Hansung Yoo

INTRODUCTION

The baritone Hansung Yoo is known for his warm baritone voice, radiating and resonating powerfully on stage. His performance as a dramatic baritone has been described as mesmerizing and compelling.  He has mastered both voice control and acting skills, bringing creativity and conviction to the roles he plays.

RECENT AND FUTURE ENGAGEMENTS

Hansung’s most recent and future projects include (among others):

• Tonio/I Pagliacci at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden (ROH) and the Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv (house debut);
• as Ping/Turandot: a house debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, multiple return engagements at the ROH Covent Garden, a tour with the ROH in Japan, a house debut at Semperoper Dresden and at Teatre Principal de Maó in Menorca, a performance at the Osterfestspiele Salzburg with C. Thielemann, performances at the Israeli National Opera in Tel Aviv and at the Irish National Opera in Dublin;
• Marcello/La Bohème at the Metropolitan Opera in New York;
• Schaunard/La Bohème at ROH Covent Garden;
• a role debut in the title role in Macbeth by Verdi at Theater und Orchester Heidelberg;
• a debut as Kurwenal/Tristan und Isolde at the Deutsche Oper Berlin;
• Giorgio Germont/La Traviata at Korea National Opera;
• a debut as Scarpia/Tosca, Gunther/Götterdämmerung, Giorgio Germont/La Traviata, Escamillo/Carmen and Donner/Rheingold at Staatstheater Kassel;
• the title role in Rigoletto at the Dorset Opera Festival;
• Scarpia/Tosca at St. Margarethen Festival, Oper am Steinbruch;
• Amfortas/Parsifal and the title role in Rigoletto at Theater Koblenz;
• Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with San Diego Symphony;
• Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen with Südwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz.

BIOGRAPHY

After completing his studies at the Korea National University of Arts in Seoul under Professor Han Choi, Hansung Yoo moved to Germany to further his education at the Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf with Professor Michaela Krämer and at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg with Professor Carolyn James, where he earned both his Master of Opera and the prestigious Performance Diploma (Konzertexamen).

After nearly a decade as a valued ensemble member at the Staatstheater Kassel (2013–2022), where he performed a wide spectrum of leading baritone roles, Yoo launched his freelance career in the 2022/23 season to expand his international presence.

He made his critically acclaimed debut at the Deutsche Oper Berlin as Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde. That same season, he received outstanding reviews for his portrayal of Don Carlo di Vargas in La forza del destino at Saarbrücken Staatstheater, and for his debut as Ping in Turandot at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, under the baton of Sir Antonio Pappano.

Following this successful debut, Yoo joined the Royal Opera House again on their Turandot tour of Japan in 2024 and also served as a cover for the title role in Rigoletto. In 2025, he returned to ROH for a successful reprise of Ping in Turandot.

In the 2024 season, Yoo also made his long-awaited debut in his homeland, singing Germont in La Traviata with the Korea National Opera.

In the 2025/26 season, Yoo made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Ping in Turandot under the baton of Maestro Carlo Rizzi, receiving critical acclaim for his elegant singing and compelling stage presence. His performance was particularly praised for the warmth and legato of his Ping, described as “gleaming in tone and gorgeously phrased” (Paterre Box) and “displaying a lighter, warmer quality with seamless legato” (OperaWire).

​Yoo’s operatic repertoire includes a wide range of roles such as Rigoletto (Rigoletto), Macbeth (Macbeth), Carlo Gérard (Andrea Chénier), Conte di Luna (Il trovatore), Scarpia (Tosca), Giorgio Germont (La Traviata), Eugene Onegin (Eugene Onegin), Alfio (Cavalleria rusticana), Tonio (Pagliacci), Figaro (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Amfortas (Parsifal), Kurwenal (Tristan und Isolde), Marcello and Shaunard (La bohème), Mercutio (Roméo et Juliette), and Don Carlos di Vargas (La forza del destino), among others.

A laureate of several of the world’s most prestigious competitions, Yoo was a finalist in the 2014 Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels and won 3rd Prize in the 2015 International Tchaikovsky Competition. Other honors include 1st Prize and five additional awards at the 2008 International Vocal Competition in ’s-Hertogenbosch, 2nd Prize and the Audience Prize at the 2012 ARD International Music Competition in Munich, and top prizes in Marmande, Cologne, and Weikersheim.

He has worked with esteemed conductors including Sir Antonio Pappano, Sir Donald Runnicles, Carlo Rizzi, Keri-Lynn Wilson, Daniele Callegari, Rafael Payare, Francesco Ivan Ciampa, Patrik Ringborg, Constantin Trinks, Antony Hermus, Anja Bihlmaier, and Francesco Angelico.

He values the collaborative spirit of opera, fostering trust and friendship among colleagues, and always contributes his best to a harmonious creative atmosphere.