Celebrated Tenors Greet Local Fans

By Han Sang-hee

Staff Reporter

Two celebrated tenors ― Kim Woo-kyung and Ian Bostridge ― are greeting fans who are looking forward to warm classical tunes amid the chilly winds of winter.

Kim, who started singing after discovering his talents in high school, will offer works by Schumann, Mozart and other operatic numbers familiar to Korean audiences.

During the first section, classic fans will get to listen to Schumann's ``Dichterliebe,'' or ``A Poet's Love,'' originally a poem written by German romantic poet Heinrich Heine. Continuing in the second stage will be classic arias from operas ``The Magic Flute,'' ``La Boheme'' and ``Carmen.''

Pianist Richard Barker, who will accompany Kim at the performance, will also grace fans with a solo ``One of the Last Carnival Evenings.''

The 32-year-old Kim enjoyed a promising career as a tenor by winning the 2001 Belvedere Singing Competition in Vienna, the Mirjam Helin International Singing Competition and the 2004 Placido Domingo World Opera Contest, among others, and also appearing on the stage of the New York Metropolitan Opera in 2007. It was the first time in the theater's 127-year history for a Korean to perform as Alfredo in the opera ``La Triviata.''

With high hopes of becoming one of the best tenors around, Kim will captivate the local audience with his strong vocals and charismatic charms.

Meanwhile, English tenor Ian Bostridge met local fans for the first time in four years Wednesday. An avid fan of Schubert, he brought the complete song cycle of ``Die Schone Mullerin,'' one of the best works of the Austrian master and also Bostridge's debut number.

Bostridge, 44, studied history and philosophy of science at Oxford and Cambridge and started his career as a singer after realizing that this was what he could spend his time doing for the rest of his life.