Soprano
Website: www.hyeyounlee.com
Biography
Born in South Korea, she studied first in Berlin with Renate Krahmer and Julia Varady before joining Les Jeunes Voix du Rhin at L’ Opéra National du Rhin in Strasbourg. She went on to L’Atelier Lyrique at L’Opéra National de Paris before deciding to transfer to the UK where she made her successful London debut as Marie La Fille du Régiment for Opera Holland Park. She was named Face to Watch in Classical Music 2013 and now appears with principal companies in the UK and abroad, both in opera and concert. She enjoyed considerable success as soprano soloist in Verdi’s Messa da Requiem for the Three Choirs Festival 2019 under Edward Gardner. Recent appearances include Madame Mao Nixon in China for Scottish Opera, Musetta La Boheme for Grange Park, Donna Anna Don Giovanni for Scottish Opera where she returned for the Verdi Collection, a Gala of Verdi extracts and to sing Micaëla Carmen. The title role of Strauss’s Daphne for Scottish Opera, a new repertory for her, proved an absolute triumph with outstanding critical acclaim and she triumphed once again in the title role of Madama Butterfly for Islenka Operan and Finnish National Opera. In concert, Hye-Youn sang soprano solo Verdi Messa da Requiem at the Auditorio Nacional de Música Madrid and at the Sage Gateshead with the Royal Northern Sinfonia. She returned to the Auditorio Nacional de Música Madrid for Händel’s Messiah and Beethoven Symphony No. 9.
Hye-Youn Lee has an ideal voice for Daphne, a flexible gorgeous soprano that captures both Daphne’s innocence and desperate naivety.
The Times – Simon Thompson – 6th September 2023
South Korean soprano Hye-Youn Lee superb in the title role.
The Guardian – Keith Bruce – 6th September 2023
Hye-Youn Lee was utterly magnificent as Daphne, a fervent blend of soulfulness and virtuosic precision.
The Scotsman – Ken Walton – 8th September 2023
Accordingly, Hye-Youn Lee dazzles again.
The QR.co.uk – W J Quinn – 9th September 2023
Lee’s singing is ecstatic. She really does conjure up the scene with her voice alone.
The OperaCritic.com by Catriona Graham – 5th September 2023
Roles performed
LA BOHEME: Mimi
Teatro Verdi Trieste
Theater St.Gallen
Scottish Opera
LA BOHEME: Musetta
Opera Holland Park
Grange Park Opera
LES DIALOGUES DES CARMELITES: Blanche
Grange Park Opera
CARMEN: Micaela
Scottish Opera
DAPHNE: Title role
Scottish Opera
DON GIOVANNI: Donna Anna
Bergen National Opera
Northern Ireland Opera
Scottish Opera
IDOMENEO RE DI CRETA: Elettra
Grange Park Opera
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR: Lucia
L’Opéra National du Rhin
MADAMA BUTTERFLY: Cio-Cio San
Teatro Nacional de São Carlos
Scottish Opera
Theater Magdeburg
State Opera of Plovdiv
Lyric Opera Productions
Grange Park Opera
Nevill Holt Opera
Islenska Operan
Finnish National Opera
NIXON IN CHINA: Madame Mao
Scottish Opera
OTELLO (Rossini): Desdemona
Al Bustan Festival
LA RONDINE: Lisette
Finnish National Opera
LA TRAVIATA: Violetta
Opera North
VERDI – GALA CONCERT The Verdi Collection
Scottish Opera
Videos
Concerts include
Beethoven: MISSA SOLEMNIS; Beethoven SYMPHONY NO.9; Brahms EIN DEUTSCHES REQUIEM; Coleridge Taylor: THE SONG OF HIAWATHA; ELGAR: The Apostles; Fauré: REQUIEM; Händel MESSIAH; Mahler SYMPHONY No. 8; Mozart MISSA SOLEMNIS; Mozart MASS IN C MINOR; Mozart REQUIEM; Rossini STABAT MATER; Strauss: VIER LETZTE LIEDER; Verdi: MESSA DA REQUIEM.
Conductors she has worked with
Rinaldo Alessandrini; Renato Balsadonna; Stephen Barlow; Giuliano Carella; Joana Carneiro; Nicholas Chalmers; Edward Gardner; Marco Guidarini; Christian Järvi; Kimbo Ishii; Kirill Karabits; Harri Karri; Nicholas Kraemer; Domenico Longo; Gianluca Marcianò; Adrian Partington; John Rigby; Pietro Rizzo; Stuart Stratford.
Photos
