Baritone Nathan Gunn has a firm hold on his career as he moves from triumphs in such operas as Billy Budd, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Die Zauberflöte, and An American Tragedy to his upcoming appearances in high-profile concert performances of two great American musicals, Camelot and Show Boat.
Famous for his superb physique and stellar stage presence as well as for his beautiful voice, Gunn will be playing Lancelot in Camelot (May 7-10, 2008 at Avery Fisher Hall), which means that he'll get to wrap his vocal cords around the ravishing love ballad, "If Ever I Would Leave You." In Show Boat (June 10 at Carnegie Hall), he'll sing the role of Gaylord Ravenal, duetting with soprano Celena Shafer in such classic songs as "Make Believe," "You are Love," and "Why Do I Love You?" I recently spoke with him about these exciting events.
Michael Portantiere: It's great to hear your speaking voice, Nathan. I don't think I've ever heard it before.
NATHAN GUNN: Well, in The Magic Flute at the Met, if you ever saw that. But that was more like shouting. I'm loving working on Camelot, but it's a very different process than I'm used to.
MP: How much musical-theater experience do you have?
GUNN: Before this, the only musical I ever did professionally was Sweeney Todd at the Chicago Lyric Opera. Other than that, just high-school musicals. I played Curly in Oklahoma! at St. Joseph's High School in South Bend, Indiana. I'd like to do that again. There's a lot of good music in that show!
MP: It's interesting that you're now doing two musicals in the space of a month.
GUNN: Yes, very different parts in very different shows. But they're similar in that the music really has to be sung, unlike Jesus Christ Superstar or some other rock opera that I couldn't do.
MP: Show Boat is almost an operetta, and Lancelot in Camelot was written for a legit baritone, so I'm guessing they're both good fits for your voice.
GUNN: Yes, they're working out great. You know, another musical theater role I'd love to try out is Billy Bigelow in Carousel. I've done some of the songs in recital, and I think that would be fun. I find the main difference between singing opera and musicals is that in musicals, you really have to focus on the words. In grand opera, sometimes you can get away with just making a beautiful sound, and the words can become superfluous. But in musical theater, you can't get away with that. You have to tell a story.
MP: You've sung quite often in English, but I'm wondering if the dialogue in Camelot has proven to be a challenge for you.
GUNN: I'm enjoying it. I think [director] Lonny Price's overall idea is that the Round Table is a metaphor for something like the United Nations, with people from different cultures coming together and treating each other with respect. In Camelot, it doesn't work out in the end. But the point is not so much that human beings succeed in creating a utopia, but that we keep trying.
Lonny wanted me to play Lancelot with a bit of a French accent, which I can do. At the beginning, he's a very disciplined soldier, a bit robotic -- sort of a goofy, Gaston-type character. It's not until he meets Guenevere that he softens and becomes more human.
In the second act, after he's been around for a few years, I take some of thickness out of his accent. It's much more subtle.
MP: The original Lancelot was Robert Goulet, who died last year. What are you thoughts on him?
GUNN: I only know him from recordings, but he had a beautiful voice. It's funny: People have said to me, "Aren't you afraid of being compared to Robert Goulet?" I say, "Look, I've done operas that have been sung for hundreds of years by some of the greatest singers in history." You just have to put that out of your mind and try to put your own stamp on the role.
MP: Camelot has people from all different walks of show business in the cast: Gabriel Byrne as Arthur, Marin Mazzie as Guenevere, Fran Drescher as Morgan le Fey, Christopher Lloyd as Pellinore. What has it been like for you to work with them in rehearsal?
GUNN: We are all getting along beautifully. It's totally fun. Broadway is Marin Mazzie's thing; she's charming and sexy, and she brings a humanity to the character that I think could easily be missed. Gabriel Byrne is terrific. This is his first musical, and he was a little nervous about it in the beginning, but he has a lovely voice. Christopher Lloyd is just hilarious, Fran Drescher is perfect for the part. And our Merlin is Stacy Keach. What an actor!
MP: Show Boat also has an impressive cast. You've got musical-theater stars Carolee Carmello, Jessica Bogart, and Gavin Lee. From the opera world, there's Celena Shafer, Alvy Powell, and -- my God! -- Marilyn Horne. Have you started work on the music yet?
GUNN: No, but it's not far away. We're going to have to throw that one together quickly!
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