Singing Before Sleep

“Described by some of his more excitable fans as the Brad Pitt of opera, New Zealand baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes certainly has plenty of stage presence,” Fiona Boxall writes in a lifestyle article for the Macarthur Chronicle. “But it’s not just the muscles, shaved head and good looks that legions of female opera fans are tweeting and blogging about. In February Rhodes is teaming up with the Australian Chamber Orchestra to perform Richard Rodney Bennett’s quirky twisted nursery rhymes Songs Before Sleep and Beethoven’s song cycle, An Die ferne Geliebte, as part of their 211 season launch concert. Rhodes is also looking forward to playing the sadistic Baron Scarpia in Tosca, a role frequently performed by baritones in their fifties. ‘The role takes a voice with more age, depth and maturity — that’s what makes it so exciting for me as a singer,’ he says.”