Posts Tagged ‘Nathan Gunn’

Figaro had a life before he got married, you know.  He was the kind of man that men wanted to be and that ladies wanted to be with – a barber to the stars, if you will, roaming around Seville singing his own praises.  In Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, on now at LA Opera, Figaro happens upon Count Almaviva who’s cleverness has been trumped only by his hopeless love for Rosina, who is the ward of the tyrannical Doctor Bartolo.  Almaviva convinces Figaro, with the promise of “gold in abundance” to help him win his heart’s affection.

What follows is a phenomenally witty opera filled with comic nuances that are only enhanced by this production’s stellar cast.  Nathan Gunn returns to LA Opera as the arrogant, but not without reason, Figaro – his polka dot vest and coiffed brown locks both proof of his status as premiere “barihunk.”  Renowned tenor Juan Diego Florez makes his LA Opera debut as the love-struck, earnest Count Almaviva.  These two have a George-Clooney-and-Brad-Pitt-in-Ocean’s-Eleven dynamic right from the start; their planning and plotting makes for fantastic comic fodder and both men go far beyond impressing the audience with their abundant solos.  Where Gunn’s clear, skillful baritone strikes just the right note in Act I’s “Largo al Factotum,” Florez’ sweet songs in Act II captivated and held the audience with his strong and multifaceted voice.

It’s quite clear why Florez’ Count Almaviva is so enamored with Rosina.  Played by Joyce DiDonato, it almost seemed like the audience wanted to clamor up on stage and serenade her themselves.  When she sang, I believe no one in the audience could even fidget – she has such control over her voice that her girly, giggling, and somehow manipulative character still left room to hear a masterful performance.  The three of them together, Florez, Gunn, and DiDonato, make for a powerful trio – their wily chemistry on stage was not only hysterical, but beautiful.

The rest of the cast is certainly not to be overlooked.  The genius of Don Basilio, played by the overwhelmingly large and deep voiced Andrea Silvestrelli, is matched perfectly with the bumbling, gullible, and simply cruel Doctor Bartolo, played by Bruno Pratico.  Both of their voices are suited so well to their roles it’s hard to imagine them playing anyone else.

I can’t say enough about the set design – it starts out in an entirely white and black palate only to be transformed in the second act to a striking (and typical to Seville) set of fantastic colors.  And that includes the costumes – Florez’ all hot pink suit at the end of Act II is nothing short of a miracle.  From the Overture, you may be surprised as to how recognizable this music is – if you’ve never listened to The Barber of Seville on purpose, you definitely have without knowing it.  And it’s always an added treat to attend the opera when you’re familiar with the music.

I only wish there was a more eloquent way of saying: see this opera.  Doesn’t matter where you sit, just go.

The Barber of Seville is playing at LA Opera through December 19, 2009.  Please call (213) 972-8001 or click here for more information.

Listen to “Una Voce Poco Fa” (Rosina’s famous aria) here:

This week, we’ve been glued to Culture Monster, discovered Lady Gaga’s philanthropic side, and have seen many Angelenos brave the opposite coast for Art Basel: Miami.  All in the name of art.

• Not only did Lady Gaga perform with the Bolshoi Ballet for MOCA’s 30th anniversary gala this month, but now the museum is auctioning off items used during the performance.  The gala, according to The Daily Beast, raised $4 million for MOCA (phew!) and Gaga’s costumes are the gift that keeps on giving – some of the items to be auctioned off include Prada dress, a Frank Gehry designed hat, and masks by Baz Lurhmann and Catherine Martin.  {The Daily Beast}

• We knew baritone Nathan Gunn had a notable effect on the ladies, but were blithely unaware that his influence on his fans is such that they’ve coined the term “barihunks,” for hunky, baritone leading men in opera, a group in which Gunn is a favored and founding member.   The buff, tall glass of water will perform in LA Opera’s upcoming Barber of Seville, but according to Culture Monster, there are a number of blogs devoted to these barihunks. Now, even tenors are getting in on the action.  {LA Times’ Culture Monster}

• A staff strike at Paris’ Centre Pompidou was extended this week and some fear that the strike could spread to other museums nearby including the Louvre and Versailles Palace.  The staff are upset over planned job cuts and after a meeting with France’s Culture Minister Frederic Mitterand went sour this week, it doesn’t look like Parisians will be getting their contemporary art fix too soon.  {ArtInfo}

• Once Thanksgiving passes, it’s only a blink of an eye before the art world descends on Miami.  December 3 – 6, the tanned retirees of Miami will be joined by artists, collectors, gallerists, and curators for Art Basel: Miami.  LA galleries represented this year include Blum & Poe, Michael Kohn Gallery, Regen Projects, and Roberts and Tilton Gallery.  {Art Basel: Miami}

• Also on LA Times’ Culture Monster this week, a list proving that LA’s theatre scene is worth it’s salt.  Charles McNulty notes Geffen Playhouse’s Equivocation, LA Jolla Playhouse’s production of Bonnie and Clyde, Love’s Labour’s Lost at The Broad Stage, and Mary Poppins, which recently opened at the Ahmanson, among the manifold ways in which this city continues to support live theatre.  Take that New York (and Seattle)! {LA Times’ Culture Monster}