HAPPY 50th BIRTHDAY to Über-Barihunk Dmitri Hvorostovsky

Dmitri Hvorostovsky

There have been few baritones as compelling on stage as Dmitri Hvorostovsky and only a few in history who have matched the sexy Siberian's box office draw. His name is synonymous with "legato" and perhaps only Montserrat Caballe or Zinka Milanov could sing with such glorious breath control and float silken sounds into the theater.

We celebrate baritone birthdays daily in our sidebar, but reserve the main posting area for only the most special singers.

We still remember when Hvorostovsky won the Cardiff Singer of the World competition in 1989. The music world was instantly abuzz with stories about a baritone who looked as beautiful as he sounded. Perhaps this was the real beginning of the barihunk craze, but we hadn't put a name to it yet. One thing is clear, if you'll pardon the overused cliché, he has certainly aged like a fine wine. 

Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings Rodrigo's aria at age 27:

Following his acclaimed performances in La traviata and Ernani last season, Dmitri Hvorostovsky returns to New York's Metropolitan Opera, starring in two Verdi operas at the iconic American house this season. Beginning November 8, Hvorostovsky appears in a new production of Verdi's Un ballo in maschera, portraying Renato, the suspicious husband of Amelia, sung by soprano Sondra Radvanovsky. The new staging, directed by David Alden and conducted by the Met's Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi, features an extraordinary cast that includes tenor Marcelo Álvarez, Kathleen Kim, Dolora Zajick and Stephanie Blythe. Audiences around the world can hear Dmitri sing in this Met production Live in HD on December 8.

 Dmitry Hvorostovsky sings "Urna Fatale" and "Solenne in quest ora" with Jonas Kaufmann:

Also at the Met this season, Dmitri will portray Rodrigo in Verdi's Don Carlo, an epic vision of the Spanish Inquisition. Ramón Vargas and Sondra Radvanovsky will share the stage with Dmitri in this revival of the 2010 Met production, which takes place in February and March 2013.

In between his Met gigs, Hvorostovsky will return to Russia for five recitals and two gala concerts.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DMITRI!!! Thanks you for over two decades of glorious singing. 

Dmitri Hvorostovsky's Upcoming Recitals & HD Broadcast

Dmitri Hvorostovsky in Un Ballo in Maschera

The "Siberian Hunky" Dmitri Hvorostovsky is taking a break from the stage until November while he wraps up his recital tour. He has tour special concerts coming up this month.  On July 8, he'll join the great bass Paata Burchuladze and soprano Tatiana Pavlovskaya for a concert in Abakan, Russia. The program will include operatic fare by Rubenstein and Bizet, including Escamillo's signature aria "Votre toast" from Carmen. As part of his performance in the Khakassian capital, Dmitri will also sing songs by celebrated composer Aleksandra Pakhmutova, including her "Ti Moya Melodiya" and the touching "Kak Molodi Mi Bili."  (Translation of text at end of this post)

Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings Pakhmutova's "Kak molody my byli": 

On July 20th, he'll open the 21st International Český Krumlov Music Festival with the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra. The concert will take place in the beautiful Brewery Garden of the historic Czech town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hvorostovsky will sing arias from Verdi's Rigoletto and Il Trovatore in addition to Wagner's "Abenstern" from Tannhäuser and Bellini's "Or dove fuggo io mai!" from I Puritani, among others. The gala comes to a close with Neapolitan songs.

Dmitri Hvorostovsky sings Falvo's Neapolitan song "Dicitencello vuie":

If you're like most of us and you won't be in Russia this month, you can catch him on the December 8th Live in HD broadcast of Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera from the Metropolitan Oper.

Kak Molodi Mi Bili

Look back,
unfamiliar passerby,
Your glance is incorruptibly familiar.
Maybe that is me, only younger?
We not always remember ourselves.
Nothing on this earth passes without a trace,
And the youth that went away is nevertheless immortal.

How young we were!
How young we were!
How sincerely we loved
How believed we in ourselves!

Others met us back then without laughs (put-downs)
All the flowers on the roads of this earth.
Our friends for their mistakes we forgave
Only changes (cheating) we could not forgive.
The first time we already have won
And only one thing from that we understand.
So others on this earth would not lose you,
Try to not lose yourself!

How young we were!
How young we were!
How sincerely we loved
How believed we in ourselves!

In the heavens, the sky lightings have gone (sunrise and sunset)
And in the heart, the thunder is calming.
To not forget our loved faces
To not forget our native eyes...

Hvorostovsky in Russian Opera

Dmitri Hvorostovsky

We received two emails about our Russian opera poll commenting that few people have heard some of these operas. Fortunately, companies around the world are continuing to add Russian operas to their repertory, as witnessed by The Met belatedly adding Shostokovich's "The Nose." Many companies don't venture far from Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin," which is too bad, as some of the most amazing music can be found in Russian opera. There is a plethora of music for low voices in this repertory and it's also an opportunity for us to show of the "Siberian Hunky" - Dmitri Hvorostovsky. Here he is in some of the less familiar repertory.

One of our favorite pieces for baritone is the underperformed aria from by the character Shaklovity in Khovanshchina:



Prince Igor's aria from the eponymously named opera:



Boris' Monologue from Boris Godunov:



Hvorostovsky is in the Ukraine right now where he is performing a series of recitals. On March 30th he will be in London to perform at a gala concert celebrating Mikhail Gorbachev's 80th birthday. Click HERE for additional information.

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Dmitri, Sondra & Barihunks

(Photo: Pavel Antonov)


The fabulous New York Magazine ran an interview with Dmitri Hvorostovsky and soprano Sondra Radvanovsky complete with a mention and link to Barihunks. Unfortunately, we'll never know how he feels about our moniker for him - the Siberian Hunky - because having a planet named after oneself seems to trump a catchy nickname. Here is the article:

Conversation: Daffy Divas

Sassy soprano Sondra Radvanovsky and smoldering Siberian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky—opera’s best friends forever talk to Rebecca Milzoff.

It helps that they’re not romantically involved. Still, in the ego-inflated opera world, Radvanovsky and Hvorostovsky are remarkably simpatico, and, what’s more, refreshingly down-to-earth. Devotees of both will no doubt storm Carnegie Hall April 1, their final stop of a North American tour.

Continued HERE.

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All things Dmitri

One of the original barihunks on this site was Dmitri Hvorostovsky, who seems to gets sexier with each passing year. His voice remains one of the most beautiful instruments in all of opera and his latest CD, a 25-track masterpiece dedicated to Tchaikovsky songs, is a testament to his artistry.




The "Siberian Hunky," as we like to call him, has also launched a stunning website with sound clips, video and lots of gorgeous photos. The site also contains his full schedule of appearances, as well as quick links to Facebook and YouTube, where one will find dozens of additional video clips.



Hvorostovsky has also been making his mark crossing over into pop. Like Kiri Te Kanawa and Eileen Farrell before him, he is actually quite successful in making the transition. Barihunks fans on the East Coast can check out his pop concert on March 6, at New York’s Radio City Music Hall. Hvorostovsky will team up with Russian pop composer Igor Krutoi in an evening of pop tunes written especially for the baritone. Check out the video for a preview.

Opera purists need not fear, because starting on March 20th the silver fox returns to the world of opera in a series of concerts with soprano Sondra Radvanovsky. Hvorostovsky will appear with Radvanovsky at Washington’s Kennedy Center, Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall, Montreal's Place des Arts, and at Carnegie Hall.

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The Ageless Siberian Hunky

I recently saw Dmitri Hvorostovsky sing the title role of the father in Simon Boccanegra. He may have been the most gorgeous father figure in opera that I've ever seen. As he begins to play more and more mature characters including Scarpia, Di Luna and the older Russian princes and tsars, it's amazing that he still looks so beautiful.

Here his is singing Prince Igor's aria.

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