James Anest in The Producers

[Steffie2]

Posted: 7/20/09 at 8:56pm

Nebraska native and West Coast based opera singer James Anest made his midwest theatrical debut recently in the comic singing role of Franz Liebkind in Music Theatre of Wichita's lavish production of Mel Brooks' The Producers. The production got rave reviews and so did Anest but the most interesting (and revealing) observation concerning Anest appears in critic BOB CURTRIGHT's review in the Wichita Eagle:
"James Anest looks and sounds more like a romantic leading man with a powerful, beautiful baritone. But he throws himself into this ridiculous comic role with complete, self-effacing abandon and pulls it off."

James has performed with the world's leading orchestras and opera companies and played with great success the roles of Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, Lancelot in Camelot and scored a triumph playing Emile de Becque in two productions of South Pacific when he was still in early 20's.

My only question is: When is this guy going to get a chance to perform where he clearly belongs: in a leading role on Broadway, perhaps a revival of a classic musical that calls for a romantic legitimate voiced leading man like James Anest?