Young Woo Kim

The Korean tenor Young Woo Kim began his vocal studies at the Chugye University for the Arts with a scholarship. He has since been honoured with several international awards, such as the Irene Sandford Competition Award from the Royal Irish Academy of Music. From 2016 to 2018, he was a member of Cologne Opera's International Opera Studio, during which time he sang Toniolo in Gassmann's "Gli uccellatori" ("The Birdcatchers"), Der Jüngling in Schreker's "Die Gezeichneten" and Gastone in "La Traviata", among others. He also sang the role of the Second Young Officer in Bernd Alois Zimmermann's "Die Soldaten".
 

At the beginning of the 2018.19 season, he joined the permanent ensemble of Cologne Opera. The roles he has performed at Cologne Opera since then include Fenton in Verdi's "Falstaff", Hoffmann in "The Tales of Hoffmann for Children", Daniel Buchanan in Kurt Weill's "Street Scene", Mambre in Rossini's "Mosè in Egitto", ¬Sou-Chong in "The Land of Smiles" (concertante), Ein Hirt in "Tristan und Isolde", Don José in "Carmen", the title role in Gounod's "Faust", 1st Harnischter in "The Magic Flute", Siegmund in "Die Walküre für Jung und Alt", and Hoffegut in "Die Walküre für Jung und Alt". Geharnischter in "Die Zauberflöte", Siegmund in "Die Walküre für Jung und Alt", and Hoffegut in "Die Vögel". In December 2021, he was awarded the Offenbach Prize by the Freunde der Kölner Oper e.V. association for his outstanding artistic achievements. In April 2022, he also appeared as Siegmund in "Die Walküre für Jung und Alt" as part of Cologne Opera's guest performance in South Korea. 
Most recently, he sang the tenor role in Beethoven's 9th Symphony in Dortmund in 2022, Erik in "The Flying Dutchman" at Cologne Opera and at Felsenbühne Sachsen, Radames in "Aida" at Bielefeld Theatre in 2023, Bacchus in "Ariadne auf Naxos" at the Garsington Opera Festival, Cavaradossi in "Tosca" at the State Operas in Hamburg and Hanover and at Cologne Opera, Sydney Opera House and Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne in 2024. He will also perform the title role in "Faust" at Cologne Opera again in 2024.