Kwangchul Youn
The Korean singer Kwangchul Youn is a recognised giant on the international opera and concert stages. From 1993 to 2004 he was a member of the ensemble at the Berlin State Opera, where he developed many of the roles in his broad repertoire. In 2018 he was awarded the professional status of Kammersänger there. Wagner and Verdi are the core of Kwangchul Youn’s repertoire, including Gurnemanz (Parsifal), König Heinrich (Lohengrin), King Marke (Tristan und Isolde), Daland (Der fliegende Holländer) and Pogner (The Mastersingers of Nuremberg), Filippo II (Don Carlo), Fiesco (Simon Boccanegra), Ferrando (Il Trovatore), Banquo (Macbeth) and Ramfis (Aida). He is also a sought-after interpreter of Sarastro (The Magic Flute). In recent years the popular bass has appeared at all leading opera houses in Europe and abroad, including Vienna, London, Berlin, Milan, Munich, Dresden, Paris, Barcelona, Turin, New York and Chicago. Guest performances at festivals include Bayreuth and Salzburg and the Salzburg Easter Festival. Highlights of the 2019/20 season were Des Grieux in Massenet’s Manon at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Abimélech at the Berlin State Operas in a new production of Samson et Dalila, conducted by Daniel Barenboim and Ramfis in Barcelona. Besides his opera appearances, Kwangchul Youn regularly performs in concert with leading international orchestras. Numerous CD recordings document his long career. At the Wiener Staatsoper he has sung roles including Ramfis, Sarastro, Philippe II (Don Carlos), Gurnemanz, Marke, Fiesco, and Leporello.