Three Redneck Tenors: ‘Pavarotti with a mullet'
Madame Butterfly is about to meet Jerry Springer.
There's an operatic troupe coming to Yuma starring real, classically trained singers. But in addition to singing arias at opera houses, these country gents have a hankering for drinking beer in their run-down trailers.
They are the Three Redneck Tenors, and music lovers around the world say Puccini must be rolling in his grave - likely from laughter.
"These guys have wonderful voices and they are a hoot!" said Dorothy Young with Heritage Festivals in Yuma. "This show is going to be a lot of fun."
The Three Redneck Tenors, which folks might remember from TV's "America's Got Talent," will make their Yuma debut at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Historic Yuma Theatre, 254 Main St.
Admission is $19.50. Tickets can be bought at the Yuma Art Center, 254 Main St. or online at YumaShowTickets.com. For more information, call 373-5202.
The show stars the tenors and their manager, The Colonel.
"Join Billy Bob, Billy Joe and Billy Billee as they mix NASCAR with Beethoven, lite beer with Puccini and even kick up a little dust with Ave Maria Dixie," the group's Web site heralds. "Uh oh. It's Pavarotti with a mullet!"
The Redneck Tenors have sold out performances in Las Vegas and are now touring the country. In Las Vegas they performed at The Luxor while comedian Carrot Top was on vacation.
Three Redneck Tenors may be comedic, but the performers' resumes boast some serious experience. One has performed the famed Metropolitan Opera in New York City, but all four entertainers have worked with major opera and theater companies around the country.
Young said people will love how the show mixes fine art with comedy, singing everything from "Nessun Dorma" from the opera "Turandot" to pop numbers like "YMCA" and some Elvis numbers.
Young stressed that anyone expecting an evening of something snooty or too high-brow are in for a knee-slappin' surprise.
"Sometimes people hear opera and they kind of back off," she said. "But this is going to appeal to everyone, to the young and old, to the redneck people and the sophisticated people. These guys cover the gamut."
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"REDNECK" CAST BIOGRAPHIES
Matthew Lord
• In January 2004, Lord made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in "Boris Godunov."
• His engagements include the San Francisco Opera production of "Peter Grimes," "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Turandot."
• He also has performed in "The Crucible" with Washington Opera, "Mice and Men" with Cleveland Opera, "L’Incoronazione di Poppea" with Utah Opera and "The Love for Three Oranges" with Portland Opera. Lord also performed in Andrew Lloyd Weber’s "The Phantom of the Opera" as Piangi in the Hamburg, Germany, production.
• Lord’s concert appearances include engagements with the Detroit Symphony, the Juilliard Orchestra and Santa Fe Symphony.
John Wilkerson
• Wilkerson has starred on Broadway in "Abby's Song," "State Fair" with John Davidson, Andrea McArdle and Donna McKechnie, and "Peter Pan" with Cathy Rigby.
• His national tours include "Brigadoon," "South Pacific," "Man of La Mancha" with Ed Ames, "State Fair" and "Peter Pan."
• Wilkerson has appeared in numerous operas and operettas, with philharmonics and chamber orchestras around the country.
Dinny McGuire
• In his early years, McGuire worked in varied positions such as choir director, music teacher on the Alaskan tundra, TV talk show host, sitcom warm-up guy and vaudeville director.
• He has spent the last quarter of a century as ringmaster for circuses around the world, including Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and most recently, New York City's Big Apple Circus.
Alex Bumpas
• Bumpas has been a soloist in many professional organizations, including the Dallas Symphony, Dallas Bach Society, Orchestra of New Spain and Orpheus Chamber Singers.
• He has performed with and attended the Seagle Music Colony in New York and Festivalia di Musika al Casalmaggiore in Italy.
• Bumpas is also an accomplished trumpet player, having performed with artist such as Steve Tyrell and former Blood, Sweat & Tears saxophonist Bill Tilman.
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Darin Fenger can be reached at
dfenger@yumasun.com or 539-6860.
