Movie deals with man's obsession with Mozart's "Don Giovanni" and beautiful men (kind of like us!)

We always thought that no one could possibly like Mozart's Don Giovanni more than those of us involved with Barihunks. After all, the opera has given us more sexy photos than humanly imaginable, with Leporello, Masetto and the Don often cast with stunningly handsome men in various states of undress.

Then along cam the documentary movie “Naked Opera,” which tells the story of Marc Rollinger, an obsessed opera fan who travels around the world to see productions of Don Giovanni. His goal is to find the perfect production of the Mozart classic. His travels take him to Venice, Vienna, and Berlin and the movie features clips from Joseph Losey's classic film starring Ruggero Raimondi, José van Dam, Edda Moser and Kiri Te Kanawa.

Rollinger's travels are a way to escape his mundane existence and he enhances the experience by surrounding himself with gorgeous young men. He lavishes them with great food, expensive champagne and luxury hotel suites.

You'll have a tough time finding a viewing of the movie, as it has seen very limited release. It did manage to win the Heiner-Carow-Award during this years Berlinale. The DVD is available for purchase in Europe, but not in the US. You can order a copy HERE.

If you're like Rollinger and pining for the next great production of Don Giovanni, you may want to head to St. Gallen, Switzerland where a trio of barihunks who have appeared on this site are performing; Palle Knudsen as Don Giovanni, Jordan Shanahan as Masetto and Matt Boehler as Leporello. Performances run through December 30th.

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.

Keenlyside's Macbeth in Theaters Worldwide on Monday, June 13th

Keenlyside as Macbeth

Phyllida Lloyd’s production of Verdi's Macbeth from the Royal Opera House is being broadcast in movie theaters worldwide on Monday, June 13th. Click HERE for performance times in your area. The production uses Verdi’s 1865 revision, especially noted for Lady Macbeth’s great aria ‘La luce langue’ and the wonderful Act IV opening chorus, and brings out the dark motivations of the Macbeths and the light of justice for those they wrong.

Simon Keenlyside and Liudmyla Monastryrska play the Scottish nobleman and his villainously ambitious wife, who spurs her husband to murder for the sake of his career, and American bass-baritone Raymond Aceto takes the role of Banquo, murder victim and symbol of conscience.

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Maltman Nude in new Don Giovanni Adaptation

Maltman bares all for art

British singer Christopher Maltman is the latest barihunk to bare all for high art. The talented and intense Maltman will appear in Kasper Holten's updated 90-minute adaptation of Don Giovanni. Distribution is scheduled for April 7, 20011 and we hear that it's the sexiest opera themed movie ever made.

We had a difficult time embedding the trailer into this post, but you can watch it HERE. We'll keep you posted on events related the opening.

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