Mariusz Kwiecien Stars In Two Met HD Broadcasts

Mariusz Kwiecien as the title character of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni”

Photo: Nick Heavican/Metropolitan Opera

On Wednesday night, the Metropolitan Opera launched their latest installment of the Live in HD broadcasts to hundreds of movie theaters across the United States with Donizetti's Anna Bolena.

There are five more broadcasts and two feature barihunk mega-star Mariusz Kwiecien, who will be seen in June 27th performance of Mozart's Don Giovanni and the July 18th performance of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. The Don Giovanni is a barihunk lovers dream cast, as it also includes Luca Pisaroni as Leporello and Aussie Joshua Bloom as Masetto. The Lucia performance will feature Anna Netrebko and Piotr Beczala as the ill-fated lovers.

Mariusz Kwiecien and Luca Pisaroni (Leporello) in the Met's Mozart's "Don Giovanni"

Photo: Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera

Additional broadcasts include Anna Netrebko in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann on July 11th,  hunkentenor Juan Diego Flórez in Rossini’s Le Comte Ory on June 20th and Renée Fleming in Der Rosenkavalier on July 25th.

All screenings will begin at 6:30 p.m. local time. You can click HERE to find the theater closest to you.

Fans of Kwiecien should be reminded that he'll be in Santa Fe performing Karol Szymanowski King Roger from July 21 through August 14th. Check out the Santa Fe Opera website to watch Kwiecien discuss the opera or to purchase tickets.

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Aussies invade England during Diamond Jubilee

Grant Doyle and Joshua Bloom

No one saw this one coming: The Aussies invaded England in the midst of the Queen's "Diamond Jubilee" and put on quite a show. Aussie barihunks Grant Doyle and Joshua Bloom took the stage at the Garsington Opera at Wormsley estate and had the crowd thinking about things other than British Royalty and Navy flyovers. 

 Grant Doyle sings "Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen" from Korngold's "Die tote Stadt":

There are still six performances remaining between now and July 2nd. Check out the Garsington Opera website for more information. Also on the docket at Garsington is Mozart's "The Magic Flute" with barihunk Richard Latham, Vivaldi's "L'Olimiade," and Offenbach's "La Perichole."

Papageno won't be Richard Latham's first encounter with feathers

If you haven't been to Garsington and experienced opera in the lush English countryside, we highly recommend adding it to your travel itinerary.

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Barihunks Coming to Los Angeles; Listen to a Complete Performance of Verdi's "I due Foscari"

Ildebrando D'Arcangelo: Always sexy as Don Giovanni

 The Los Angeles Opera has announced their new season, which opens on September 15th with Verdi's I due Foscari, which deserves to be performed more in the United States. The baritone role of Francesco Foscari will be played by Placido Domingo. The season also includes Puccini's Madama Butterfly and Tosca, Rossini's La cenerentola and Wagner's Flying Dutchman.

Giangiacomo Guelfi sings"Eccomi solo alfine!... O vecchio cor che batti" from I due Foscari:

You can listen to the entire opera with Guelfi and the amazing Leyla Gencer here:

None of the performances have been cast with barihunks, except for the one other opera that they're performing. Of course, that would be the star barihunk vehicle Don Giovanni. Ildebrando D'Arcangelo will return to Los Angeles after a successful run last year in Cosi fan tutte. Joshua Bloom, who we just featured performing Figaro in Australia will be Masetto. Visit the L.A. Opera website for complete details.

Craig Verm & Ryan McKinny: Dream(y) casting

If you're in Los Angeles and looking for a night of barihunks, then you might want to head over to the Hollywood Bowl on August 12th for Verdi's Rigoletto under the baton of conducting wunderkind Gustavo Dudamel. The title role will be sung by baritone Zeljko Lucic, but the smaller roles are filled with barihunks including Alexander Tsymbalyuk as Sparafucile, Ryan McKinny as Monterone and  Craig Verm as Marullo.

You also want won't to miss the rising young tenor David Lomeli who is singing the Duke of Mantua. Visit the Hollywood Bowl website for tickets.

Alexander Tsymbalyuk sings Don Silvas' aria from "Ernani":

CONTACT US AT Barihunks@gmail.com

Rising Star Joshua Bloom Featured in Opera Australia's "Marriage of Figaro"

Joshua Bloom starring at Opera Australia

We haven't featured the rising Aussie barihunk Joshua Bloom in awhile and now seems like a fitting time. Bloom is starring as Figaro in Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro." Bloom joined the Metropolitan Opera roster to cover the role of Figaro for the internationally renowned baritone Bryn Terfel. More recently portrayed Masetto at the Met opposite two other barihunks, the Don Giovanni of Mariusz Kwiecien and the Leporello of Luca Pisaroni.

Back in his native country, he is now impressing audiences as the title character of Mozart's masterpiece. Music critic Murray Black of The Australian wrote, "Vocally, baritone Joshua Bloom was a superb Figaro, sustaining a strong sense of line and burnished timbre."

Bloom honed his skills as a member of the prestigious Merola Program and as an Adler Fellow in San Francisco. He was an impressive Don Alfonso in Mozart's Così fan tutte, but he really came to the opera world's attention in his portrayal of The Black Politician in the American premiere of Ligeti's "Le Grand Macabre" on the San Francisco Opera mainstage.

Joshua Bloom and Peter Tantsits in "Le Grand Macabre" with the NY Philharmonic:

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Performances of the "Marriage of Figaro" are running from February 10 through March 24 (Bloom performs through March 6, when Shane Lowrencev takes over the role). Visit the Opera Australia website for additional information or to purchase tickets.

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"The Hot Pole" Debuts as Don Giovanni TONIGHT at Met Opera

Mariusz Kwiecien backstage

The biggest barihunk news story of the season comes to a head tonight when Polish barihunk Mariusz Kwiecien steps on stage at the Metropolitan Opera.  The sexy singer suffered a herniated disk about two weeks ago and missed opening night of 'Don Giovanni,' devastating New York fans who had yet to see him in his most famous role.

There are still a limited number of seats available. Visit the Met website for ticket availability. Also in the cast are fellow barihunks Luca Pisaroni and Joshua Bloom.

Here is a video of him preparing for tonight's performance:



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Mark your calendars: Christopher Herbert, Riley McMitchell & Joshua Bloom

Chris Herbert

October 17, 2011 at 1:00 PM, American barihunk Chris Herbert will perform in St. Paul's Chapel at the Trinity Wall Street Church in New York (talk about another great way to occupy Wall Street!). He will be a soloist in Bach's Cantata BWV 76, "Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes" with the Trinity Choir and Baroque Orchestra.

Here's a performance of the piece from Vienna in 1951:





Christopher Herbert performs concerts and opera throughout the United States and Europe, principally with his ensemble, New York Polyphony.  He played a prominent part of "Sing for Hope's" 2010 and 2011 Pop-Up Pianos throughout New York.  Check out the New York Polyphony website for upcoming concerts in your area. They are not to be missed!

Riley McMitchell

On November 11th, which is Canadian "Remembrance Day," barihunk Riley McMitchell will be performing the "Mass No. 2 in G major, D.167" by Franz Schubert. The performance will begin at 8 PM at the Canadian Memorial United Church at 15th and Burrard in Vancouver, B.C.

Coming soon to Barihunks: Havard Stensvold

Here is a highlight of Schubert's Mass in G major, which includes the bass Havard Stensvold, who we can assure you will be seen on Barihunks soon!




If you can't get enough of Joshua Bloom in the Met's "Don Giovanni," you're in luck. On Monday, November 28th at the Baruch Performing Arts Center in New York City, the Aussie barihunk will perform Schwanengesang by Franz Schubert, as well as songs by Tom Lehrer and Poulen'c "Le Bestiaire."

Mojca Erdmann (Zerlina), Joshua Bloom (Masetto) (Marty Sohl / Metropolitan Opera)

Joshua Bloom was a member of the Merola Program and an Adler Fellow with San Francisco Opera. In 2005 he sang Garibaldo in "Rodelinda" for the San Francisco Opera, in 2006 he made his role debut as Nick Shadow in "The Rake’s Progress" for Opera Australia under Richard Hickox and appeared in "Die Zauberflöte" and "Salome" for Santa Fe Opera. For Opera Australia he has sung Dandini, Escamillo and Mozart's Figaro and Leporello. He made his Chicago Opera Theater debut in "Béatrice et Bénédict". Engagements include Masetto ("Don Giovanni") and Truffaldino ("Ariadne auf Naxos") for the Metropolitan Opera, Alidoro and Leporello for Garsington Opera Festival, and Rodolfo ("La Sonnambula") and Figaro for Opera Australia.

Here is the great Thomas Allen singing "Le Bestiaire":



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Sexy Barihunk Trio in Met's "Don Giovanni"; Don't Miss It!

Mariusz Kwiecien: Met promo photo (L); In Krakow Giovanni (Top); From NY Times society pages (Bottom)

New York opera fans have been consumed with Anna Netrebko's portrayal of Anna Bolena and it has often overshadowed some other good offerings at the Met. Mainly, the barihunk-laden performance of Mozart's "Don Giovanni" that is running through November 11th.

Luca Pisaroni is Leporello & Joshua Bloom is Masetto

Polish barihunk Mariusz Kwiecien, one of the world's greatest and most dramatically interesting Don Giovanni's is leading the cast. If you haven't seen "The Hot Pole" perform this role, then you haven't seen the opera. He brings an intensity and sexual energy to the role that few others have ever mustered. His sidekick is another regular from this site, Italian barihunk Luca Pisaroni. The bumpkin Masetto is performed by Australian barihunk Joshua Bloom, who would make one wonder why Zerlina would even think about being unfaithful. Visit the Metropolitan Opera website for additional dates and performance information.

Here is a Met Opera preview from WQXR's great program Operavore. It starts with Anna Netrebko and includes her singing Anna Bolena's "Mad Scene," but later in the video you'll be treated to Luca Pisaroni singing Leporello's Catalogue Aria [At 43:30 minute mark].



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Teddy Tahu Rhodes Redux & More Barihunk Mozart

Teddy Tahu Rhodes as Don Giovanni

It's not often that we feature a singer two days in a row, but (A) it's a slow news day, and (B) why would we pass up an opportunity to post more pictures and a video of Teddy Tahu Rhodes?

Teddy Tahu Rhodes' return as the title character in Don Giovanni is big news in Australia, where his career was launched as the Don and Joseph de Rocher in "Dead Man Walking."



If you love Mozart then Opera Australia should be your destination in 2012. They are also performing the Magic Flute, Marriage of Figaro and Cosi fan tutte. All of the opera include barihunks, including Joshua Bloom, Luke Gabbedy and Sam Dundas.

Luke Gabbedy (L), Sam Dundas (C) & Joshua Bloom (R)

Visit the Opera Australia website for additional cast and performance information.

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