Posted December 26, 2012

Posted December 26, 2012

Merolini Rising Star

The Metropolitan Opera has announced that tenor Bryan Hymel will replace Marcello Giordani in the epic, heroic role of Aeneas in their production of Hector Berlioz monumental opera, Les Troyens. Until recently no one seemed to have heard of Bryan Hymel. 

The New Orleans, LA native graduated from Loyola University Louisiana, then proceeded to the San Francisco Opera’s famed Merola Opera Program and completed his studies at Philadelphia’s Academy of Vocal Arts – refining his vocal craft along the way.

Mr. Hymel stepped in for an ailing heldentenor Jonas Kaufmann in Covent Garden’s recent production of Les Troyens and also filled in for Mr. Kaufmann in Covent Garden’s recent production of Meyerbeer’s Roberto le Diable. The run of Roberto has concluded leaving Mr. Hymel free to jet to New York to save the day.

Hymel is stepping into the high-profile role of Aeneas at the Metropolitan Opera Les Troyens, which will be shown in HD in theaters in January 5, 2013. Also starring in Les Troyens, Deborah Voight as the Trojan prophetess Cassandra and Susan Graham as Dido Queen of Carthage.

Aeneas is considered to be among the most taxing of all tenor roles along with Verdi’s Otello and the Wagnerian roles of Tristan, Siegfried and Tannhäuser. These are all roles which required stamina, gleaming tenor sound and heroic stature. Hopefully Mr. Hymel will be seen in some of these great Wagnerian roles when the time is right.

Here is his website:  http://bryanhymel.com/

Toi, toi, toi!