David Junghoon Kim

Tenor

An alumnus of the Jette Parker Young Artist Programme, Korean tenor David Junghoon Kim is the winner of the much-coveted Francisco Viñas, Voci Verdiane and Toulouse singing competitions. Since his graduation from the programme in 2017, Kim has made a series of notable debuts and appearances: as Alfredo in a new production of La traviata in Cologne, Macduff Macbeth at the Royal Ballet and Opera and Zürich Opera, Rodolfo La bohème in Zürich, Stuttgart, English National Opera and Royal Ballet and Opera and Leone de Casaldi in concert performances of the world premiere of Donizetti’s L’ange de Nisida with Sir Mark Elder at the Royal Ballet and Opera – recorded and later released by Opera Rara.

In the 2024-25 season Junghoon Kim will make his house debut as Cavaradossi Tosca at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm and will sing Rodolfo La Boheme for Seoul Metropolitan Opera and Ruggero La Rondine at Volksoper Vienna.

 

Last season saw him sing Alfredo La Traviata at Welsh National Opera; Rodolfo La bohème at Volksoper Wien; Prince Rusalka at Opera Nice Côte d’Azur and he returned to Staatsoper Stuttgart for his role debut as Don Carlos. On the concert platform, he joined Omroep Muziek under the baton of Karina Canellakis as the title role in La Damnation de Faust and was the tenor soloist for Verdi’s Requiem for the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.

 

Recent engagements include Rodolfo La bohème at the Royal Ballet and Opera and for his company debut at Glyndebourne and for English National Opera’s “Drive & Live” series at the Alexandra Palace; Cavaradossi Tosca as part of the South Facing Festival; Macduff Macbeth at the Royal Ballet and Opera; and his role debut as The Prince Rusalka with Alan Gilbert at the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra in Hamburg and also at Stuttgart Opera in a new production. Other notable engagements include Macduff Macbeth and Rodolfo La bohème at Opernhaus Zürich; Rodolfo La bohème at Oper Stuttgart; Italian Singer Der Rosenkavalier at Teatro Municipal de Santiago de Chile and Royal Ballet and Opera; Edgardo Lucia di Lammermoor at Dorset Opera Festival and Duca Rigoletto at Welsh National Opera. He also made his debut at the BBC Proms with the BBC Philharmonic singing Verdi’s Requiem.

 

A graduate of the Seoul National University, he made his professional debut as Rodolfo La Bohème, subsequently joining the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme from 2015-17. As a member of the JPYAP, his roles included Italian Singer Der Rosenkavalier, Venditore Il tabarro, Arturo Lucia di Lammermoor (also covering Edgardo), Ruiz Il trovatore, Flavio Norma, Nathanael Les contes d’Hoffmann, Lamplighter Manon Lescaut, Gastone La traviata, Augustin Moser Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Count Lerma and Herald Don Carlo and Pong Turandot.

Performances

NOVEMBER 22 2024

Rodolfo, La Boheme; Seoul Metropolitan Opera

Seoul, South Korea

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NOVEMBER 24 2024

Rodolfo, La Boheme; Seoul Metropolitan Opera

Seoul, South Korea

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FEBRUARY 1 2025

Ruggero, La Rondine; Volksoper Wien

Wien, Austria

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FEBRUARY 7 2025

Ruggero, La Rondine; Volksoper Wien

Wien, Austria

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FEBRUARY 11 2025

Ruggero, La Rondine; Volksoper Wien

Wien, Austria

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More Dates

Performances

NOVEMBER 22 2024Rodolfo, La Boheme; Seoul Metropolitan OperaSeoul, South KoreaBuy Tickets
NOVEMBER 24 2024Rodolfo, La Boheme; Seoul Metropolitan OperaSeoul, South KoreaBuy Tickets
FEBRUARY 1 2025Ruggero, La Rondine; Volksoper WienWien, AustriaBuy Tickets
FEBRUARY 7 2025Ruggero, La Rondine; Volksoper WienWien, AustriaBuy Tickets
FEBRUARY 11 2025Ruggero, La Rondine; Volksoper WienWien, AustriaBuy Tickets
FEBRUARY 14 2025Ruggero, La Rondine; Volksoper WienWien, AustriaBuy Tickets
FEBRUARY 20 2025Ruggero, La Rondine; Volksoper WienWien, AustriaBuy Tickets
FEBRUARY 28 2025Ruggero, La Rondine; Volksoper WienWien, AustriaBuy Tickets
MARCH 10 2025Ruggero, La Rondine; Volksoper WienWien, AustriaBuy Tickets

Press

…this was a tremendous performance which revealed a sure sense of bel canto idiom and a powerful tenor with plenty of penetrating presence. His phrasing was elegant, from his first avowals of love to his bitter rejection of the King…The tenor went from strength to strength, growing in dramatic confidence as the action progressed.

Opera Today

Ascendant Verdi star David Junghoon Kim opened up the relatively limited role of Macduff with aplomb and vivacity; his sword fight with Keenleyside in the spinning golden cage was rather thrilling. His singing in the big final act number, urging the Scottish people to rise up and overthrow their tyrannical leader, was charged with revolutionary zeal

OperaWire

…the celebrated Act III tenor aria, sung with radiance, lyricism and power by David Junghoon Kim.

The Stage

The show-off triumph of the evening belonged to Korean tenor David Junghoon Kim. Musicality and the high notes just pour out of him, and his sensitivity in plangent moments was authentically Italianate, too.

Arts Desk

Releases

Donizetti: L'ange de Nisida

MWA