Our recent post praising the artistry of Simon Keenlyside turned out to be an extremely popular post, so we're posting more of the popular barihunk. Simon-mania must be in the air, as "ColoraturaFan" on YouTube posted this 15 minute tribute, which covers most of his great roles.
Enjoy another healthy dose of Keenlyside:
Next month, Keenlyside will be performing Pelleas et Mellisande in Paris and London, followed by Verdi's Macbeth at Covent Garden and then the Count in Le Nozze di Figaro at Salzburg. His Macbeth opens in theaters around the world in June. Visit the Opus Arte Cinema website for screenings in your area.
The Boston Lyric Opera's performance of Handel's "Agrippina" is opening on Friday, March 11 with barihunks Christian Van Horn and David McFerrin (and lots of countertenors). For additional cast and performance information visit the BLO website.
David McFerrin: Rising Star
McFerrin has been featured on this site before as one of the alternating leads in the Seattle Opera's premiere of Daron Hagen's "Amelia" (the other lead was Nathan Gunn). He was also a standout in Steven Blier's "New York Festival of Song" singing some of the more provocative songs on the program. McFerrin was also a Metropolitan Opera Regional Auditions finalist and we encourage anyone in the Boston area to check out this rising star.
Here is a clip of Christian Van Horn performing in Lucretia Borgia at the Bavarian State Opera.
New CDs by Daniel Okulitch & Randal Turner due for March 2011 release
Readers of this site who appreciate our great American composers are in luck. Two new CDs are due for release this month that showcase new American music. Barihunks Randal Turner and Daniel Okulitch are both releasing CDs this month that feature songs by Glen Roven, Ricky Ian Gordon and Jake Heggie. Okulich will also feature songs by Lowell Liebermann, while Turner will feature music by the wunderkind composer Clint Borzoni.
Daniel Okulitch and Randal Turner during their recordings
One other difference will be that Okulitch recorded his CD in the studio in anticipation of a series of live concerts. Turner's CD was recorded live in San Francisco and even features a special encore tribute to the "City by the Bay." Turner's concert will also be available in a high-definition DVD video format.
Both CDs will be available for pre-release purchase through this site. Stay tuned for more details.
Enzo Romano (L), Szymon Komasa (C) & Davide Bartolucci (R)
Finalists were announced 3,500 miles apart in two of the most prestigious vocal competitions in the world. The Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions announced their eight finalists and the grandly named "Cardiff Singer of the World" named their twenty finalists.
Although separated by the Atlantic Ocean and a different approach to reaching a winner, one thing that both competitions have in common is an abundance of barihunk talent.
Nicholas Masters & Philippe Sly
Both Nicholas Masters and Philippe Sly, who we featured earlier on this site, are among the "Elite Eight" who will sing with the amazing Metropolitan Opera Orchestra at Lincoln Center on Sunday, March 13. Winners will receive $15,000 each.
HVOROSTOVSKY AT CARDIFF IN 1989
At Cardiff, three singers who are new to this site will compete for the Grand Prize, which in 1989 went to barihunk Dmitri Hvorostovsky. Italian baritone Davide Bartolucci, Polish baritone Szymon Komasa and Uruguayan Enzo Romano will compete between June 12-19 for the coveted title. [Click on their names to read their bios]. Famed baritone Håkan Hagegård will be one of the judges, as will Dame Kiri te Kanawa and Marilyn Horne. In addition to the Grand Prize, Cardiff awards a Lieder Prize and an Audience Favorite Prize.
PAUL WHELAN SINGS CLAGGART'S ARIA FROM BILLY BUDD
Other Cardiff winners who have appeared on Barihunks are Paul Whelan, winner of the 1993 Lieder Prize, Christoper Maltman, winner of the 1997 Lieder Prize, Tommi Hakala, who won the Grand Prize in 2003 and Jacques Imbrailo, who won the Audience Prize in 2007.
We hope that you had the chance to watch Opera Mission's wonderful Kurt Weill concert on Barihunks recently. If you missed it, here are two songs by the gifted barihunk Ian Greenlaw. The first video is the popular "Mack the Knife" and it's followed by the less familiar "River Chanty" from the musical Huckleberry Finn.
