Luca Pisaroni in Rossini masterpiece in Santa Fe

A young Luca Pisaroni and getting fit for Maometto

One of the greatest opera festivals in the world is getting into full swing with the upcoming world premiere of the new critical performing edition of Rossini's foot-tapping Maometto II.  The Venetian love story contains some of the Italian composers greatest music, but has somehow never entered the standard repertory, even in its reworked version Le siège de Corinthe. The last U.S. performance was the 1988 production in San Francisco, which was produced as a showcase for Simone Alaimo and June Anderson.

Pisaroni as Radamisto (Photo by Ken Howard)

Although the two best known arias are sung by the mezzo Calbo (Non temer: d'un basso affetto) and the soprano Anna (Giusto Cielo, in tal periglio), the title role is sung by a bass-baritone and contains some of Rossini's best music for low voice. Perhaps the most touching is the duet between Maometto and Anna, "Anna... tu piangi," which you can hear below.

Santa Fe has brought in one of our favorite singers, Luca Pisaroni, to sing the title role. Pisaroni has been a fan favorite at the Santa Fe Opera since his stunning debut in Handel's Radamisto in 2008. 

Pisaroni discusses Maometto II:

Performances of Maometto II will run from July 14-August 16 with the new starting times of 8:00 and 8:30 PM, dropping the later 9 PM start time (for which we are grateful). Pisaroni's Anna will be the hottest new Verdi soprano on the scene, Leah Crocetto. Tickets are available on the company's website.

Samuel Ramey & Cecilia Gasdia from Pesaro in 1985:

On July 21, Pisaroni will also be performing a recital with the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival. He'll be performing Bach's Cantata No. 82, “Ich Habe Genug," BWV 82. Tickets are available online.

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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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Highlights from Thomas Hampson/Luca Pisaroni Concert

Luca Pisaroni (L) & Thomas Hampson (R)

We recently posted about the much anticipated concert in Heidelberg, Germany featuring Luca Pisaroni and Thomas Hampson. As regular readers will know, not only are these two men some of the most popular barihunks in the world, but they are a father-in-law/son-in-law tandem. They also happen to be two of the greatest singers in the world today.

Luca Pisaroni (L) & Thomas Hampson (R)

For those of you who missed the broadcast, here are the duets from the concerts. We've also added Luca Pisaroni singing "Sorgete... Duce di tanti eroi"  from Rossini's Mamoetto II, which he will be singing at the Santa Fe Opera this summer. A performance that is not to be missed.  You can watch the entire concert at teresa59's YouTube site.

Thomas Hampson, Luca Pisaroni - Il rival salvar... Suoni la tromba (I puritani)

Thomas Hampson, Luca Pisaroni - Restate (Don Carlo)

Thomas Hampson, Luca Pisaroni - Cheti, cheti immantinente (Don Pasquale)

Thomas Hampson, Luca Pisaroni - Uldino...Tardo per gl'anni (Attila)

Luca Pisaroni - Sorgete... Duce di tanti eroi (Mamoetto II)

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Live Webcast of Barihunks Luca Pisaroni & Thomas Hampson Together

On Sunday, April 29, the father-in-law/son-in-law barihunk duo of Luca Pisaroni and Thomas Hampson will appear in a Gala Concert at the Heidelberger Frühling Festival. The West German Radio Symphony Orchestra will be conducted by Massimo Zanetti for an evening of arias and duets by Giuseppe Verdi, Gioacchino Rossini and Wolfgang Mozart.  

Since not everyone can be there, we're pleased to announce that there will be a live webcast beginning at 6 PM CEST (Noon EST, 9 AM PST), which you can access HERE.

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Luca Pisaroni featured in Opera Now

Luca Pisaroni (photo by Marco Borggreve)

Luca Pisaroni is featured in the new issue of Opera Now. The magazine has recently featured barihunks Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Christopher Maltman on the cover. This month Pisaroni didn't make the cover, as that went to the equally hunky tenor Juan Diego Florez. If you're an opera fan and don't read Opera Now,  you're missing a world of great opera writing, reviews and photos. We never miss and issue and travel with the iPad version of the magazine. Barihunks readers can get a free introductory offer by clicking on the link to the right and entering the code BAR12.

Here's a teaser from the article entitled "Leader of the Pack," which refers to Pisaroni's love of dogs and being a social animal:

Luca Pisaroni is shaping up to be one of the most successful baritones of his generation. He talks to Louise Flind about his growing recognition in major opera houses around the world, and how his trusty dogs help to keep him grounded.

There may be a handful of opera singers as tall, dark and handsome as Luca Pisaroni, but few are as adorable, funny and ambitious. He and his American wife Cate (petite, blonde and foxy, if you're asking) were at Glyndebourne last summer where Pisaroni stole the show in Robert Carsen's new production of Handel's Rinaldo. 

[Read the entire article by accessing your free trial offer].

Pisaroni can next be seen on April 29th in Heidelberg, Germany where he will be performing a gala concert with his father-and-law and fellow barihunk Thomas Hampson. The two singers will perform  arias and duets by Verdi, Rossini and Mozart. In May, he performs Figaro opposite the Count of barihunk Simon Keenlyside in Munich. In June, he performs the same role opposite Gerald Finley in Vienna.

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Three Barihunks Photographed Together at Santa Fe Opera Reception in NY

The Three Barihunks? Luca Pisaroni, Mariusz Kwiecien & Thomas Hampson

If you were going to copy the famous Three Tenors format and use superstar barihunks, you couldn't do much better than Luca Pisaroni, Mariusz Kwiecien and Thomas Hampson. The three singers were recently photographed at a party for the Santa Fe Opera in New York City. All three baritones will be performing with the opera company this summer.

Is it just us, our do Pisaroni and Hampson appear to be wearing shirts with matching patterns? Perhaps the family did some shopping in Santa Fe's famous downtown. 

Pisaroni will be performing the title role in Rossini's underperformed masterpiece Maometto II, which also features soprano Leah Crocetto, a voice you won't want to miss! Pisaroni's father-in-law Thomas Hampson will be displaying his sinister side as Scarpia in Puccini's Tosca. International sensation Mariusz Kwiecien will be taking on one his favorite roles, King Roger, in the opera of the same name by fellow Pole Karol Szymanowski. The three men are some of the most popular singers on this site and we're thrilled that all be together at one of the greatest music festivals in the world. If you haven't been, book your travel plans today.

The season opens with Tosca and June 29th. Visit the Santa Fe Opera website for additional information.

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Major Barihunk Cast Changes Announced in London, Munich and New York

There is nothing like a cast change announcement to get the online opera world abuzz. Three recent announcements involved barihunks at major houses.

Lucas Meachem (L) & Simon Keenlyside (R)

London opera bloggers seem to be taking sides in the recent announcement that American barihunk Lucas Meachem will replace British barihunk Simon Keenlyside for all performances of Le nozze di Figaro due to the latter's illness. The Brits love the ageless Simon Keenlyside and the raw sexuality and swagger he brings to his Mozart portrayals. We've seen Meachem many times and he's a very different performer, but a solid replacement.

Meachem has sung the role of Count Almaviva at Munich’s Bavarian State Opera and the San Francisco Opera. His repertoire also includes the role of Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Rossini’s prequel to Le nozze di Figaro.  Lucas made his Royal Opera debut as Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas, most recently performing in the UK as the titular character in Glyndebourne’s Don Giovanni last summer.

Luca Pisaroni: Sexy whether he's "groomed," or not

Baritone Thomas Quasthoff announced his retirement on January 11th due to unspecified health reasons. Theaters have been scrambling to replace the German singer around the globe. At New York's Lincoln Center it was announces that Italian barihunk Luca Pisaroni will step in for Quasthoff in his joint recital with tenor Michael Schade at Alice Tully Hall on March 25.

Luca Pisaroni sings Mozart, Schubert, Tosti + Interview:

Pisaroni, who is currently appearing in the Metropolitan Opera's production of The Enchanted Island, has previously performed alongside Schade on the opera stage.  Pisaroni will present selections by Schubert and Brahms. Schade and Pisaroni will also perform duets by Mendelssohn, Schumann and others.

Diogenes Randes (L) & Thorsten Grümbel (R)

At the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, Diogenes Randes announced that due to health reasons, he will be unable to sing the role of Fasolt in the performances of Richard Wagner's Das Rheingold on February 4, 8 and 12, 2012. Taking his place will be Thorsten Grümbel.

Fasolt and Fafner fight in the famous Met production under James Levine:

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Luca Pisaroni: Classical Singer Coverboy

Luca Pisaroni

We like the recent trend of Barihunks adorning the covers of major music magazines. Following Mariusz Kwiecien's appearance on the cover of Opera News and Christopher Maltman's appearance on Opera Now, we now have Luca Pisaroni as the latest coverboy. The Italian barihunk, who is appearing in the Met's "The Enchanted Island" through January 30th is  on the cover of the January 2012 issue of Classical Singer magazine.

Here is the interview:

Many singers view their career as a sprint to the finish line. Discordant with instrumentalists who can pick up the violin at age 3 and make their Lincoln Center debuts before they’re 10, and even fellow crooners in other genres who can go platinum before they’re able to legally drive a car, classical vocalists face a variety of developmental hurdles before the real work can begin.

Traditional training today leaves singers taking an average of one voice lesson a week and often being catapulted into roles—either by agents or opera companies—at preternaturally early ages, ages often included in (if not headlining) marketing copy. What follows is an inevitable, and often very public, burnout.

Bucking this trend, however, is bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni. Born in 1975, Pisaroni is just beginning his rise to prominence in the United States. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut at 29 as Publio in Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito, but gave a star turn in New York as Leporello in the company’s new production of Don Giovanni (and returns this month as Caliban in the world premiere of The Enchanted Island). Compared to many of his peers who have headlined multiple Met productions and sweep across Europe, it may seem to some as a delayed trajectory—but for Pisaroni it’s not the majority of a sprint, but rather the first few miles of the marathon.

“It takes a life to master your voice, and it takes really only a few bad repertoire choices to ruin your voice. And once it’s gone, it’s gone,” explains the Venezuelan-born Italian singer over ginger ale at a hotel lounge that faces the Met. Growing up in Busseto, a comune in Parma and the birthplace of Giuseppe Verdi, Pisaroni developed an early passion for opera, admitting that he cannot remember his life without the art form. He listened obsessively to Boris Christoff singing the Verdi canon, from Don Carlos’ “Ella giammai m’amo” to Simon Boccanegra’s “Il lacerato spirito” to selections from the cabaletta-rich Attila. A few years later, at age 11, he saw his first opera—Aida. Around the same time, he destroyed a cassette tape of Pavarotti, singing over his recording of Tosca trademark “E lucevan le stelle” in tandem with the star tenor and checking to make sure his notes were high and long enough. [Continue reading HERE]





After his run at the Met, Pisaroni sticks to baroque music, as he rejoins cast member David Daniels in at the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Argante in Handel's Rinaldo. Performances run from February 29-March 24. Click HERE for additional cast and performance information. 

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Luca Pisaroni Gets Ugly at the Met

Luca Pisaroni: From Hot to Not

The Metropolitan Opera is premiering the baroque pastiche "The Enchanted Island" tonight and it will run for a month. The music is taken from a number of 18th century masters, including Handel, Vivaldi, Rameau, and others. The original libretto which is drawn from Shakespeare was written by the British writer/director Jeremy Sams. Additional performance information and tickets are available HERE.

As much as we're intrigued by the opera and impressed by the amazing cast that they've assembled led my Joyce di Donato and David Daniels, we were fascinated by the transformation of barihunk Luca Pisaroni into the less-than-attractive character Caliban.

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Kwiecien & Pisaroni in rehearsal and on Met Feature; Teddy Tahu Rhodes on Barihunks

Mariusz Kwiecien backstage at the Met

Mariusz Kwiecien, Luca Pisaroni and Barbara Frittoli were featured on the Metropolitan Opera's recent HD broadcast of Don Giovanni in movie theaters across the globe. Here is the intermission feature with Renee Fleming talking to the singers. The video includes some great video from the final dress rehearsal.



Teddy Tahu Rhodes is on a concert tour of Australia with tenor David Hobson, which we've covered in a previous post. The Gay News Network recently caught up with the singer and asked him about Barihunks. Here's what he had to say.

Whereas Hobson has a more wholesome public image, Rhodes is often painted in the media as the bona fide rock star of the opera. He’s never been afraid of whipping his shirt off at a moment’s notice, which has earned him a certain kind of internet idolatry as well coverage in sundry dubious blogs like ‘Barihunks’, dedicated to the noble pursuit of documenting ‘the sexiest baritone hunks for opera’.


“I know! People bring it up all the time!” Rhodes sighs. “I swear I have never looked at it, but believe me, I know about that site. [Editor comment: Gotta love the Gay News Network calling us a "dubious blog"]

We're not sure we believe that Rhodes has never seen the site. We saw another interview with a singer from Down Under who was featured on the site who also said that he'd never looked at Barihunks. That, of course, begged the question of who was sending us all those emails with his name and photos attached.

Don't forget to order your 2012 Barihunks calendar. Click HERE to order. All proceeds go to support young artists.

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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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New York Observer Profiles Luca Pisaroni; Thoughts on a Kwiecien Replacement

A Leporello who should get the girl: Luca Pisaroni

Zachary Woolfe of the New York Observer has written a wonderful profile of Luca Pisaroni, who is appearing as Leporello opposite Mariusz Kwiecien Peter Mattei in the Met's Don Giovanni. You can read it on the Observer website.

For the legions of fans who were disappointed by Kwiecien's injury and cancellation, Pisaroni is a nice consolation prize as Leporello. Who knows, maybe Leporello will get the girl(s) this time.

Randal Turner: The logical replacement for Kwiecien

By the way, we were hoping that the Met would scoop City Opera and bring in Randal Turner to take over for Kwiecien. He's the only Don who can match Kwiecien's raw sexuality in this role. Turner will be making his New York stage debut in February in Rufus Wainwright's "Prima Donna."

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Barihunk Switch: Mattei Replacing Kwiecien in Met's Don Giovanni

Mariusz Kwiecien

The Metropolitan Opera has announced that Peter Mattei will replace Mariusz Kwiecien in Don Giovanni after the Polish barihunk injured his back at the final dress rehearsal. We first heard about the switch from some disappointed Kwiecien fans who were looking forward to him singing the title role at the October 13 performance. New Yorkers have yet to experience him in what is arguably his greatest role. He's performed the role in Seattle, San Francisco, Munich, Italy and Poland, but not on the of the stage of the Metropolitan Opera. Current plans are for Kwiecien to only miss opening night.

Peter Mattei (Photo NY Times)

Rodion Pogossov will replace Mattei in the October 11 and 14 performances of Barbiere, as well as continue with his previously scheduled performances as Figaro on October 26, 29, February 4, 8, 11, 15 and 18. 

The Met's new production of Don Giovanni is directed by Michael Grandage and will be conducted by the company's principal conductor Fabio Luisi. The performances star Marina Rebeka in her company debut as Donna Anna, Barbara Frittoli as Donna Elvira, Mojca Erdmann as Zerlina, Ramón Vargas as Don Ottavio, Štefan Kocán as the Commendatore and barihunks Luca Pisaroni as Leporello and Joshua Bloom as Masetto.

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Alex Lawrence and Rod Gilfry's Daughter Carin Gilfry Engaged

Alex Lawrence & Carin Gilfry

The Barihunk family tree appears to be expanding, as Alex Lawrence has announced his engagement to Carin Gilfry, daughter of barihunk Rod Gilfry. Regular readers will know that Thomas Hampson's son-in-law is fellow barihunk Luca Pisaroni. Also, barihunks Jonathan Beyer and Brandon Cedel, as well as Dan Kempson and Zach Altman are couples. We're also pleased that we have happier news to announce for Carin Gilfry, who we last reported was in a car accident with fellow performer Daniel Okulitch.

Alex Lawrence is currently in Basel, where he will appear in Dvorak's "Rusalka," Bizet's "Carmen," and Berg's "Wozzeck." Here is Lawrence singing "Fin'che han dal vino" from Mozart's "Don Giovanni" in Philadelphia.



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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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Barihunk Baroque: Pisaroni's Rinaldo from the BBC Proms

Luca Pisaroni after a recent performance of Rinaldo

We have three clips of Luca Pisaroni singing selections from Handel's "Rinaldo," which was broadcast live on the BBC on August 25, 2011.

Luca Pisaroni sings the thrilling Act 1 aria "Sibillar gli angui d'Aletto"from Handel's Rinaldo:

 

Luca Pisaroni sings the Act 2 aria "Basta che sol tu chieda" from Handel's Rinaldo:



Luca Pisaroni and Brenda Rae sing the Act 3 duet "Al trionfo del nostro furore" 

Also, don't forget that for the next two weeks we'll be taking submissions for our first-ever charity Barihunks calendar. Send High Res photos and bio to Barihunks@gmail.com.

New Yorkers are gearing up for Pisaroni's return as Leporello in the Met's "Don Giovanni" with fellow barihunks Mariusz Kwiecien as the Don and Joshua Bloom as Masetto. Here is Kwiecien singing the Champagne Aria at the Met in 2009. Click HERE for tickets and additional cast and performance information.

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Pisaroni's Change of Character in Houston

Luca Pisaroni joins Adriana Kucerove (L) & Ellie Dehn (R) for a curtain call at HGO

In an age when most opera companies are cutting back performances, it was refreshing to see that the Houston Grand Opera had to add a performance of the Marriage of Figaro. Of course, this was the debut of barihunk Luca Pisaroni in the role of Count Almaviva, so we can understand the buzz. Pisaroni has made the other baritone role in the opera, that of Figaro, virtually a calling card role. He's sung it all over the world, including recent perfromances in Vienna, San Francisco, Paris, New York, Amsterdam, Salzburg and Madrid. He turned over the role to the talented Patrick Carfizzi for the run in Houston.

Performances run through April 30 and you can click HERE for additional cast and performance information. 

Here is Pisaroni singing Figaro's aria "Aprite un po quegli occhi" in Amsterdam.



We couldn't find a video of Pisaroni singing the Count's aria "Hai gia vinta la causa," but here is his father-in-law Thomas Hampson performing the aria in Salzburg. How would you like to be sitting around the piano at one of their family get togethers?



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