Just like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, swooning in her box seat as she got lost in the music, we can’t help but get weak in the knees at the sounds (and sights) of these opera-singing babes. There is something about that music slicing through the air, like it wants to grab you and throw you to the ground in a fit of mad passion. Of course, biceps aren’t necessary when singing Mozart or Wagner, but they are some nice extra credit. Take a look at some of our favorite guys, who we’ve listed below.
Paolo Fanale, Tenor
Fanale is an Italian tenor who will soon be appearing in London, in The Royal Opera production of Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. Great, he can sing, but check out the guns on this guy! In this video he rehearses with Orchestre de Paris, singing Rossini’s Stabat Mater. Wow this is sexy.
Derek Chester, Tenor
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Chester is a busy boy on the classical music circuit, singing in operas and with chamber choirs around the U.S. His considerable vocal stylings can be heard on his website. While you listen, take a look at some of the pics he’s posted on his Facebook page (click to enlarge).
Andrew Bidlack, Tenor
Bidlack has a long resume of his performances, having appeared in the three big U.S. opera cities—New York, Chicago and San Francisco—and will sing in the upcoming production of Barber of Seville at Opera Omaha (seriously, one of the best opera companies in the U.S. is in Omaha!) in October. Watch the video below of Bidlack in The Magic Flute, singing in his jammies while bouncing around on his bed:
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Gabriel Bermudez, Baritone
The world can thank opera composer Francis Poulenc for writing Les mamelles de Tirésias, because it was in this show that Spaniard opera star Gabriel Bermudez took a shower onstage. He is fully, completely, and gorgeously naked, so technically this video is NSFW, but it is high art so your boss shouldn’t mind if you get caught taking a peek on your work computer.
Donovan Singletary, Bass-Baritone
Kentucky Tennessee opera fans, rejoice! On Oct. 9 and 11, Donovan Singletary sings the lead in Knoxville Opera‘s production of Mefistofele, written in the 1800’s by Italian composer Arrigo Boito. Between shows, Singletary is a fitness guru, and he enjoys taking selfies with his shirt off. Encore! What a body. (If you like some music with your muscle, click here to see Singletary singing in Paris.)
Hadleigh Adams, Baritione
Count one hottie for Team Gay! In an interview with San Francisco’s Bay Area Reporter, Adams talked about the struggles of growing up as a gay kid in a rural New Zealand town, before making it big in the classical music world. Obviously everything worked out fine, because here he is, looking dashing, and in the video below singing with Pinchgut Opera in Sydney, Australia.
Matthew Worth, Baritone
It’s hard to focus on Worth’s voice, with those eyes looking at you, but his singing is just as pretty. Worth is scheduled to sing the title role in the world premiere of JFK, about former U.S. President, John F. Kennedy, with Fort Worth Opera in 2016.
Michael Mayes, Baritone
Enough with the pretty boys. Michael Mayes is the atypical opera star: from eastern Texas, his scruffy looks and rolling baritone voice have matched him to a signature role as the star of Dead Man Walking, based on the true story of convicted killer Joseph de Rocher’s final days on death row. (Fun Fact: this is the story that became the 1995 Oscar-winning film starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn.) Although it should be noted: Mayes is a tough guy, but the swastika tattoos are drawn on for the show.
Dead Man Walking is a dark, depressing show that has been staged numerous times around the world since it debuted in 2000, and playing de Rocher is one of the great baritone roles of contemporary opera. (Fun Fact #2: the libretto, a.k.a. the script, of the opera was written by gay playwright Terrence McNally, the Tony winner and Pulitzer Prize nominee who also wrote such greats as Love! Valor! Compassion! and Kiss of the Spider Woman.)
Mayes played the role of de Rocher in 2014 in Denver; he will play the role again in October, in New Orleans. And yes, every time he plays the role, he appears in his underwear.
Charles Castronovo, Tenor
American tenor Charles Castronovo isn’t shy about singing with his shirt off, which we love. But here is a video of him from back in 2011 singing La Traviata at the Aix-en-Provence Festival. He isn’t showing off any skin, but we’re posting it because it’s just so damn good. Opera, when done right, is really sexy.
Zachary Gordin, Baritone
Gordin has performed with Sacramento Opera, , and OperaArts Palm Springs, and he is scheduled to perform with Fremont Symphony in California this coming Spring. There are videos online of him singing, but instead we’ll share this video of him getting his photo taken for the “Barihunks” beefcake calendar that is a fundraiser for arts programs. FYI, we have the video cued to the good part.
*Ed. note: We would like to apologize for saying Knoxville Opera is in Kentucky. The fine city of Knoxville is in Tennessee. At least we were only one state away from being correct.
Xinbin Chen
Simon Well, this might interest you and one of them is in Sydney
Xinbin Chen
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mattortile/opera-hunks-who-need-to-serenade-you-right-now#.vl84Jk3GB
Matthew David Thompson
Matthew McMillion
Jim Lee
Norman Weber. You’re number 11
Will Glitzern
::swoon::
Robert Lee
Kristin Gatch Beth Parker
Billy Budd
I wanna ask Hadleigh Adams to marry me. Do you think I have any chances? I am a huge classical music fan.
largetony
Tennnessee opera fans might have more reason to rejoice about Singletary since that is where Knoxville is. Not Kentucky.
Dafydd
countertenor Philippe Jaroussky is #1 on my list followed by the rest of these gorgeous men
BlueDude
Some very fine-looking talent here!
@largetony: Tony, “Tennessee opera fans” seems like an oxymoron. It’s good to know theres culture in TN, not just nut-wing hillbillies!
Fernando Andrés
(Conner.)
Scott Dawkins
http://instagram.com/nzhads
Dan Renzi
@BlueDude: Like I said in the story, one of the best opera companies in the U.S. is in Omaha. You’d be surprised what is out there in the middle of the U.S. Although I suppose I should pay a little more attention to what is out there as well, since I mistakenly wrote Knoxville is in Kentucky. Oof.
Jose R Negron
It’s obvious you’re only featuring the 20 somethings, but Juan Diego Florez from Colombia can give these guys a run for their money in looks and talent.
Robear
Peruvian Tenor Juan Diego Florez– I get the vapors every time I hear him sing.
https://youtu.be/4XrJ4Dwuop4
ingyaom
@Dafydd: Totally agree. PJ is one of my favorites… and so handsome, too.
stranded
Hadleigh Adams looks like younger John Hamm
Jim McHardy
They are all great
Nino M Esposito
Number one on your list is amazing!!!
Michael Wray Coco
David Tousley nuggets!!!
Louis
SMH once AGAIN are any of these men gay friendly? Supportive? Contribute to any charities within the LGBT community or for the community?
Such as Aids walk? Trevor Project? NoH8campaign? BroadwayEquityFightsAids?
Just to name a few.
Id just much rather know whether to respect these men as individuals as human beings especially after reading that other post about that idiotic muscle man Neanderthal who said cruel and distasteful things about gay men looking at his pictures.
Id just much rather know whether to actually respect these men as human beings or roll my eyes and move on from yet more Neanderthal and uneducated straight men.
Just my opinion it just gets…tiring after a while in that regard.
meghanada
If you go see their social media accounts, it’s clear basically all of them are gay.
ToscasKiss
@meghanada: As far as I know, Charles Castronovo lacks the queer gene (or at least doesn’t act on it). Of the others, you may well be right.
ToscasKiss
I might ask, where’s James Valenti?