Hansu Kim Tenore Tenor

"As Don José, the hapless corporal who’s Carmen’s latest target of opportunity, Hansu Kim’s mature, fully developed tenor voice provided just the right counterpoint to his feisty love interest. His acting skills proved considerable, as he believably embodied his character’s decline and fall." - Terry Ponick, Washington Times. "Hansu Kim had a self-centered and contained presence about Don José, which was an important component to the character. He is also extremely musical. He sings with such emotion that when you close your eyes, you feel all the happiness and the pain. And it's not just his voice, which is gorgeous, but he offers such an emotional connection that when he and Carmen sing to each other, it is like they are making love." - Karen Schafer, The Washington Gazette. "With conducting by Metropolitan Opera's Gregory Buchalter, Tenor Hansu Kim performed the role of Turridu in Cavlleria Rusticana with full of ernergy and solemn dignity. His voice sounded like the legendary Dramatic Tenor, Mario del Monaco." - Micaele Sparacino, Conductor of Washington National Opera. "What a glorious dramatic tenor voice! Well done throughout the role of Andrea Chénier. Hansu Kim was not afraid of presenting his glorious and free high notes. Overall, a very professional sound and vocal technique. All of his notes have excellent support, opulence and ping. The quality of sound is so professional that it was difficult to find fault! Again, there were excellent vocal quality, and ease of production. His voice was dramatic, but not over-powered or pushed. I hope Hansu Kim will be enjoying huge successes in the professional operatic field. Certainly, he will be deserved it! Just keep going!!" - Stephen West, Bass-baritone of The Metropolitan Opera / Chair of Voice and Opera and Professor of Music at University of Michigan "The spinto-dramatic tenor voice of Hansu Kim was generous. His voice demonstrated very solid technique, with ringing, and well-projected high notes that allowed him to tackle the role of Andrea Chénier. He executed this vocally very demanding role with confidence and energy. His Italian pronunciation was excellent, and he showed mastery of the text, convincingly interpreting the character of Andrea Chénier. Very well done! He is ready for the big stages!!" - Laura Cherici, Soprano of Teatro alla Scala / Professor of Voice at Conservatorio di Musica "Cesare Pollini" di Padova, Italia.

Nessun Dorma (Puccini, Turandot)

Mamma, quel vino è generoso (Cavalleria rusticana)

O figli, o figli miei!... Ah, la paterna mano (Macbeth)

Colpito qui m'avete... Un dì all'azzurro spazio (Andrea Chénier)

Vesti la giubba (I pagliacci)

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Curriculum

Il tenore Hansu Kim è nato e cresciuto a Seul, Corea del Sud. Ha intrapreso gli studi musicali presso la Yonsei University School of Music, dove nel 1998 ha conseguito una Laurea in Musica (Bachelor of Music) con borsa di studio. Subito dopo la laurea si è trasferito negli Stati Uniti per proseguire la sua formazione alla Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, dove ha ottenuto un Master of Music con borsa di studio nel 2002.
Ha studiato sotto la guida del celebre Heldentenor James King, Kammersänger a Vienna, Berlino e Monaco, della soprano Martina Arroyo, vincitrice del Kennedy Prize, e della soprano Carol Vaness, tre volte candidata ai GRAMMY per la miglior registrazione operistica (1984, 1993 e 2007).
Ha inoltre perfezionato la propria formazione attraverso masterclass con artisti di grande prestigio come Lucine Amara, Francisco Casanova, Lando Bartolini, Claudia Visca, Franco Silvestri, Chris Merritt e Christian Starinieri.
Nel corso della sua carriera operistica, Hansu Kim ha interpretato numerosi ruoli tenorili principali in importanti teatri d’opera e festival negli Stati Uniti. Nel 2006 ha cantato Radamès in Aida e Manrico in Il Trovatore con la One World Symphony. Nel 2008 ha interpretato Don José in Carmen con la Bel Cantanti Opera.
Il suo repertorio comprende inoltre Calaf in Turandot (New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera, 2010), Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly (Harmonia Opera al John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts – Millennium Stage, 2011) e Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana con la Opera Camerata of Washington nel 2012.
La sua attività concertistica è stata altrettanto significativa. Si è esibito tre volte alla Isaac Stern Auditorium della Carnegie Hall con la MidAmerica Productions e la New Jersey Philharmonic (2005, 2007, 2009).
Tra le sue esecuzioni oratoriali figurano la Messa in Sol maggiore di Franz Schubert (2007) e la Missa in tempore belli di Joseph Haydn (2009).
Si è inoltre esibito in concerti di gala per importanti personalità, tra cui un concerto nel 2008 per il presidente della Corea del Sud Lee Myung-bak e un concerto nel 2010 per il governatore del New Jersey Jon Corzine.
Hansu Kim ha affinato la propria esperienza artistica lavorando con compagnie come Utah Festival Opera, Dicapo Opera Theatre e Pacific Encore Performances.
Il suo sviluppo vocale è stato ulteriormente sostenuto dal coaching dei direttori del Metropolitan Opera Steven Crawford, Gregory Buchalter e Louis Salemno, nonché dai professori Claudia Visca, Marcin Kozieł e Joëlle Bouffa della Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien (MDW) – Institut für Gesang und Musiktheater a Vienna, Austria.
Attualmente Hansu Kim è professore di canto presso la Seoul Theological University School of Music a Seul, Corea del Sud.
Nel corso della sua carriera, Hansu Kim ha ricevuto numerosi e prestigiosi riconoscimenti.

AWARD

1st Prize The New York Classical Music Competition 2025, New York, USA

1st Prize The London Classical Music Competition 2025, London, United Kingdom

1st Prize The New York International Music Competition 2025, New York, USA

1st Prize The Medici International Music Competition 2025, London, United Kingdom

1st Prize The American International Music Competition 2025, New York, USA

1st Prize The International Schubert Competition Vienna 2025, Vienna, Austria

1st Prize The Claude Debussy Competition Paris 2025, Paris, France

1st Prize The Amadeus International Music Awards 2025, Vienna, Austria

1st Prize The Virtuoso International Music Awards 2025, London, United Kingdom

1st Prize The American Classical Music Awards 2025, New York, USA

1st Prize The Vienna International Music Competition 2025, Vienna, Austria

1st Prize The Birmingham International Music Competition 2024, Birmingham, United Kingdom

1st Prize The Gold International Classical Music Competition 2024, London, United Kingdom

1st Prize The European Virtuoso Music Awards 2024, Berlin, Germany

1st Prize The Clara Schumann International Competition 2024, Brussels, Belgium

1st Prize The Arizona International Music Competition 2024, Pheonix, USA

1st Prize The Swiss International Music Competition 2024, Lugano, Switzerland

1st Prize The Euterpe International Music Awards 2024, Berlin, Germany

1st Prize The Gulf Musician International Competition 2024, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain

1st Prize The Servaas International Music Competition 2024, London, United Kingdom

1st Prize The Royal Maas International Music Competition 2024, London, United Kingdom

1st Prize The World Stage International Music Competition 2024, London, United Kingdom

1st Prize The Accadia Foundation International Vocal Competition 2010, New York, USA

1st Prize The Olga Forrai Foundation International Competition 2004, New York, USA

1st Prize The Dicapo Opera International Vocal Competition 2002, New York, USA

EDUCATION

Voice Teacher James King, Martina Arroyo, Paul Kiesgan, Carlos Montané, Mark Oswald, Umberto Borso, Fiorella Burato

Vocal Coach Louis Salemno, Giampaolo Bracali, Steven Crawford, Gregory Buchalter, Elaine Rinaldi, Katherine Olsen

Master Class: Lucine Amara, Francisco Casanova, Lando Bartolini, Claudia Visca, Franco Silvestri, Christian Starinieri, Chris Merritt

Resident Artist Utah Festival Opera, Logan, Utah / Dicapo Opera, New York, NY / Pacific Encore Performances, New York, NY

Master of Music Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University, Bloomington (with scholarship)

Bachelor of Music School of Music, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea (with scholarship)

TEACHING

Voice Professor School of Music, Seoul Theological University, South Korea

Tenor Hansu Kim was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea. He pursued musical studies at Yonsei University School of Music and earned a Bachelor of Music with scholarship in 1998. Soon after his graduation, he moved to the United States and studied at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he earned a Master of Music with scholarship in 2002. He studied under the guidance of the renowned Heldentenor James King who was Kammersänger in Vienna, Berlin, and Munich, and the Kennedy Prize winner, Soprano Martina Arroyo and the three-time GRAMMY nominee for Best Opera Recording in 1984, 1993, and 2007, Soprano Carol Vaness. He received further training through Masterclasses with distinguished artists such as Lucine Amara, Francisco Casanova, Lando Bartolini, Claudia Visca, Franco Silvestri, Chris Merritt and Christian Starinieri. Hansu's operational career has seen him performing a wide range of leading tenor roles across prominent opera houses and festivals in the United States. In 2006, he appeared as Radames in Aida and Manrico in Il Trovatore with One World Symphony. He portrayed Don José in Carmen (2008) with Bel Cantanti Opera. His repertoire also includes Calaf in Turandot (New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera, 2010), Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly (Harmonia Opera at the Kennedy Center Millenium Stage, 2011), and Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana (Opera Camerata of Washington, 2012). His concert engagements have been equally impressive. He has made three appearances at Carnegie Hall's Isaac Stern Auditorium with MidAmerica Productions and the New Jersey Philharmonic (2005, 2007, 2009). His oratorio performances include Schubert's Mass in G Major (2007) and Haydn's Missa in tempore belli (2009). Moreover, he was featured in gala concerts for esteemed audiences, including a 2008 performance for Korean President, Myung-bak Lee and a 2010 concert for New Jersey Governor, Jon Corzine. Hansu Kim honed his craft as an artist with the Utah Festival Opera, Dicapo Opera and Pacific Encore Performances. His vocal development was further supported by coaching from the Metropolitan Opera conductors Steven Crawford, Gregory Buchalter, and Louis Salemno, and professors Claudia Visca, Marcin Kozieł and Joëlle Bouffa of the Universität für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Wien (MDW) - Institut für Gesang und Musiktheater in Vienna, Austria, solidifying his place as a sought-after tenor in both operatic and concert settings. Hansu Kim teaches at Seoul Theological University School of Music, Seoul, South Korea as a Voice Professor. Throughout his career, Hansu Kim has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards.