Shirtless pictures of Hadleigh Adams from Bajazet

Hadleigh Adams in rehearsal as Bajazet

If web traffic to our site is any indication, then readers are clearly enjoying the posts about Hadleigh Adams preparing for the Southern Hemisphere premiere of Vivaldi's Bajazet at Australia's Pinchgut Opera. Earlier today, we posted an amazing rehearsal video of him singing "Dov'e la figlia?," which shows why he's more than just a pretty face...the man can SING! We figured that we're share a few photos, as well, because he's clearly as easy on the eyes as the ears.

Adams is returning to Pinchgut after a successful run as Pollux in their production of Rameau's Castor & Pollux in 2012. The company clearly recognizes his marketability, as he's part of their recent advertising campaign, which includes online banners, print ads and outdoor advertising. 

Hadleigh Adams in rehearsal as Bajazet

Bajazet, a rarely performed operatic tragedy, premiered in Verona in 1735 and is a pastiche of Vivaldi's own arias, as well as those by Johann Adolph Hasse, Geminiano Giacomelli, Nicola Porpora and Riccardo Broschi. The opera is also known as Il Tamerlano and the story was also successfully set to music by Handel. The libretto revolves around romantic entanglements and love triangles and the struggle for power between Bajazet, ruler of the Turks, and Tamerlano, ruler of the Tartars.

Performances of Vivaldi’s Bajazet will be on July 4, 5, 7 and 8 at City Recital Hall Angel Place in Sydney.  Also in the cast is Christopher Lowrey as Tamerlano, Helen Sherman as Irene, Emily Edmonds as Asteria and Russell Harcourt as Andronicus. Tickets and additional production information is available online.

A 40th Birthday Tribute to Mariusz Kwiecien

Mariusz Kwiecien (photo: Mikołaj Mikołajczyk)

Few singers are more popular on this site than Polish barihunk Mariusz Kwiecien. He was also one of the early inspirations for this site along with Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Erwin Schrott. He's developed a cult following with opera fans around the world and today we're celebrating his 40th birthday. Like Simon Keenlyside and Thomas Hampson, he seems to get better with every passing year. As regular readers of this site know, we've dubbed him "The Hot Pole."

Mariusz Kwiecien (photo: Mikołaj Mikołajczyk) & in King Roger

Kwiecien has a long history with New York, beginning with his participation in the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program and then becoming one of the biggest box office draws at the Metropolitan Opera. During the 2011/12  Met season, he amazed everyone with his resilience when he returned to take on the demanding title role of  Don Giovanni after injuring his back in rehearsals. The performance was also broadcast live in HD worldwide. He sang Belcore in Donizetti's L’Elisir d’Amore to open the Met’s current season, which was also broadcast worldwide. 

Mariusz Kwiecien sings Onegin's aria:

Kwiecien is probably best known for his sensuous and sexually charged portrayal of Don Giovanni. In this golden age of baritones, he's considered one of the two or three best exponents of the role. He's also made his mark in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, as Almaviva in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro, Malatesta in Donizetti's Don Pasquale, Riccardo in Bellini's I puritani, Belcore in Donizetti's L’elisir d’amore, Marcello in Puccini's La bohème and the title role in Szymanowski's King Roger.

Watch Kwiecien in the complete opera King Roger:

Kwiecien can next be seen later this month in King Roger at Ópera de Bilbao.

Many of his performances have been preserved on DVD including his stunning Eugene Onegin from the Bolshoi Opera and Met broadcasts of Donizetti's L’elisir d’amore and Lucia di Lammermoor. His new recording of “Slavic Heroes” is arguably one of the best recordings of Eastern European arias on CD.

To enjoy hot singers all year, make sure to purchase our 2013 Barihunks Charity Calendar. Singers like Mariusz Kwiecien honed their skills in young artist programs and all proceeds from the calendar will go to similar programs. Click on the blue button to buy NOW.