Nathan Gunn Photos

I actually had someone other than my blog buddy write and tell me that she liked the blog, especially the Nathan Gunn photos.

I haven't posted any photos of Mr. Gunn for awhile, so here you go...

As Father Delaura in the 2008 Glyndebourne Festival Opera "Love and Other Demons"

As Pappageno in the 2009 Los Angeles Opera production of "The Magic Flute"

As Tarquinius in the 2009 Opera Company of Philadelphia production of "The Rape of Lucretia"

With Nikki Boxer from Aspen Public Radio July 2009

Baritone Nathan Gunn and wife Julie hold a master class with students from the Aspen Opera Theater Company July 2009

Julie and Nathan Gunn in their publicity shot from the 2009-2010 Krannert Center brochure

Good looking talented man - good looking talented wife.

Nathan and Julie Gunn Wow Them at Oberlin College

Nathan and Julie Gunn at the Oberlin Q&A Session February 15, 2009
Photo Courtesy of Banawoman

Okay, perhaps "wow" isn't the right word, but they would have wowed me if I'd been there. A couple of fellow fans attended, took pictures and gave their accounts of the experience. For details, and the pix, check out I'd rather be sleeping (but opera is keeping me awake). Susan obtained permission to post the images and the stories and rather than go to all that work myself, I'm gonna leech off of her. Don't worry - she's already used to people leeching, but at least I give her credit. Thanks, Susan!

There are a few things that struck me as I read the attendee accounts. First, I am squeeing here over the fact that Nathan KNOWS that I want a Broadway album. Okay, that's not exactly what was said, but to a delusional fan such as myself, that's close enough. He wants to play Billy Bigelow! (insert sad face here) Why am I sad, you ask? Well, that guy is NOT gonna get the girl, if you know what I mean. And if you've seen Carousel, you do. No HEA (happily ever after) included. And I really, really want to see Nathan in a role where he doesn't get electrocuted, or hung or banned from a kingdom or thrown overboard or whatever besides The Magic Flute.

However, I am not complaining 'cause I know he would rock that score beyond belief. I was raised on musicals and I still love them all. Oklahoma, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Kiss Me Kate, Unsinkable Molly Brown...my mom dragged us to all of them and I know most of the scores by heart. My fondest wish is to hear Nathan sing any/all of the musicals from my childhood.

I gleaned from the account that NG said he had been approached about doing a musical and that he didn't want or couldn't do the open-ended commitment that would take. I totally get that. I don't need to see him playing the parts, I just want the music. And Broadway is so risky. A play opens and closes in the same breath, and there goes all that wasted rehearsal time and your payday. He has a large family to support, I assume he wants the guaranteed money of opera, which is what I would do.

Second, I'm interested in the family talk. Again, none of my business, but the fact that they brought their oldest daughter along and she didn't lose her mind or complain that anyone could tell is fabulous. I'm not saying that she would have, but I have been around kids of that age (13-14, I think?) and sometimes they can really make an experience a chore due to boredom. On the other hand, it was only for about an hour so not much time to get too restless.

The thing that absolutely floors me in both these accounts is that they didn't ask for a picture with either/or/both Nathan and Julie. I would sooo do that. Of course that might not be proper etiquette, but I would still give it a shot.

I would also probably make a complete nuisance of myself asking JULIE questions. (You thought I was gonna say Nathan, didn't you?) But I'd want to find out about how she does what she does and maybe compare notes on parenting a large family. Especially considering his long absences. He can chime in, too, but I really want to pick her brain a bit. I'd also like to know if she sings at all.

Last, I would have to ask this - are any of the children interested in or talented enough to follow in dad's footsteps? If not singing, are any of them musical in any way? I had each of my children play a different instrument in the hope that one day they would be able to play something together. We made that goal when the youngest were in 4th grade. It was very touching and I loved the experience, but they were not destined for greatness musically speaking.

These are my burning questions, as the big O would say. (No, not *that* big O! I mean Oprah - keep it clean, kids.) Maybe someday I'll get to ask them.

Nathan Gunn Whispers Sweet Nothings...

...unfortunately not in my ear, but in his wife's. Sigh.



I found this article while looking through some old University of Illinois Alumni magazines for an engineering article for my son. It leapt up and slapped me in the face - a true OMG moment. I was lucky to hunt and peck online to find it there.

Here's the link:

http://www.uiaa.org/urbana/illinoisalumni/0701_b.html

Such a nice article about Nathan and Julie Gunn. It's interesting to see that they were apparently predestined to find each other. On the other hand, if my 20 year old son had told me he was getting married...well, let's just say we would have talked quite a bit about it beforehand, then he would have done exactly as he wanted and I would have supported him, albeit hoping it was not a mistake.

It seems very young to me now, but reading the article it also seems as though Nathan was aware of that and worried a bit himself. Perhaps he has an old soul. My once 20 year old sons were more concerned with video games, football and basketball than love and I was very glad for it. That's not to say that they didn't want them some womens - it's more like they did not find "the one" in college. That might have been my fault. I did not get to college due to "love" and had my oldest daughter when I was 19. I hammered into all my children that they had time for that once their education was complete. So Nathan and Julie must have been very special to know what they wanted and not to worry about finishing school or money or any of that back when they were that age. And their parents must have been special, too, to support them through that process, which I assume they did. Good on ya, parental units!

Anyway, good article and clears up some of my questions about their lives, which, admittedly, are none of my business. It's just that I think of my six kids and our lives and the business of it, getting everything done everyday, getting everyone everywhere, let alone being an international opera singer...well, it boggles the mind. People often ask me how I did it and I think that once you're in it, and you're doing it, you just DO IT. You don't think about the how or the why and I'm often truly startled when I think of all we actually accomplished when they were young. No international trips on the scale of the Gunn family, but we went somewhere every year in the summer, lots of driving trips (couldn't afford air travel back then) and we managed to see most of the U.S. in a good way. I think (I hope) all of my kids would say they had a great time and education (even if they fought me all through the Little Bighorn National Battlefield - Mom and her stale old history). But just imagine if I'd been able to afford to do more.

Making their children citizens of the world through international travel can only benefit the Gunn kids. Tolerance is achieved through understanding of different peoples and cultures and I think the Gunn family has it going on already. Good for them.