Nathan Gunn is a Grammy Award Winning Artist!

From the 52nd Grammy Award ceremony today:

Best Opera Recording
Award to the Conductor, Album Producer(s) and Principal Soloists.
Winner - Britten: Billy Budd
Daniel Harding, conductor; Ian Bostridge, Neal Davies, Nathan Gunn, Jonathan Lemalu, Matthew Rose & Gidon Saks; John Fraser, producer (London Symphony Orchestra; Gentlemen Of The London Symphony Chorus)
[Virgin Classics]

How cool is that?!

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 Gunn in A Brief Encounter - Houston Grand Opera

Ah, if only I could force myself to go back to Texas. Alas, I have been there 4-5 times for work and after the last visit I promised myself I would never return.

If I could return, I would definitely go to Houston to see my boyfriend Nathan Gunn in the world premiere of this opera, A Brief Encounter.

The story of the opera involves a married woman and a married man meeting by chance in a train station, falling in love, and parting forever, realizing that the love can never be fulfilled. Just a little light drama. GAH! I hate stories like this. Reality is all well and good, but whatever happened to the guy getting the girl?

Here are some photos I've harvested from the web over the past few weeks:






It's almost unfair, isn't it, for Nathan to be so good looking and so talented. An embarrassment of riches, really. Hopefully his wife is suitably appreciative.

Nathan Gunn in May 2009 Vanity Fair...oh and some other opera stars, too

In the May 2009 Vanity Fair, there is an article on opera singers plying their trade in the Met's HD program. The picture above is from that article.

Notice our hero lying down. He needs me to lie down with him, I can tell. Sigh. He is one good looking boy, is he not?

Here is the article link: High C in High-Def

Enjoy!

Chicago Opera Theater Fundraiser

A week ago Saturday, the Chicago Opera Theater held a fundraiser at the Spertus Theater. They also commemorated the 10 year reign of Brian Dickie as General Director.

What you might not have known is that Nathan and Julie Gunn attended and even drew out winners for the raffle. Here's the picture that Brian Dickie posted on his own "award winning" blog COT Brian Dickie:

Nathan and Julie Gunn Draw Raffle Tickets

As Mr. Dickie says on his blog, it's a shame that Nathan has never sung for them, but it's definitely cool that Julie will be working with some of their artists.

They both look great in this picture. I hope they had a good time.

Il Barbiere Di Siviglia - Nathan Gunn Style

I missed my opportunity to see M. Gunn perform the role of Figaro in this production at the Lyric Opera of Chicago last year. However, I have been lucky enough to find the 2005 recording of the opera at a site in the UK. Yippee! In 10-16 days I'll have it here in my hot little hands, God willing and the postal service doesn't screw it up.

I'm really excited to hear it - it was nominated for a Grammy so I know it must be really good. I'll post more after I get a chance to listen.

Nathan Gunn and The Firebrand of Florence

Oh, how I wish I could have been there to see this! Susan from I'd Rather Be Sleeping... went and said it was wonderful.

Yesterday a number of reviews and stories were published in various outlets/sites that included photos. Here are a few of them:

Nathan Gunn Singing His Wittle Heart Out

A Close-up of our Hero

At the After Party with the rest of the Cast/Company

Our Hero Looking Cute

The coolest part of the last couple of pictures is that Nathan was wearing those clothes when Susan had her picture taken with him backstage - check that out on her blog that I referenced above. Lucky Susan. Sigh.

I was disappointed to learn that the event was not recorded and that the conductor or director indicated that it was because a recording already existed. Yeah, from the 1945 production! I'm not buying that, sorry. You have a large number of artists, probably all with different representation for a one night only event...I'm guessing no one could come to terms financially more than that it was already recorded.

It's truly a shame, though. I don't know this music at all and the chance that I will ever hear it is even more remote than ever. Too bad.

Why Do I Care Where/When Nathan Gunn is Performing?

Well, I'll tell you why. I would like to go see him in something and since his websites performance schedule is apparently only updated once a year, it only goes to the first of June. I was hoping/wishing he were doing something in my area and so I went asearchin'. I'm not a lunatic, I just want to see him do a live performance around where I live.

I could hang out at the university and hope to run into him, but that seems so smarmy somehow. Not fair. Don't want to ambush the guy and force him to sing something for me...hmmm, I don't, right?...no, I don't. I want to pay homage in the proper way, in the proper venue.

Here's hoping something comes up near here soon.

Okay, Nathan Gunn Is Not Staying the Summer in England

I've also discovered a committment to perform at the Aspen Music Festival in July. Aspen in the summer. Well, I suppose it can be fun - hiking, etc. instead of skiing.

Here are the details:

Aspen Festival Orchestra

FEATURED CONDUCTOR AND ARTISTS
Aspen Festival Orchestra
David Zinman conductor
Sasha Cooke mezzo-soprano
Nathan Gunn baritone
Janine Jansen violin

PROGRAM

DVORÁK: Carnival Overture, B. 169, op. 92
JOHN HARBISON: Symphony No. 5
TCHAIKOVSKY: Violin Concerto in D major, op. 35
PERFORMANCE DATE AND TIME
Sunday
July 12, 2009
4:00 pm
Benedict Music Tent

Now don't you want to go? I know I do!

Nathan Gunn Spends Another Summer in London!

Or maybe it'll just be June. With my super NG antenna I have ferreted out his summer performance - and, of course, he's going to do a production of CAMELOT. GAH!! I would give my eye-teeth to see it, but I don't have the DeNiro (get it, denero, i.e. money) to get there. Woe is me.

Nathan Gunn and Me in the NY Philharmonic Camelot
Okay, fine, it isn't me it's Marin Mazzie
Sheesh

Here are the details:

Royal Festival Hall

Camelot

A concert performance presented by Raymond Gubbay
Friday 26 June 2009 - Saturday 27 June 2009

Frederick Loewe's Camelot

Anthony Andrews, Emmy award-winning star of theatre, film and television, leads a superb star cast including world-renowned baritone Nathan Gunn in this rare chance to experience a concert performance of Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot. This celebrated musical of passion and pageantry which inspired an age is accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as the legend of King Arthur unfolds. With a host of much-loved songs including How to Handle a Woman, If Ever I would Leave You and I Loved You Once In Silence this promises to be a memorable evening not to be missed.

Wonder who the rest of the "superb star cast" is?

If anyone is interested in going, you'll get 10% off groups of 10 or more. I'm just sayin'. OH! Just occurred to me - his family could get a discount if they pump it up by a few more relatives! I'm sure he'll be taking his family. His extremely lucky family to be spending time in England. Sigh.

Here's the link
Royal Festival Hall

Let's All Keep Our Fingers Crossed for Susan!

Tomorrow Susan is supposed to go see the fantastic, the handsome, the oh-won't-you-be-my-baby Nathan Gunn perform in Baltimore. Here's the scoop from Susan's site:

The 49th Annual Henry and Ruth Blaustein Rosenberg Lecture-Performance: Nathan Gunn

Nathan Gunn, one of the most acclaimed and in-demand baritones performing today, will be the featured artist for Goucher’s 49th Annual Henry and Ruth Blaustein Rosenberg Lecture-Performance, held on Sunday, March 1, at 7 p.m. in Kraushaar Auditorium.

Free tickets must be reserved in advance by calling 410-337-6333 or e-mailing boxoffice@goucher.edu.

In addition to his performance, Gunn has offered to do a Q&A session/lecture/demonstration with interested Goucher students and faculty on Monday, March 2, from 9 to 10 a.m. in Merrick Lecture Hall. If you would like to attend, or if you need more information, contact Kristen Keener at kristen.keener@goucher.edu or 410-337-6316.

For more information about Gunn’s performance and accomplishments, please see www.goucher.edu/x29695.xml.

The reason we need to keep our fingers crossed? The WEATHER. Yes, the weather is conspiring against Susan. Her area is under a hazardous weather warning for snow and sleet. QUELLE HORREUR!
So now what I have always suspected is true. Weather is a JEALOUS WOMAN. Yes, plotting against Susan, attempting to keep Nathan Gunn to herself. You don't believe me? Just take a look at Monsieur Gunn's own performance schedule. Performance CANCELED in Cincinatti due to...WEATHER. I'm sure this has happened quite a bit over his career. I don't blame Weather, of course. If I had that kind of power, well, let's just say M. Gunn would be hanging around here, and we'd be having a GUNN show (<--ha ha) every day.

However, Mme. Weather, my friend Susan needs/wants/has to get to Baltimore tomorrow. So KNOCK IT OFF. Or I'll tell Nathan on you and he won't love you anymore. So there.

Yesterday is Gone - But it Was a Really, Really Nice Day!

Yesterday was the first day we've had good weather in about forever. I know for sure it's just about one of the nicest days weather-wise of 2009...high in the 60's and no wind or rain. YAY!

To celebrate, I picked up the grandkids after school and took them to the park to feed the ducks and generally just be OUTSIDE. It seems like it's been forever since they could just go out and play.

Here's the duck pond:



We fed the ducks a mixture of white bread and hot dog buns - all that I had at home before we headed out. The kids love to come here. The ducks were pretty hungry, too, and came up right away to eat:



The kids were happy just to get outside and walk around. The grandson, of course, ran ahead everywhere:



The granddaughter is pretty good about staying close, but she wants equal camera time:



All in all we had a pretty good time for about an hour and a half and I was thankful just to be outside, feeling okay and enjoying the weather.

Oh, yeah - and it was a Nathan Gunn-free day. I think my crush is over. LOL

Nathan Gunn Wins Hottest Baritone Poll!

Thanks to you, my grateful public, Nathan Gunn won the hottest baritone poll here by the slimmest of margins over The Gunnster.

Take that, you David Adam Moore fans. HA! In your face!

Music Review - Rodgers & Hammerstein's Allegro

Here's the good news about these CDs. Nathan Gunn and Audra McDonald sing on them. And they are very good, although there is a bit of dialogue that feels as if NG forced it. Not the music, never the music. But the dialogue...well, I'm still trying to understand what happened there. Feels a bit fake, feels a bit forced.

I've had the CDs since their release date but I waited a couple of weeks before I would allow myself to review it. Why? I wanted to give it a fair chance. It's an old work, never done more than a handful of times, and it shows its age. By that I mean it is definitely a product of the time in which it was created.

While in high school, one of my younger sons was very involved in the drama department. The reason I bring this up is that they did a stage production of the Jean Shepherd book "Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories". (Jean Shepherd also wrote the perennial favorite "A Christmas Story".) The play was done with the entire cast speaking the narrative, then the 3-4 leads would say their lines individually. No sets, just all the cast in white shirts and khakis and they moved around the stage in various configurations as the action was played out. I immediately flashed on this when listening to Allegro.

The story centers around Joseph Taylor Jr.'s life from growing up to growing wise. Sort of follows his rise and fall and then redemption, if you will. Nathan is only in a few songs and bits of dialogue and the chorus figures largely in the storytelling. Audra McDonald sounds wonderful - I can't say enough good about her songs and her dialogue.

It feels so dated that I can't imagine seeing this as an actual stage/movie production, but I suppose it would be possible. The story is as old as time - kid does good, makes it big, meets a woman who has other ambitions for him, he plays along for awhile, finally gets his head on straight, remembers where he came from and goes back there. Nothing new, nothing anyone hasn't seen before.

And now for the brutal honesty. The songs aren't that good - there is nothing catchy or memorable...due to the talking/chorus nature of the work, it's really an ensemble that has no breakout numbers. That is not to say that Nathan's voice isn't good, you know it is, but the songs he sings are not anything to write home about. Marni Nixon sings the grandmother parts and she is very much past her singing career. Sorry, Marni, you know I love you, but it is just not happening for me. (In case you don't know her, Marni Nixon did the singing for Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady and for Natalie Wood in West Side Story, among others.) Judy Kuhn, the voice of Disney's Pocahontas and a longtime stage/concert performer is good as is Patrick Wilson who sings the lead.

The lack of fire, the lack of anything memorable or catchy is probably why this piece lay dormant for 50 years, and why it probably won't go much farther. To quote Dennis Miller, that is just my opinion of course, I could be wrong.

If you are a Nathan Gunn lover, you can buy this, but if I were you I'd go to Amazon.com and download the mp3s of the tracks that he is in if you feel compelled to have them. They won't make much sense since they are not set up by the singing chorus, but you'll get to hear him and that is NEVER a bad thing. It'll cost a lot less and won't make you want to hit yourself in the face for wasting money on the two disc set.

Oh, Come On Now - Vote for Nathan Gunn!!

There are only three days left in the poll on this blog (check the sidebar, please) and Susan, devilish Susan, I'd-rather-be-sleeping Susan, is stuffing the ballot box for her favorite, The Gunnster.

Are you people going to allow The Gunnster to beat Nathan-The-Pearl-Fisher Gunn? (I'm discounting that Top Gunn thing 'cause I just borrowed it for the poll.)

Only eight votes and yet The Gunnster is pulling ahead.

I call upon all fans of Nathan-Billy-Budd-Gunn to come out of the woodwork and VOTE!! I want to shove this poll down those Moore fans at Barihunks throat!

Come on now - we want Nathan-The-Barber-of-Seville-Gunn to pull this one out!

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.

New Poll to Measure Hottest Baritone - Vote for Nathan Gunn!

Instead of contesting the results of the Barihunks poll from last week, I've set up my own. Please vote in the poll in the sidebar - we will definitely show Barihunks who the hottest baritone is, once and for all!

Another Nathan Gunn Convert!

Last weekend I was forced by my somewhat elderly mother to drive her to visit my sick cousin in Lincoln, Illinois, a small town about 35 miles away and only accessible by the dreaded two lane highway...passing cars is not a favorite occupation. 35 miles is an hour+ in two-lane-highway minutes. Sigh.

The visit was done and we were on the way back when I asked her if she had had time yet to listen to the Just Before Sunrise CD that I had given her for Christmas A YEAR AGO. (She keeps telling me that she will, she will, she's just so busy, and so forth.) Of course she replied, "No, I haven't - tell me again who this guy is?"

Well, I went into my usual dissertation. Best baritone that ever lived, a lyric baritone which is different than bass and others, not a "tree trunk Verdi baritone singer" (paraphrasing NG himself). I further tried to get her where she lived by telling her that he had played Lancelot back in May...she loves her some Camelot (the Richard Harris/Richard Burton talking versions) and she thought Robert Goulet was a GOD. Still just uh-huhs from her. So I decide to bring out the big GUNN. (<--ha ha, I crack myself up)

"Mom," I say, "it just so happens that the CD is in the player so let's listen to it now" and before she can say anything I get it going. She at first protests that it is too loud. (I like my Nathan cranked up so that when I sing along I don't hear how bad I am in his key.) So I reduce the sound slightly, but she does have a hearing issue so I keep it up a bit so she won't miss anything.

After listening to him sing The Briar and The Rose, she turns to me and says, (get this) "It's so pleasant to listen to a voice that you can tell is a MAN. It just feels like a warm hug, doesn't it?"

HOLY CANNELLONI - my Mom totally gets it! Apparently Hell has frozen over since the last time I checked.

When we completed our trip and I dropped her off at home, she was saying to herself, "Now where did I put that CD?"

Conversion complete. BOOYAH!

OMG Nathan Gunn - Fix It Already!!

I noticed several months ago that Nathan Gunn's page on IMDB (Internet Movie Database) is incredibly sparse and basically uninformative. No pic of our hero, unbelieveably enough, just a link to The Colbert Report and some random and somewhat incorrect filmography information.

I know, I know, he's not a "movie star" per se, but that site is for anyone in the entertainment business and I think he more than qualifies with his Met HD DVD of The Magic Flute, not to mention other TV appearances on PBS' Great Perfomances and so forth.

It's not the lack of a bio pic that has me screaming, though - it's that the link posted to The Colbert Report just goes to a Hulu.com IMDB page and the latest Colbert Report episode. It doesn't even take you to Nathan's interview on 5-6-2008 which was, for lack of a better word, interesting.

The short filmography displayed shows him as portraying Papageno in PETER GRIMES in 2008 for an episode of Great Performances. Yes, the bird-catching Papageno from The Magic Flute. He does an excellent job in that role, but I doubt that is what Britten or Mozart had in mind. How about fixing that? And did he actually play Jaws Brogan in an episode of Out of Sight in 1996? Or does that credit truly belong to Nathan Gunn Number 3 (believe it or not there are three Nathan Gunns in the entertainment industry)? What's up with listing two appearances on The Colbert Report, one in 2007, one in 2008? He might have been scheduled for 2007 to hawk Just Before Sunrise and got caught up in the writer's strike, but I don't think he made more than one appearance. Take a look if you think I'm making this up: IMDB Nathan Gunn Number 2

Doesn't this guy have a publicist? On his home page, NathanGunn.com, there is a category titled "Links" that gives information on his management, which is all over the world. Could one of those people, who no doubt take a bit of moolah from him, check this out? It has been this way for months, for God's sake. I'd change it myself if I had his permission.

How am I going to convert people and get them all rowdied up for Nathan when the info they need to fall in love with him is faulty?

I'm pleading with you, Nathan Gunn's management or whoever takes care of his publicity - fix it! And put up a pic for his bio. And fill out his bio. And list all his performances correctly. And...well, you get the idea. And if you can't or don't want to, let me!! Leave a comment here - I'll zoom over and take care of the whole thing posthaste. 'Cause I loves me my NG.

Nathan Gunn...TIED?!

I am inconsolable. In spite of all my marketing, my word of mouth, my posting...Nathan Gunn TIED with David Adam Moore at Barihunks for hottest baritone with both singers receiving 23% of the vote. Sigh.

I know the truth, though. Those Moore fans padded the ballot box. It had nothing to do with his rising star, his physique, his voice. It was politics, pure and simple, and Nathan was punished for not coming out from his busy schedule to campaign.

No matter. He's still the hottest Barihunk around my universe. Take that, Mr. Moore.