The early results of our latest poll show that Francis Poulenc is the favorite French composer of Barihunks readers. Francois LeRoux, who we featured in yesterday's Bastille Day post, has dedicated himself to preserving French song. In August, his Académie Francis Poulenc will a ten day exploration of French song focusing on Poulenc, Charles Bordes, Emmanuel Chabrier and Henri Dutilleux.
Francois Le Roux
Here is Le Roux performing Poulenc's 1948 song-cycle Calligramme based on seven poems by Guillaume Apollinaire.
UPDATE: A reader asked if it's true that Francois Le Roux was the first male opera singer to appear completely nude onstage. We believe that to be true. He stripped off his clothes in Birtwistle's "Gawain" and had buckets of blood poured over his body. There is a pirate DVD of the opera if anyone is interested.
We couldn't find a good baritone version of Le Marsellaise, so we'll break all of the rules and celebrate Bastille Day with a tenor. Here is the always entertaining Roberto Alagna singing the spirited anthem of France.
What better way to celebrate than with some French barihunks singing French music. Let's start with Gerard Souzay singing Ravel's "Don Quichotte" and Gabriel Fauré's Après un rêve:
François Le Roux
Here is François Le Roux singing Henri Duparc's "Chanson triste" and Charles Gounod 's "Le Soir":
One of our favorite composers in the world today is Glen Roven and we'd like to wish him a rousing HAPPY BIRTHDAY ! ! !
Glen Roven is an Emmy Award-winning composer, lyricist, and conductor. One of his notable compositions include a violin concerto based on the children’s book The Runaway Bunny. Another notable composition is “Goodnight Moon, An Aria for Singer and Orchestra” which Lauren Flanigan performed in Central Park May 9, 2010 for an audience of 10,000. It was subsequently performed at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall and the Kimmel Center. He is the Artist Director of “GPR Records” where he conceived and produced “Poetic License 100 Poems/100 Performers” where artists such as Catherine Zeta-Jones, Patti LuPone, Jason Alexander, Cynthia Nixon, etc. perform their favorite poem. The CD has become the best selling Poetry CD of all time. “Pandora’s Box”, for which he wrote music and lyrics, will be performed at the NYMF Festival October 8 starring Kerry Butler and Deidre Goodwin.
Here is Randal Turner singing two Glen Roven songs from the set "Four Melancholy Songs, Opus 16, No. 1" based on poetry by William Butler Yeats. The perforfance is from Turner's live concert in San Francisco last year.
"The Lake Isle of Innisfree"
"When you are old"
Also, we'd like to wish a Happy Birthday to another barihunk, Jesse Blumberg, who can scroll down and listen to.
Tomorrow is opening night for Nathan Gunn's first "Eugene Onegin," which we've been talking about for a year. The Cincinnati Enquirer recently ran this interview with the "original barihunk.":
It's hard to ignore opera baritone Nathan Gunn's movie star looks, ideal for the Metropolitan Opera's "Live in HD" series, in which he has appeared in movie theaters around the world.
One of opera's most dashing leading men, the South Bend, Ind., native has attracted fans not only for his rich, warm baritone - winning acclaim for roles such as Billy Budd at the Metropolitan Opera - but also for a few of his shirtless costumes. [Continue reading HERE].
Nathan Gunn
Tickets range from $26-$165 and can be purchased by calling 513-241-2742 or visiting www.cincinnatiopera.org. Here is a preview of the opera by General Director Evans Mirageas.
You can also listen to Anne Arenstein's intelligent interview with Gunn by clicking HERE.
Video has finally surfaced of Jesse Blumberg's performance as Polifierno in Agostino Steffani’s opera, Niobe, Regina di Tebe. The opera recounts a story from Ovid’s Metamorphoses about the Queen of Thebes whose pride earns her family the vengeance of the gods. Here he is with the wonderful countertenor Matthew White singing the role of Creonte.
Blumberg's next performance will be on July 16th at the Midsummer Fundraising Event for the Five Boroughs Music Festival, which the New York-based singer founded. For more information visit the festival website. Or click HERE to purchase tickets.
Michael Todd Simpson has been asked to step in for fellow barihunk Keith Miller as Escamillo in the current run of Bizet's "Carmen" at Glimmerglass. Simpson recently sang the role at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, China.
Simpson takes over on July 15 for Miller who decided to withdraw from the production. Performances run through August 23 in the Alice Busch Opera Theater in Cooperstown, New York. Visit www.glimmerglass.org for tickets and information.
We recently blogged about another barihunk in the production, the Morales of barihunk Wes Mason.
Talented, Competitive & Sexy: Jonathan Beyer & Brandon Cedel
We've always known that Jonathan Beyer is competitive and a winner. In fact, we've blogged about his penchant for winning major voice competitions, usually be nailing John Adams' "News has a kind of mystery..." from "Nixon in China." We had a difficult time finding some video, but you can click HERE and listen to "News..." and other arias sung by Beyer.
Apparently, that competitiveness is playing out in our "Favorite Opera Couple" competition, as he and his baritone partner Brandon Cedel have made a stunning leap into first place. You can listen to Cedel HERE.
Today is the last day to vote, so make sure to let us know who your favorite opera couple is. In the meantime, we'll keep searching for a Beyer/Cedel video.
Also, we received some pointed emails asking why Patricia Racette and Beth Clayton weren't included in the poll. It was an unfortunate oversight. To make up for the error, here they are as part of the "It Gets Better" campaign:
We also received some email about Erwin Schrott's hair, particularly if the photo we used was recent. The photo is from an event last weekend and the popular barihunk is indeed a blond now. Here's a better picture.
