Male Vocalists to Offer Different Colors
By Bae Keun-min
Staff Reporter
When it comes to the world's top classical vocalists from Korea, males used not to get as much attention as females did some 10 years ago; Korean sopranos such as Shin Young-ok, Jo Sumi and Hong Hei-kyung were in the limelight on the prestigious world opera stages.
However, Korean male vocalists have started receiving more attention in Europe and the United States. Among the rising male songsters is baritone Samuel Youn.
Youn, 36, will demonstrate his musical talent and techniques to home fans in his first solo concert here on June 16 at the Seongnam Arts Center in Gyeonggi Province.
Youn has made regular appearances on the stage for Europe's Bayreuth Festival, dedicated to celebrated German composer Richard Wagner, since 2004. He made his name out in the classical world with awards at international competitions including Toti dal Monte Opera, Francesco Albanese, Premio Enrico Caruso, Riccardo Zandonai and Franz Schubert.
After graduating from Seoul National University, Youn studied at Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi in Milan and Musikhochschule Koeln in Germany.
In the upcoming concert, Youn will show off his specialty as a Wagnerian, along with Mozart opera arias. Tickets cost from 20,000 won to 60,000 won. For more information, call (031) 783-8000.
Verdi specialist baritone Woo Ju-ho will also present his unique interpretation of songs by Donizetti, Respighi and Verdi in a recital on June 15 at the Naru Arts Center in Seoul.
Woo, 39, put his name on the map after winning at numerous vocal competitions such as the Busseto- Verdi Competition, the Francesco Cilea Competition and the Giacomo Laura Volpi International Voice Competition.
Tickets cost from 33,000 won to 55,000 won. For more information, call (02) 2049-4700, 1588-7890 or 1544-1555.
Woo will also sing together with three tenors Shin Dong-ho, Kang Moo-lim, Lee Hyun in a concert, titled as ``3 Tenors + 1,'' on June 10 at Seoul Arts Center. Tickets for the joint concert cost from 20,000 won to 50,000 won. For more information, call (02) 749-1300.
Crossover tenor Im Tae-kyung, 34, will offer songs from famous films and musicals in a concert on June 18 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.
Im has built a fan base of females in their 20s and 30s through performance in such musicals as a Korean rendition of ``Jesus Christ Super Star,'' and Korean original ``Winter Sonata'' and ``The Sword of Fire.''
Tickets cost from 30,000 won to 100,000 won. For more information, call 1577-5266 or (02) 318-4302.