Praised by Opera News for "Vocal dexterity and outstanding Italian diction.", "Mr. Yoo showcased a rich, reverberant baritone."
Baritone Young-Kwang, native of South Korea, is a graduate of the College of Music, Seoul National University. He received his Master of music degree from the Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of Mark Oswald. Mr. Yoo also holds with Certificate from the Opera Institute at Boston University.
His awards the 1st place winner in Osaka International Competition hosted in Japan, 2nd place in the Manhattan International Music Competition and the Grand Prize of Opera Division in the Metropolitan International Vocal Competition. He also has been awarded 1st prize in the 2020 SAS performing arts company vocal competition.
Previous credits include Il Barbiere di Siviglia(Figaro), Don Giovanni(Don Giovanni), La Bohème(Marcello), Le Nozze di Figaro(Il Conte), Lakmé (Frederic), Madama Butterfly(Sharpless), Luisa Miller(Miller), Emmeline(Mr. Maguire), Pelléas et Mélisande(Pelléas), Carmen(Escamillo), Don Pasquale(Malatesta), Rigoletto (Rigoletto) and so on.
For his role Figaro in the Barber of Seville with the Florida Grand Opera and the Cleveland Opera Theater, Cleveland Classical and Pro Opera Florida hailed for "Baritone Young Kwang Yoo brought an ultimate suavity, and a special combination of tone and power to Figaro.", “He made his debut in the role of Figaro and did so in a big way. He acted with ease and the required nonchalance at certain moments, showing a comic visage reinforced from the vocal aspect.”Also, the Operawire hailed his role, Escamillo, for “The stand-out performance of the evening came from baritone Young-Kwang Yoo.” and the ConcertoNet wrote “Escamillo could be the least attractive of the quartet, but Young-Kwang has such a magnificent voice that his toreador is terrific.”
The New York Times wrote for his portrayal of Sharpless, “His solid baritone voice and stolid bearing suited Sharpless.” Opera News stated “He provided sturdy, empathetic presence.”
Mr. Yoo portrayed Le Monstre Cathos in the U.S. premiere of Ibert’s Persée et Andromède directed by James Robinson and under the baton of Maestro Pierre Vallet at the Manhattan School of Music. The New York Times selected this Persée et Andromède as one of the ten best classical performances in New York in 2016.
His oratorio work includes appearances at the Symphony hall in Boston as Adam in Haydn’s Creation. He also performed as a baritone soloist in Orff’s Carmina Burana at the Alice Tully hall in Lincoln Center in New York City and at the concert hall in Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and Faure’s Requiem with the Suburban Symphony Orchestra in Cleveland and the Goyang Civic Choir in Korea.
Young-Kwang has appeared on broadcasting in US and Korea. One of his online shows that brought hope and peace to the people who have had painful moments in the pandemic situation was introduced to the CNN News and Reuters. Also, the Voice of America paid attention to his life which has been moving to his dream as an international opera singer and took a documentary show in their Korean channel. In addition, he has been showed many of famous Korean TV shows on KBS, MBC, tvN, C channel and CTS channels. Mr. Yoo is becoming a special opera singer especially among Koreans. He is not only singing but also sharing his life as an opera singer and a human being with doing performance and broadcasting.
This season, Young-Kwang worked with the Opera Camerata New Jersey for La Tragedie de Carmen(Escamillo), Don Giovanni from Don Giovanni with 5th ave production and Escamillo from Carmen with Festival Opera at Walnut Creek, CA. Also, he made his Florida Grand Opera debut with Il Barbiere di Siviglia as the title role, Figaro.
For next season, Mr. Yoo will sing Escamillo(Carmen) with the Indianapolis Opera and Marcello(La Boheme) with the Intermountain Opera Bozeman.
