Trio of barihunks joins Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program

Michael Adams, Timothy J. Bruno and Christopher Kenney (L-R)

The Washington National Opera has announced their incoming members of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program, which begins in September. Three low male voices will be included, including Michael Adams, who has been featured regularly on this site. Joining him will be bass Timothy J. Bruno and baritone Christopher Kenney.

This year's young artists will star in performances of Handel's Alcina and Rossini's The Barber of Seville at the Kennedy Center Opera House, participate in the American Opera Initiative Festival's Proving Up, a new opera by composer Missy Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek, as well as appear in recitals and concerts across the Washington, D.C. region. Proving Up is based on a short story by Karen Russell, which tells the story of a Nebraskan family homesteading in the late 19th century.

Michael Adams sings "Pensa a chi geme" from Handel's Alcina:

Joining the trio of low voices will be tenor Frederick Ballentine, mezzo Eliza Bonet, mezzo Allegra De Vita, tenor Arnold Livingston Geis, soprano Leah Hawkins, pianist Paul Jarski, pianist Christopher Kenney, soprano Madison Leonard, tenor Alexander McKissick and soprano Alexandria Shiner.

PROTOTYPE Festival to present Breaking the Waves

John Moore in Opera Philadelphia's Breaking the Waves

The PROTOTYPE Festival, along with Beth Morrison Projects will present Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek's Breaking the Waves on January 6, 7, and 9 at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.

The piece premiered at Opera Philadelphia premiered on September 22 at Opera Philadelphi with the barihunk John Moore as the main protagonist Jan Nyman. He will reprise the role in with the PROTOTYPE Festival along with co-star Kiera Duffy as Bess McNeill. Singing the role of the Church Councilman is Marcus DeLoach, who has also appeared on this site.

The opera was a co-commission between Opera Philadelphia and Beth Morrison Projects. In Philadelphia, the opera had a "for mature audiences" warning as both leads appear nude.

The opera is based on the Oscar-nominated 1996 film by Lars von Trier. The libretto tells the story of Bess McNeill (sung by Kiera Duffy), a religious young woman with a deep love for her husband Jan, a handsome oil rig worker. When Jan becomes paralyzed in an off-shore accident, her marital vows are put to the test as he encourages her to seek other lovers and return to his bedside to tell him of her sexual activities. He insists that the stories will feel like they are making love together and keep him alive. Bess’s increasing selflessness leads to a finale of divine grace, but at great cost.

Tickets for all performances are available online. 

The PROTOTYPE Festival will also present the world premiere of Matt Marks' Mata Hari with barihunk Joshua Jeremiah, the New York premiere of David Lang's Anatomy Theater, the New York premiere of M. Lamar and Hunter Hunt-Hendrix's Funeral Doom Spiritual, the world premiere of Sarah Small's Secondary Dominance, the Brooklyn Youth Chorus’ newest project Silent Voices and Julian Wachner's Rev.24.

Order your 2017 Barihunks in Bed calendar TODAY, 

so it arrives before the New Year.  

 

Vittorio Prato

 

Barihunk John Moore in Breaking the Waves (with mature audience warning)

Barihunk John Moore and Kiera Duffy

Opera Philadelphia premiered Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek's Breaking the Waves, which includes the barihunk duo of John Moore as the main protagonist Jan Nyman and Zachary James as Terry. Mazzoli is a graduate of Opera Philadelphia’s Composer in Residence program. The opera has a "for mature audiences" warning as both leads appear nude.

The opera is based on the Oscar-nominated 1996 film by Lars von Trier. The libretto tells the story of Bess McNeill (sung by Kiera Duffy), a religious young woman with a deep love for her husband Jan, a handsome oil rig worker. When Jan becomes paralyzed in an off-shore accident, her marital vows are put to the test as he encourages her to seek other lovers and return to his bedside to tell him of her sexual activities. He insists that the stories will feel like they are making love together and keep him alive. Bess’s increasing selflessness leads to a finale of divine grace, but at great cost.

There is one remaining performance on October 1st and tickets are available online. The cast also includes the rising tenor sensation David Portillo, Eve Gigliotti, Marcus DeLoach and Patricia Schuman.

Aaron Sørensen to appear at (le) Poisson Rouge

Aaron Sørensen

We recently introduced Aaron Sørensen to readers when he was appearing with the Fort Worth Opera Festival. Now New Yorkers are going to get a chance to experience this gifted  and sexy young bass. He'll be appearing at (le) Poisson Rouge in an evening of music including Purcell, Gounod, Britten, Verdi, Mahler, and John Adams.

Gotham Chamber Opera and composer-in-residence Missy Mazzoli's band Victoire will be featuring Sorenson along with soprano Angela Fout, mezzo-soprano Abby Fischer and tenor Matthew Tuell in a night of music spanning 350 years. The show is on Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 7:30pm (doors open at 6:30pm) at 158 Bleecker Street in New York City. Tickets are $15-$25 and are available online.

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