Barihunks: A Blogsite for Singing Man Candy

There's something for everyone on the intertubes, witness a blogsite I came across about a year ago- Barihunks, presenting "The sexiest baritone hunks from opera".

Whether you are a lady who likes chiseled faces with a day or two of manly stubble, six-pack abs, and the ability to beat up some wimpy tenor while braiding his lover's hair onstage, or... if you are a guy who likes hot looking guys who can carry a tune- this is the site for you!

I'm not sure how this blogger makes a  living- could it be possible to blog almost daily on this subject and hold a real job, too? Anyway, I think the site is a hoot, and actually does contain real news from the opera world. And who knows, maybe there is a secret portal somewhere in there that takes you to a truly hot barihunks porn paysite! And, yes there is a calendar for sale.

So here are some barihunks who grace the blog:

Michael Todd Simpson (nice hair) and Joseph Lallanzi (specializes in innocent boy next door scenes)

Paul Thompson, proving of course that all guys named Paul are uberhot

Hunky Dudes playing Colline in Boheme- Tom Corbeil & Christian Van Horne
Excuse me, wasn't the flat WAY COLD- why *wink wink"is
Tom stripped down?

Donovan Singletary & Steven LaBrie
(Donovan wants to know what you want for breakfast!

And here is a recent fun quote from Joyce DiDonato:

 We do NOT need a bad imitation of another artist that has come before us (the blond one, the “Next Callas”, the skinny-one, or the “New Pavarotti” or another barihunk … Well, OK, we can always use more barihunks!).

But I can't help thinking that this site is too focused on hot Barihunks onstage today. Why aren't there any photos or articles on THESE amazing hunks ( I have included one delightful tenor, Leo Slezak, since he is so hunky) from the past:

Antonio Tamburini

 Tamburini was the most famous Italian baritone of the 19th century. He specialized in Bellini and Donizetti and any other opera composed by a guy whose name ends in the letter i. Somehow he never confused arias from one of these neverending bel canto creations with tunes from a different opera- pretty impressive. Here is a picture of this massive hunk, and please don't tell me he looks like Steve Buscemi- that's just disrespectful. And who knew a wooden version of the Stanley Cup was around back in those days?

The very hot Leo Slezak-  love the curls
(oh yeah, anyone have a swanhat fetish?)

During a performance of Lohengrin,  a stage hand sent the mechanical swan out too early, before Slezak could hop aboard. Seeing his feathered transportation disappear into the wings, Slezak adlibbed to the audience: "Wann fährt der nächste Schwan?" ("When does the next swan leave?").
Leo was daddy to the actor Walter Slezak.


BassBariHunk Hall of Fame: Tito Gobbi

I first head this Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love Machine when my high school music class made a field trip to Lyric Opera of Chicago, where he was appearing as Scarpia. Dude was scary, and the theater erupted into wild applause and cheers when Tosca gave him the shiv (it was a for-school groups performance, and we really got into it- just like any self-respecting Italian opera-goer).

Gobbi was a manly man in love with the camera- here is a gallery I am quite proud to present to you:

Tito playing Frasier Crane in the original opera by Cavalli
about a Seattle radio personality

Tito as the Joker in an early Batman movie

Tito when he unfortunately got out of shape- sob, no longer a BassBariHunk

The photographer caught Tito's reaction to Callas passing gas onstage,
yet somehow he still maintains the hunky vibe- amazing!

Tito still the hunk, even (especially?) in drag!

If you like a Daddy Bear,  you could do worse than extra "hunk on the hunk" Bryn Terfel, who obviously is still working but not as young as the boytoys who appear on the Barihunk blog:

Ooops, sorry, that was Alec Baldwin on 30 Rock, here's Bryn (looking really hunky after losing a bit of weight):

This lady has issues- too many to enumerate

Here's  a very interesting story from the Telegraph, (come on Bryn, admit you were dong a BariHunk nude photo shoot):

Bryn Terfel's night at the opera with no trousers

It was less a case of the wrong trousers and more a case of none at all for Bryn Terfel, the world-renowned opera singer, at a recent concert.

Bryn Terfel: handed back the trousers at end of concert  Photo: PA

By Stephen Adams, Arts Correspondent [wait, is this Bryn or perhaps Andy Richter?]

11:48AM BST 11 Apr 2009

Before leaving his hotel to perform on a warm day in the South Korean capital of Seoul, the Welsh bass-baritone opted to wear a pair of shorts.

But, his mind no doubt on the performance ahead, he unfortunately forgot to pack his trousers.

Arriving at the venue with only minutes before he was due on stage there was no time to return to the hotel, and Terfel was left with the prospect of singing in his shorts.

However, fortune smiled on the singer. When he appealed for help one good-natured Korean opera lover agreed to the odd request of equipping 6ft 4 ins Terfel with an alternative pair.

Speaking to Shân Cothi, a soprano and presenter on the Welsh language television channel S4C, Terfel explained: "One can be a bit forgetful on the day of a concert – and I forgot my trousers at the hotel.