of 1888, giving voice to the victims and witnesses of this tragedy.

The remainder of the evening will include songs by Aaron Copland and Charles Ive. Tickets are available at the Oratorio Society of New York website. 

Estabrooks is featured in our 2013 Charity Calendar as Mr. July in honor of Canada Day. You can support singers like Jonathan Estabrooks, who honed his skills in a young artist program, by purchasing your calendar today.

Jonathan Estabrooks in film based on La boheme

Jonathan Estabrooks: A sexy Schaunard

Like most opera lovers, there are a million things that we love about Puccini's La boheme. Mainly, we love that the great Italian composer wrote three wonderful roles for baritones and basses: Marcello, Colline and Schaunard. The opera has obviously been one of the most popular in the repertory over the last century and has inspired other works, like the musical Rent.
 
The latest piece to take its inspiration from La boheme is director Jose Luis Cortes' movie adaptation "The Bohemians." This is a modern version of the opera that takes place in Williamsburg in Brooklyn, a bohemian neighborhood remembered for its abandoned industrial streets and its cultural pockets of ethnic communities. Over the past decade the neighborhood has become an artistic hot spot, not too dissimilar to the Latin Quarter of 1820’s Paris, 1920’s Berlin or the SoHo of 1960’s New York. Williamsburg blooms with artists of all calibers and it is the perfect setting for a new and relevant revision of this musical masterpiece.

Back to those baritones! Schaunard will be played by Julliard graduate and winner of the 35th Oratorio Society of New York Vocal Competition, Jonathan Estabrooks. Readers of this site are certainly familiar with this sexy, emerging talent, who also appears as the July feature in our 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar [Available by clicking on the photo in the sidebar].

Joining him in the cast is Adam Margulies, a singer, actor and writer who conceptualized "The Bohemians." Colline will be played by Tom McNichols, a 2008 Metropolitan Opera Auditions semi-finalist. Adding to the low voice fun is the casting of Mexican baritone David Robinson as Benoit.
The movie is currently in post-prodution and you can get updates on their Facebook page or on Twitter at @BohemiansMovie. You can also check out their website for additional cast information.

Multi-Barihunk Schubert-fest in New York City

John Brancy, Kelly Markgraf and Michael Kelly

When we woke up this morning and saw the announcement of New York's first performance of the complete songs of Franz Schubert, we thought that we had died and gone to heaven. It wasn't because of the thought of eight months of virtually non-stop Schubert, but it was the lineup of singers, which includes a dozen of our favorite barihunks.

The project is the brainchild of Lachlan Glen and Jonathan Ware who run Schubert & Company in the Big Apple. They've assemble fifty-three singers who have volunteered their services to perform all 603 songs at the Central Presbyterian Church the corner of 64th Street and Park Avenue.

The roster of barihunks consists of a virtual Who's Who of this site, including Tyler Simpson, Edward Parks, Kelly Markgraf, Michael Kelly, Jonathan Estabrooks, Jeong-Cheol Cha, Brandon Cedel, John Brancy, Jesse Blumberg, Julian Arsenault and others.

The duo is trying to raise the necessary funds for this project on Kickstarter and we encourage everyone to give even a few dollars/euros to makes this a reality.

"Oh, Towel Boy!": Jonathan Estabrooks in Les Mamelles de Tirésias

Jonathan Estabrooks in Les Mamelles de Tirésias

We recently featured a post about Canadian barihunk Jonathan Estabrooks, who was getting ready to perform the role of Le Mari  in Poulenc's Les Mamelles de Tirésias with the Canadian Vocal Arts Institute in Montreal. Poulenc's opera has been challenging Pearl Fishers, Billy Budd and Don Giovanni for the most pictures of shirtless baritones and we're loving it!

Estabrooks' performance at the Salle Claude-Champagne of l’Université de Montréal was no exception. Dressed in exactly one towel more than Gabriel Bermudez in his Full Monty performance, Estabrooks is a welcome addition to the Les Mamelles de Tirésias family of barihunks. 

Estabrooks turned some heads when he appeared shirtless in the 2012 Barihunks Charity Calendar, prompting one soprano to email us, "Who knew?" Estabrooks will also appear in the 2013 Calendar, which should be available for purchase in mid-September. 

You can join his Facebook Fan Page at ttp://www.facebook.com/estabrooksbaritone