Au fond du temple saint - Nathan Gunn, William Burden

[joaopedro12]

Well even opera singers have abs now, now it's my time!!

[Cantormatis]

Gee, if either of them could sing nearly as good as he looks with his shirt off. Please.

[barneswriter]

think Nathan would be on top.

[robjacksontop]

@barneswriter HAD HIM.... he's a bottom for sure.

[14unionst]

I mention "working for someone" because posts here & elsewhere sometimes worry about a singer's tongue being too curled back on high notes, or a flutter tongue or tucked chin or unusual lip formation. But even if it's against traditional pedagogy, if it works, so be it. I knew an excellent soprano whose eyes crossed on any note about high A, and I didn't care a bit ... though I admit close up, it could be disconcerting. Watch some early Carreras: his whole HEAD vibrates when he gets going.

[Cantormatis]

@14unionst Of course, early carreras, as beautiful as that sound was, was already so filled with technical flaws...

[14unionst]

Yes, the breath control and technique here are both first-rate. Of course, proof in art isn't limited to the handsome. Caballe is a big, buxom woman and she could sing the spots off just about anyone, anywhere, anytime. Breath forever. With sites like YouTube, and the many live broadcasts/recordings out there now, we have the chance to study these things not just with our ears, but our eyes. Use the knowledge! If it works for someone, and they show vocal health & longevity, it's right for them.

[poseuresque]

one must close one's eyes and listen...otherwise...gay thoughts. despite that, the baritone is very impressive

[ivelosthewilltolive]

Which one's the top and which one's the bottom?

[Luindriel]

@ivelosthewilltolive Gunn, in the blue shirt, is baritone. Burden, with the fuller hair, is tenor. Is that what you mean?

[ivelosthewilltolive]

@Luindriel Of course! What else could I possibly be thinking of? :)

[sirmercutio99]

@Luindriel Um how should put this, did you see the film Brokeback Mountain? Which one would be Ennis and which one would be Jack?

[fontenayperi]

@Luindriel i don't think that's what he means...

[Operanobility]

@Luindriel That's not what he meant....

[EutuveX]

@Luindriel ...nope..olive the bitch meant something gayer ...

[MrFarkinca]

@ivelosthewilltolive you know the sleng suspiciously well...did you hope that you interested them?

[robjacksontop]

@ivelosthewilltolive  The truth is: THEY ARE BOTH BOTTOMS and take IT like champs.

[Liu666able]

A gigantic piece of shit,it remains me of aanother disaster that sung this great opera:sabbatini

[tamarexxe]

brave! brave!!

[condorcito99]

Hermosas voces .. genial obra de Bizet.

[JackSmith07]

sure is gay in here.

[14unionst]

If you watch the Ytube version with stage movement, it's quite instructive to see their bodies working in terms of breath control - intercostal and belly breathing, keeping their heads and necks in line, not letting tension tie up their shoulders, etc. One other good reason to have singers peel: as a visual master class.

[Luindriel]

@14unionst  Yes I have actually done that! Very informative. :)

[assindiastignani]

@Luindriel Aha, "intercostal breathing"...is that what they're calling it these days..? Lovely. Could we also have videos of Tom Cruise, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Brad Pitt doing "intercostal..." what was the word again?...oh yes, "breathing?" P.S. No need to bother with the vidoe track.

[Luindriel]

@assindiastignani Ahhh who cares what you call it, lol. :D

[assindiastignani]

@Luindriel I was being ironic. Oh well, wasted effort. I guess it's because mine is a different generation. We preferred singers with voices; voices that could actually be heard in the auditorium. How they looked in swin-suits was not interesting to us, at least not in the context of an opera performance. Gunn e Burden hanno voci della prima riga, perche alla seconda non arrivano.

[Luindriel]

@assindiastignani Your irony was not wasted. You think I posted this video for its musical quality? muwahaha. However let's not wax poetically about the "good old days." This video is silly, that's why I posted it. I prefer a voice I can hear from the balcony as well. But at the same time I'm allowed to like how someone looks in a swim-suit. lol ;)

[jaketaz]

@Luindriel

Good for you, most people don't have the brains or balls to admit what they like (or what they're doing) is silly.

[arpeggio1358]

@14unionst So someone else has noticed this. i once used a DVD of Samuel Ramey as Attila (sans shirt) to show a friend how opera singers should breathe. Nothing else was getting it across to her, so I got out the Attila DVD. It worked.

[rayclentchris]

@14unionst I just was thinking the same thing when I watched it. Very helpful!

[14unionst]

If you watch the Ytube version with stage movement, it's quite instructive to see their bodies working in terms of breath control - intercostal and belly breathing, keeping their heads and necks in line, not letting tension tie up their shoulders, etc. One other good reason to have singers peel: as a visual master class.

[MrComric]

Really beautifull, it's a cute image to see 2 guys with muscles and such wonderfull voice.

[windstorm1000]

wow--visual and musical eye candy! Mr. Burden has acted here at the Santa Fe Opera often--I enjoy his tight burnished sound....wait a minute that came off sounding strange, but you know what I mean folks. He was wonderful as Capt. Vere in Billy Buddy--that white high tenor sound that is uncommon.

[sirmercutio99]

@windstorm1000 Did he do it with Nate as Billy?....God that would be hot. You could definatly feel the homoeroticism of Britten's opera. (and yes it is)

[windstorm1000]

@sirmercutio99 No, he didn't. A wonderful hunky blond Australian with a winning smile portrayed Billy (forgot his name). Burden looked suitably old and wistful as Vere (now THAT"S staying in character for that handsome guy). I think gunn is coming here next summer for the Pearl Fishers. I guess, these days, one has to go to the gym to be a presentable singer--that would have left Pavorotti and Bjorling out of the bag!

[sirmercutio99]

@windstorm1000 Nah, it's not Hollywood, (Which has nearly no talent anymore) but it doesn't mean that you can't have some eye candy and damn both of them are and see Daniel Okultich in Howard Shore's The Fly... He does the full monty and he's freaking hotter than hell.

[sirmercutio99]

@sirmercutio99 here's the link to Okultich in The Fly: watch?feature=player_embedded&­v=QdCtfFh9AkA

[TheTerryE]

I wanted to see them wrestle and kiss. Wonder who would win?

[afonito22]

imaginen que estos dos putos tengan la voz de pavarotti................. hay cada pelotudo que opina, mejor dicho pelotudo y puto......... porque en vez de perder tiempo aca no te vas a hacer romper el ojete bien roto puto y sordo.@zigzeigler

[rumpwrestler]

It's awful enough to be something from the Opera Company of Philadelphia!

[zigzeigler]

Imagine Luciano Pavarotti shirtless!

[Luindriel]

@zigzeigler AHHHH why did you have to raise that image!!! Haha!

[amonasro100]

@zigzeigler

It is to late for that joke

[jaketaz]

@zigzeigler

I don't need that from him, because his singing is good enough on its own.

[cwistehuff]

Lucky Lucretia

[Luindriel]

@cwistehuff You do realize that this is a different opera, right? ;)

[arith113]

Wasn't this opera preformed recently ?

[hkk321]

I thought I'd dug through your vids pretty thoroughly, but never saw this one somehow! Maybe I always watched the operaphila one. Nice recording and slideshow.

[heasmans]

Too butch for me. Give me Bjorling/Merrill any time.

Stuart

[sirmercutio99]

Wow two totatlly hot opera singers!!

[thirlestanelodge2]

Thank God they found these two , and not the usual gut bucket opera singers directors and producers have to cope with. P-HEEEEEEEW!

[Barelyjazzy]

Please remember that it was probably not the singers' idea to perform shirtless, but instead the idea of director(s)/producer(s).

[malwina2805]

this two are pearl fisher, they have to dive likely without shirts - it looks naturally!

[dansingajb]

I don't know why everyone always complains about Nathan Gunn's voice not being interesting enough, or whatever they're talking about. So he's not ridiculously rumbly; I find his smooth sound and passionate delivery quite pleasing.

[Heinrichgermany]

What are the two? Wrestler or boxer !! Tenor and Bariton surely not!!!

[seanchristopherfranc]

@Heinrichgermany haha i know! these days even classical musicians have to be pumped up! ... its kind of weird. I recently moved to new york city and it seems like everybody spends a serious amount of time in the gym - not only to stay in decent shape, but to load on muscle mass. On the other hand the rendition of this duet is gorgeous.

[Heinrichgermany]

Good bodies however bad voices. Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Paul Groves - Au fond du temple saint.

These two voices are light-years better !!!!!

[kmillard]

Can't disagree with you more. As someone who has heard both Paul Groves and Bill Burden both several times live, I can honesty say Bill has clearly more control, tonal sweetness, and better legato than Paul Groves. To hear him in recital is almost jaw dropping how beautiful his tone quality in all parts of his range.

[forallyouknow]

I love William Burden's voice--full and ringing.

[ilovetocomment317]

William Burden and Nathan Gunn are actually good friends, so this must be fun for them...

[Luindriel]

I like your username, lol. I'm sure it's fun. I threw it together for fun.

I'll be seeing them together next year in Rape of Lucretia. :)

[Luindriel]

@lucyliesinashes I saw them in Lucretia in Philly last year too. One of the most intense experiences of my life! Party??? Where was my invitation? LOL

[lucyliesinashes]

@Luindriel I was at that Lucretia- they're so fierce.

[BUCKEYEPRIDE74]

I think Gunn is by far one of the up and coming baritone voices. I was caught by the seemless tone with such passion in the singing.

[SiEtIn1]

i really really thought i was prepared for anything in this life, but these opera studs totally caught me off guard, i mean i don't know what to think, this is the first shirtless opera performance i've ever heard of

[SiEtIn1]

lol what is up with the sexy pictures???

[Luindriel]

It's all they had! This entire opera is sung shirtless!

[SiEtIn1]

(continued)

and i find it so ridiculous i can't even listen seriously to decide if i like the singing, is it because they're hot that they think they have to loose their clothes every chance they get, even if it is a totally random thing to do? i guess you'll think i am narrow minded, but seriously what do you think?

[actionsrlouder]

They have average voices, it definitely not a world class sound.

[Nerakia963]

Are you freaking kidding me?! Bill and Nathan have two of the sweetest, most beautiful voices out there, not to mention the fact that they are both very fine actors. Believe me, they far surpass average.

[piasecznik]

@SiEtIn1 No, because the director thinks they're hot. Do you really think that they decide what to wear?

[beauvoir2]

Yeah! I saw this on Friday and it was sooooo beautiful. Everyone onstage was terrific. My favorite aria was Nathan's in the third act and then his duet with Nicole Cabell.One of the most amazing things was Eric Cutler was recovering from stomach flu and you would have never known! I did get to meet Nathan afterwards and I didn't ask for an autograph but I just shook his hand and thanked him for setting up a lesson with his wife, ( who is too adorable!) and for the fantastic performance.

[Luindriel]

Thanks for the update! Lucky you. :)

[beauvoir2]

I get to go see this on the 10th AND audition at the university of Illinois for Nathan's wife. He is sooooo nice. I e-mailed him to ask him about the grad program and he e-mailed me back in less than a week. That is the measure of a great performer; someone who is super-talented and yet incredibley grounded.

[Luindriel]

Enjoy! I agree with your assessment. I've met him a couple of times, and his wife once - very nice. He's replied to my emails too. They're normal, nice, very talented people.

Post a comment again after the 10th!! :)

[abstractelysium]

oh... oh... oh...

*eargasm*