Amon-Ra's Halloween Party GrandPre's Armeinius' OktoberFest

big easy paparazzi New Orleans ~ Photos by Tony Leggio, Paul Melancon, Darwin Reed New Orleans ~ Photos by Tony

16 • The Official Mag©: AmbushMag.com • Nov. 8-21, 2016 • Official Gay Mardi Gras Guide • GayMardiGras.com SouthernDecadence.com • Nov. 8-21, 2016 • Facebook.com/AmbushMag • The Official Mag©: AmbushMag.com • 17 Oz New Orleans (Photos by Adrian Claveria) Cafe Lafitte in Exile Rawhide 2010

Persana Shoulders with the top The Ladies of Oz in Halloween costume picks for the Oz Show (photo by Roy Guste) Halloween Costume Contest

HNO Glow Party after party at Oz

DJ Max Rodriguez & DJ Kyle D for Clover Grill Halloween Sunday Funday Oz gogos: Sam Lamar & Rikk York The Phoenix

snap Good Friends Bar paparazzi Halloween Weekend ~ New Orleans Photos by Paul Melancon, Rip Naquin Halloween Weekend

18 • The Official Mag©: AmbushMag.com • Nov. 8-21, 2016 • Official Gay Mardi Gras Guide • GayMardiGras.com SouthernDecadence.com • Nov. 8-21, 2016 • Facebook.com/AmbushMag • The Official Mag©: AmbushMag.com • 19 Budd, Nixon in China, The Consul). He’s thought he was the most beautiful straight pleased to have “worked with some really man I had ever seen,” Hill wrote in an email. spotlight feature great composers.” “He would later walk into the first day Among them is Anthony Brandt who, of rehearsal for a show I was working on by some cosmic coincidence, is a high back when I was a stage manager and, to New Orleans Opera’s Macbeth is Engaging school and college friend of mine (I swear my delight, I found out that I was wrong I didn’t know of the connection when this about his sexuality,” Hill continued. “He is ...and Engaged interview was first planned!). In 2008, so charismatic and fun and I am pretty shy, Speaking to baritone Michael Chioldi, with his friendly manner and easy laugh, Chioldi premiered the role of Man in Brandt’s so it took a good bit of work for us to get to Macbeth, the murderous General and doomed future King of Scotland, would be one of one-act opera The Birth of Something know each other. Once we did, we quickly the last operatic title characters to come to mind. which has a libretto by Pulitzer Prize finalist found our way into this amazing relation- Yet this rising star will be singing the playwright Will Eno. ship. I cannot wait to call him my husband!” lead in the New Orleans Opera’s produc- Brandt commented “Michael’s voice is Chioldi shared with me how the wed- tion of one of Verdi’s early successes on stunning and his exceptional artistry and ding ceremony will end, “We’re going to November 11 and 13 at the Mahalia Jack- musicianship enable him to tackle roles have the whole crowd sing the ‘Hallelujah son Theater of the Performing Arts. both familiar and brand new.” Reviewing Chorus’.” Knowing how many of his tal- Praised for his “warm, rich tone” (Opera Brandt’s achingly romantic score, the online ented colleagues will be in attendance, News) and “deeply communicative phras- AllMusic site noted that “Chioldi handles Chioldi opined, “it’s going to be awesome.” ing” (The Baltimore Sun), and rapidly the treacherous vocal lines with strength, Recalling the audience at Lucia, becoming one of the most sought-after security, and conviction.” Chioldi said, “I’m just glad that the gay dramatic baritones of his generation, this is But perhaps Chioldi’s most significant community is coming out to support opera a performance you won’t want to miss. production will be coming up December 10 in this town. That’s really cool.” After seeing Chioldi is no stranger to New Orleans. at Trinity Church in New York when he Chioldi in Macbeth, stick around afterward “I was here last year for Lucia di marries Scott Hill, his partner of 5½ years. to say “Hello” to him. Lammermoor,” he said, “and when they “He’s 17 years younger than me.” Chioldi If you do, you’ll meet a man who con- asked me back for Macbeth I was so said smilingly. “We met in DC. When I saw siders himself “so lucky and fortunate and thrilled.” him I knew I was going to spend the rest of blessed that I found my passion early in life Lucia occurred a week after Carnival my life with him.” and have been able to pursue it.” last year. It was Chioldi’s first time in the city. Hill has a slightly different perspective. “I loved that there were beads everywhere “Before I ever met Michael in person, I saw I wonder if anyone in Avonmore proph- after Mardi Gras.” him perform the title role in the Washington esied that when Michael Chioldi brought its That’s not the only thing the youthful National Opera’s production of Hamlet. I population up to 301. Pennsylvania native loved. “I love the res- taurants and the vibe of the city. Plus seeing the influence of when the Spanish were Michael Chioldi here and when the French were here as trodding the boards well as the Creole history. And the live music.” He continued, “It’s so alive here. You don’t get that in too many other places. I by Brian Sands love going into a place, sitting down and Email: [email protected] hearing live music while you’re eating.” It wasn’t always like that for Chioldi. He was raised in the coal-mining, steelworking Steve Grand town of Avonmore, 30 miles east of Pitts- at Cafe Istanbul burgh, population 300. “I was just a country After Steve Grand went up on the lyrics bumpkin,” he said modestly. “The building of a song for the third time (out of his first I now live in in New York has more people seven numbers), I thought “Is he nervous than the town I grew up in,” he added with because he’s making his New Orleans a chuckle. ...and singing Macbeth debut?” It was a quintessential small town up- It wasn’t because he had partied in this bringing. “Pittsburgh was the ‘big city’ and Christopher Mattaliano has taken a very party town, because he later stated that I didn’t get there till I was 15 or 16,” Chioldi interesting concept that Lady Macbeth is he’s been sober for a year now. observed. being controlled by the witches. So it’ll be Perhaps he was a bit tired as he had He sang in his church choir and the traditional sets and costumes but a modern had a very early flight here that morning. tween his brain and mouth, but not a lot. So show choir in high school. “I thought I was interpretation which I think is great espe- Whatever the cause, after that third when looking back he addresses his going to become a doctor but one thing lead cially with its emphasis on the supernatural time he became much more focused and younger self as “you stupid little bottom,” to another and I just fell into it.”So much for given New Orleans’ rich history of voodoo delivered a flawless and highly enjoyable his natural charm makes it sound adorable. career planning. and the darker side of things. All you have cabaret act at Cafe Istanbul recently. Grand regaled his audience with a tale Chioldi followed college at West Vir- to do is go for a walk around Jackson (I later heard that something similar of how he was scared of puking on his idol ginia University with graduate studies at Square with its tarot card readers and you occurred the next night at his second per- Elton John when he once met him (’cause Yale. Within two years of leaving New see that element is still here in the modern formance so maybe it’s just a bit of shtik of food poisoning), and said with disarming Haven, he was singing at the Metropolitan world.” that’s part of his act to make him seem sweetness “When I open my mouth some- Opera. It’s not difficult to find other parallels down-to-earth. Hmmm...) times dumb things come out ’cause I’m His debut there was in Andrea Chénier between Verdi’s version of Shakespeare’s Grand came to national prominence stubborn and learn things the hard way.” in a production starring Luciano Pavarotti. tragedy and our current age. A week ahead three years ago when his music video All- However he learned to play the piano, “He was just the warmest person ever to of presidential voting, Chioldi stated, “With American Boy was released. He became throughout his set, Grand displayed im- me,” Chioldi said of the late great tenor. this crazy election you really see the thirst the “first openly gay male country musi- pressive technique, encompassing styles “You didn’t speak to him till he spoke to you. for power just as with Macbeth and Lady cian” to attract mainstream attention in the from honky-tonk to an expansive jazziness. Being a young Italian-American, he looked Macbeth. But they wind up way over their U.S., a label, like all such labels, he would If Grand’s original songs often tell of out for me and on opening night invited me heads.” Let’s hope the same won’t go for probably prefer to avoid as he told me a few relationships that don’t end well, musically over to sit at his table. He was so supportive our new President. weeks ago during an interview. they exhibit a wide scope. At Cafe Istanbul, of me.” Chioldi has a powerful yet supple voice But while his cute-as-a-button looks he gave Stay a funkier groove than on his Chioldi has since gone on to sing that can get into the upper reaches of the and washboard abs might have gotten him CD as he implored a lover to “not get mad/ leading roles around the world in operas by baritone range. That and a romantic insinu- modeling gigs (go ahead and google), And stay with me/Under the covers.” In Verdi (Rigoletto, La Traviata, Il Trovatore, ation akin to a tenor’s will serve him well in onstage he consciously plays against his Time, a beautiful ballad, he expressed Don Carlo), Puccini (Madama Butterfly, Macbeth. “Early Verdi requires baritones coverboy physiognomy. Rather than being complex emotions about a troubled rela- Tosca, La bohéme), and Strauss (Salome) to sing pretty high,” said Chioldi. “I like a gay, say, Smokey Robinson or Rod tionship. among others. singing in that range.” Stewart, Grand comes across as a self- Country or not, he tore up the keys on Macbeth has been a kind of calling If Chioldi is now focusing on the classic proclaimed “big goofball.” All-American Boy, giving it a barrelhouse card for him. “This will be my sixth produc- operatic canon (he goes directly from NOLA Which is fine. rendition. And Don’t Let The Light In, writ- tion of it in two years.” to Guadalajara to sing his first Iago in Sporting a scruffy black beard and a ten just before he gave up drinking, is a Asked how this production will differ Verdi’s Otello), earlier in his career he was 1,000-watt smile, Grand is completely open. from the others, Chioldi replied, “Director known for doing 20th century works (Billy There may be some self-censorship be- [continued on 24] 20 • The Official Mag©: AmbushMag.com • Nov. 8-21, 2016 • Official Gay Mardi Gras Guide • GayMardiGras.com