Detroit Awaits Hot New Ford

Noah Stewart & Nmon Ford

Detroit has fallen on some hard times in recent years. It was once one of the great American industrial cities with a thriving musical scene. In recent years, neighborhoods have emptied out and Detrioit is no longer one of the 10 largest cities in America. But things appear on the rebound as President Obama's auto bailout has brought new hope to the region. The Michigan Opera Theatre survived the economic downtown and the Detroit Symphony is back after a brief hiatus. Cars and music defined the city for years, so it only makes sense that the Michigan Opera Theatre is presenting the hottest new Ford in years.

It's not a Mustang or a Crown Victoria, but barihunk Nmon Ford. The singer will be performing Zurga in fashion designer Zandra Rhodes' visually stunning production of Bizet's The Pearl Fishers at the Detroit Opera House. Singing opposite Ford will be the hot, young tenor Noah Stewart, a recent graduate of San Francisco's Merola Opera program who has become a fan favorite in Detroit. We have a feeling that when these two guys appear on stage together, Detroit will have its hottest Spring ever.

Motown is back!

Ford and Stewart will alternate with tenor Jesus Garcia and baritone Edward Parks. Performances run from April 14-22 at the Detroit Opera House. Ford and Stewart perform together on April 14, 18 and 21. Visit the Michigan Opera Theatre website for more information.

You can watch Nmon Ford in a complete performance of Verdi's Attila in 

sixteen YouTube videos starting with this one:

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Rumor Mill: Kwiecien & Florez to Perfom "Pearl Fishers"

Juan Diego Florez & Mariusz Kwiecien sharing the stage?

The hottest rumor floating around the internet is that two of the hottest singers in opera are pairing up for opera's classic shirtless duet. If rumors are true, barihunk Mariusz Kwiecien will be teaming up with heartthrob tenor Juan Diego Florez for a run of Bizet's "Les pecheurs de perles" (The Pearl Fishers" at the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria off the coast of Africa. The run is rumored to start on June 18, 2012 and appears on Florez's calendar as well as soprano Patrizia Ciofi's website, but with very few details.

We will be following this story with great interest.

UPDATE: The Pearl Fishers' cast at Las Palmas in June 2012 will be: Patricia Ciofi (Leila), Juan Diego Florez (Nadir), Vasily Ladyuk (Zurga)


The Pearl Fishers' cast at Teatro Real Madrid (concert version) in March 2013 will be : Patricia Ciofi (Leila), Juan Diego Florez (Nadir), Mariusz Kwiecien (Zurga)

Matthew Polenzani & Mariusz Kwiecien sing "Au fond du temple saint" 

from The Pearl Fishers: 

Since we've featured a tenor today, we have to admit that tenor Michael Fabiano looks pretty barihunk-ish as a sex-crazed Duke of Mantua at the Florida Grand Opera.

Nadine Sierra & Michael Fabiano

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Barihunk Craig Verm's Rock Hard Pecs Coming to Steel City

Craig Verm (left), Hotter than the ad model?

American barihunk Craig Verm is returning to the Pittsburgh Opera as Zurga in Bizet's "The Pearl Fishers." The role of Zurga made Nathan Gunn's pecs famous and helped launch the term "barihunk" into general usage. We have a feeling that Verm's Zurga is going to make him a household name. How often is the singer in a role as hot or hotter than the model used by the marketing department?

Internationally-renowned fashion designer Zandra Rhodes who wowed audiences in San Francisco with her Aida has been brought on to design the costumes for one of opera's most exotic spectacles.

Verm returns to the Pittsburgh Opera after a successful run in Ricky Ian Gordon's "The Grapes of Wrath" in 2008. Verm will be joined by tenor sensation Sean Panikkar in the famous duet “Au fond du temple saint.”

Craig Verm

Performances run from November 12-20 and tickets are available on the Pittsburgh Opera website. 

Here is the now legendary performance of the duet from The Pearl Fishers with Nathan Gunn and William Burden:



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