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BIOGRAPHY

Praised by Opera News for "Vocal dexterity and outstanding Italian diction.", "Mr. Yoo showcased a rich, reverberant baritone.” Baritone Young-Kwang, native of South Korea, is a graduate of the College of Music, Seoul National University. He received his Master of music degree from the Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Mark Oswald. Mr. Yoo also holds with Certificate from the Opera Institute at Boston University.

 

His awards the 1st place winner in Osaka International Competition hosted in Japan and 2nd place in the Manhattan International Music Competition. He also has been awarded the Grand Prize of Opera Division in the 2019 Metropolitan International Vocal Competition.

 

Previous credits include Rigoletto (Rigoletto) with Seoul National University, La Bohème (Marcello), Lakmé (Frederic) and Luisa Miller (Miller) with Manhattan School of Music, The Telephone (Ben) with Te Art Ro Production, Emmeline (Mr. Maguire), Le Nozze di Figaro (Il Conte), The War Reporter (Paul Watson) and Pelléas et Mélisande (Pelléas) with Opera institute, La Tragedie de Carmen (Escamillo) with the City Lyric Opera in NYC and L'enfant prodigue (Siméon) with Camerata New Jersey Foundation. He did Don Pasquale (Malatesta) and Madama Butterfly (Sharpless) with Martina Arroyo Foundation. He performed three operas with the Cleveland Opera Theater, Madama Butterfly (Sharpless), La Bohème (Marcello) and Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Figaro) which was hailed by the Cleveland Classical for "Baritone Young Kwang Yoo brought an ultimate suavity, and a special combination of tone and power to Figaro."

 

The New York Times wrote for his portrayal of Sharpless, “His solid baritone voice and stolid bearing suited Sharpless.” Opera News stated “He provided sturdy, empathetic presence.”

 

Also, the Operawire hailed his role, Escamillo, for “The stand-out performance of the evening came from baritone Young-Kwang Yoo.” and the ConcertoNet wrote “Escamillo could be the least attractive of the quartet, but Young-Kwang has such a magnificent voice that his toreador is terrific.”

 

Mr. Yoo portrayed Le Monstre Cathos in the U.S. premiere of Ibert’s Persée et Andromède directed by James Robinson and under the baton of Maestro Pierre Vallet at the Manhattan School of Music. The New York Times selected this Persée et Andromède as one of the ten best classical performances in New York in 2016.

 

Mr. Yoo’s oratorio work includes appearances at the Symphony hall in Boston as Adam in Haydn’s Creation. He also performed as a baritone soloist in Orff’s Carmina Burana at the Alice Tully hall in Lincoln Center in New York City and at the concert hall in Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and Faure’s Requiem with the Goyang Civic Choir in Korea. He has sung Handel’s Messiah every year. 

 

Young-Kwang has appeared on broadcasting in US and Korea. One of his online shows that brought hope and peace to the people who have had painful moments in the pandemic situation was introduced to the CNN News and Reuters. Also, the Voice of America paid attention to his life which has been moving to his dream as an international opera singer and took a documentary show in their Korean channel. In addition, he has been showed many of famous Korean TV shows on KBS, MBC, tvN, C channel and CTS channels. Mr. Yoo is– becoming a special opera singer especially among Koreans. He is not only singing but also sharing his life as an opera singer and a human being with doing performance and broadcasting.

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This season, Young Kwang will work with the Salt Marsh Opera for Rossini’s La Cenerentola (Alidoro) and will perform Faure’s Requiem with the Suberban Symphony Orchestra. He will also give Opera Gala Concerts with the Cleveland Opera Theater and the River City Opera.

Bio

MEDIA

Largo al factotum 

Il barbiere di Siviglia

Rossini

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Votre toast

Carmen

Bizet

Hai gia vinta la causa

Le nozze di Figaro

Mozart

E fra quest'ansie...

Pagliacci

Leoncavallo

Media
Photo

PHOTOS

REVIEWS

OPERA NEWS

"He provided sturdy, empathetic presence.”

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OPERA NEWS

“Vocal dexterity and outstanding Italian diction.”

 

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OPERA NEWS

“Mr. Yoo showcased a rich, reverberant baritone.”

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NEW YORK TIMES

“His solid baritone voice and stolid bearing suited Sharpless.”

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CLEVELAND CLASSICAL 

"Baritone Young Kwang Yoo brought an ultimate suavity, and a special combination of tone and power to Figaro.”

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OPERAWIRE

“The stand-out performance of the evening came from baritone Young-Kwang Yoo.”

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CONCERTONET

“Young-Kwang has such a magnificent voice that his toreador is terrific.”

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Reviews
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