Chan Hee Cho and Johannes Kammler take top prizes at Neue Stimmen

Chan Hee Cho at Neue Stimmen

South Korean bass Chan Hee Cho took the top prize for men at the Neue Stimmen International Singing Competition, delivering a powerful rendition of Banquo's aria from Verdi's Macbeth "Come dal ciel precipita." He followed this up with a thunderous performance of "La calunnia" from Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia. 

Chan Hee Cho studied at Hanyang University College of Music in Seoul and won first prize at both the 2016 Gian Battista Viotti International Music Competition in Italy and at the 2015 Seoul Philharmonic Vocal Competition. In 2015,  he made his professional debut at the Seongnam Arts Center opera house in the title role of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro.

Second place went to German baritone Johannes Kammler, who sang "Largo al factotum" from Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia and "Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen" from Korngold's Die tote Stadt. 

Johannes Kammler at Neue Stimmen

Kammler will be an ensemble member at the Bavarian State Opera for the 2017-18 season where he will perform Le Dancaïre in Carmen, Fiorello in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Harlequin in Ariadne auf Naxos and Count Dominik in Arabella. He made his debut at the Verbier Festival in 2015 as Marcello in Puccini's La bohème.

Third place went to Chinese tenor Mingjie Lei.

For the women, mezzo-soprano Svetlina Stoyanova took the top prize, as second place went to mezzo-soprano Emily D'Angelo, and third place went to mezzo-soprano Zlata Khershberg.

In 2009, barihunk Iurii Samilov took top honors at the young age of 21. He has been a member of the ensemble at the Frankfurt Opera since 2014.

Derek Chester and Marco Vassalli

Our 2018 Barihunks Calendar, which includes 20 of opera's sexiest men is now available for purchase HERE. In response to reader demand, we've also added a Barihunks Photo Book this year, which includes additional photos that don't appear in the calendar. You can purchase that HERE. The New Year is approaching faster than you think! 

Jongmin Park wins two awards in Neue Stimmen competition; Watch the entire concert here

Jongmin Park

The low voices continue to dominate major international singing competitions, as South Korean bass Jongmin Park took second prize in the Neue Stimmen Vocal Competition. The prize comes with 10,000 Euros and the opportunity to sing in the prize-winners concert in Berlin in March 2014. Park also won an additional 500 Euros for capturing the Audience Favorite Award. Had there been a best hair competition, we're pretty certain that he would have won that as well.

Park sang "La calunnia" from Rossini's Barber of Seville and "Schweig, schweig" from Weber's Der Freischütz. The 15,000 Euro first prize was won by Ukranian soprano Olga Bezsmertna, who sang "Depuis le jour" from Charpentier's Louise and "Dove sono" from Mozart's Marriage of Figaro.

Although the awards were announced last month, we're just getting a video of the concert, which you can watch in its entirety here:

Park was born in Seoul and studied singing in his hometown at the Korea National University of Arts with Hans Choi. He is currently a member of the ensemble at the Hamburg State Opera, where his roles have included Sparafucile in Verdi's Rigoletto, Il Re in Verdi's Aida, Sagrestano in Puccini's Tosca, Bonzo in Puccini's Madame Butterfly, Avosmediano in Palestrina by Pfitzner and Masetto in Mozart's Don Giovanni.

In November 2011, he had a major success in his debut at the Vienna State Opera as Colline in Puccini's La Bohème. Future seasons will see Mr. Park return to the Hamburg State Opera in leading roles such as Colline, Masetto, Truffaldino in Richard Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos, and Wagner in Gounod's Faust, as well as concert performances in Hamburg and Seoul.

Park has received numerous prizes and awards in his career, including first prize for male voices at the International Tchaikovsky Competition, the Birgit Nilsson Prize for Wagner singing at Plàcido Domingo's Operalia and first prize and the Audience Prize at the inaugural Stella Maris international vocal competition.

You can support young artists like Park, by purchasing our 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar. Every penny of profit goes to support young artists and young artist programs. Buy yours today: