Reader Submission: John Brandon

Two shots from John Brandon's website

Barihunk John Brandon is our latest reader submission. He opened in Carmen on Sunday at Opera Birmingham, where he is singing Morales. The 6' 3" singer has recently performed Enrico in Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor with Opera Vivente and Antonio in Mozart's Marriage of Figaro with both Nashville Opera and Opera Columbus.

The 26-year-old has toured and recorded with Kammerchor Stuttgart, English Voices and the Westminster Choir. He can next be seen in the St. John Passion as Jesus with the Chattanooga Bach Choir in his home state of Tennessee.

You can listen to audio clips of John Brandon on his website.

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Introducing Rodney Clarke

Rodney Clarke

Rodney Clarke becomes our first Jamaican-born baritone on the site. He came to us at the recommendation of one of his soprano colleagues in London.

Clarke studied at the Royal Academy of Music during which time he was awarded the Richard Lewis/Jean Shanks Award in 2001 and the Peter Moores Scholarship award.

He has performed at Don Giovanni at the Birmingham Opera, Britten at the BBC Proms, roles at the Welsh National Opera and Threestone Opera, as well as appearing as the Second Officer in Kenneth Branagh's film version of The Magic Flute.

Here he is performing "Lonely Town" from Bernstein's On the Town:



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Mayes vs Mephistopheles

Michael Mayes takes on the bad guy

One of our favorite barihunks, the funny and talented Michael Mayes is headed to Birmingham to defend Marguerite's honor in Gounod's "Faust." The role of Valentin is often played by a young barihunk when cast in an age appropriate manner. He also gets what we believe is the best aria, "Avant de quitter ces lieux."

Once again, a regional opera company has assembled an impressive cast for this opera. Joining Mayes will be the wonderful soprano Mary Dunleavy, rising tenor star Bryan Hymel and the estimable Kurt Eichelberger as the devil. For anyone worried about the future of opera, casting like this at Opera Birmingham should give one renewed hope.

Mayes is also the host of the Texapolitan Opera podcast, which is a must for any opera fan. We're sure that this performance will generate a devilishly good show. His current episode already includes two of his co-stars, Eichelberger and Millinnee Bannister, who discuss such topics as "Pants that show of your junk," "Squeal like a pig," and "Only gay men look at breasts."

For your listening pleasure, here are three barihunk versions of "Avant de quitter ces lieux" from Simon Keenlyside, Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Thomas Hampson:







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Michael Mayes: Becoming Don GIovanni

Barihunk Michael Mayes

Here is a video of barihunk Michael Mayes being made up in 45 seconds for his portrayal of Don Giovanni at the Shreveport Opera. The makeup artist is Sondra Nottingham. Make sure to check out his special Don Giovanni pose at the end.

The Texas native next appears as Marcello at the Eugene Opera on December 30, before heading off to portray Valentin in Faust with Opera Birmingham.

Here is a clip of him performing Don Giovanni:


Mayes sings Don Giovanni

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Jason Hardy's "Real Life" Marriage of Figaro

[Hardy proposing to Kahl]



In January 2009, Barihunks made our first wedding announcement when we posted photos from the ceremony between Teddy Tahu Rhodes and mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard. Of course, we've all come to know the New Zealand barihunk as "Teddy Bare" because of his surfer build and propensity to sing shirtless.

Last December, Jason Hardy created a sensation when he appeared on this site shirtless in pictures from New York City Opera's "Don Giovanni." One soprano emailed us a note that simply read, "WHO KNEW?"

Apparently it looks like soprano Carrie Kahl knew. So when Jason Hardy popped the question after the final curtain calls at Opera Birmingham's "Marriage of Figaro," Kahl quickly accepted his proposal. Hardy was performing Figaro and Kahl was portraying Barbarina.

The second and final performance is this Sunday at 2:30 PM and ticket information can be found HERE.

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