bio
Baritone Suchan Kim has earned a reputation as a remarkably versatile and expressive singing actor whose artistry spans an expansive range of styles, languages, and dramatic worlds. Known for his warm lyric tone, agile musicianship, and incisive theatrical instincts, Kim has appeared with opera companies, ensembles, and festivals across the United States and South Korea, bringing depth and imagination to both classic and contemporary repertoire. A native of Busan, South Korea, he continues to shape a career defined by bold dramatic choices, stylistic fluency, and a commitment to artistic integrity.
Kim’s work is distinguished by the sheer breadth of his repertoire—more than fifty roles across Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and contemporary opera. His Mozart portrayals are central to his artistic identity, with standout performances as Don Giovanni, Leporello, Count Almaviva, Figaro, Guglielmo, and Papageno. Critics have repeatedly praised the individuality he brings to these roles. OperaWire described his Don Giovanni as “off-kilter, almost maniacal,” delivered with riveting unpredictability and vocal assurance. Opera News has noted the sincerity, suave phrasing, and expressive clarity of his Guglielmo, particularly in ensemble work where his musicality and emotional nuance shine.
His presence in the Italian repertoire is equally strong. Kim has portrayed Marcello and Schaunard in La Bohème, Belcore in L’Elisir d’amore, Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor, Silvio in Pagliacci, Germont in La Traviata and Ford in Verdi’s Falstaff, along with key roles in I vespri siciliani, Rigoletto, and Il Barbiere di Siviglia. Reviewers have praised his ability to balance vocal elegance with dramatic specificity, highlighting his “focused, muscular baritone” (The Virginia Gazette) and “precisely communicative Italian” (Opera Today).
His performances in French repertoire, including roles in Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann, Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites, and Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortilèges, reveal a sensitivity to color, text, and atmosphere that further broadens his artistic range.
A defining dimension of Kim’s career is his extensive work in new opera and world premieres, which has positioned him as a sought-after interpreter of contemporary works. He has collaborated with composers including Kamala Sankaram, Ricky Ian Gordon, Max Giteck Duykers, Philip Kan Gotanda, Matthew Aucoin, Derrick Wang, Dina Pruzhansky, Gregory Youtz, and Zhang Er. His portrayal of Jinzo Matsumoto in Duykers and Gotanda’s Both Eyes Open drew widespread critical acclaim; OperaWire called his performance “devastating,” praising his ability to convey a character’s entire psychological journey in a concentrated emotional arc. His work in premieres such as Tacoma Method, Thumbprint, Shulamit, Eurydice, Fearless, Rotation, and Island of the Moon demonstrates his commitment to storytelling that reflects diverse histories, cultures, and contemporary issues.
Kim’s performance résumé includes engagements with prestigious organizations such as San Francisco Opera’s Merola Opera Program, Opera Philadelphia, The Metropolitan Opera Education, The Metropolitan Opera Guild, The Atlanta Opera, Dallas Opera’s Hart Institute for Women Conductors, Opera in Williamsburg, Sarasota Opera, Opera Grand Rapids, and Carnegie Hall, among many others. He has also performed with several notable regional and independent companies, festivals, and ensembles, where his artistic flexibility and dramatic fluency allow him to adapt seamlessly to a wide range of production styles.
Recent engagements include his performance as Donner in Tacoma Opera’s production of Wagner’s Das Rheingold, adding a meaningful Wagnerian credit to his repertoire and further demonstrating his ability to navigate powerful, resonant roles requiring stamina and vocal presence.
Critics across major media outlets—including The New York Times, Opera News, OperaWire, Classical Voice North America, Voix des Arts, The Virginia Gazette, and the San Francisco Chronicle—have consistently recognized Kim’s artistry. His work has been described as “virtuosic,” “charismatic,” “richly developed,” and “emotionally vivid.” Reviewers regularly highlight his combination of strong, resonant tone with dynamic control, impeccable diction, and a fearless dramatic approach.
Kim’s artistry has been acknowledged through significant awards and distinctions, including being named an Eastern District Winner in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2011 and receiving the Opera Award from Mannes Opera in 2013. He holds a Bachelor of Music from the Korea National University of Arts, as well as a Master’s Degree and Professional Studies Diploma from Mannes College, The New School for Music, where he studied under renowned voice teacher Arthur Levy, with whom he continues to work.
Throughout his expanding career, Suchan Kim has established himself as an artist of extraordinary breadth, emotional intelligence, and technical mastery. His passion for both established repertoire and new creation, combined with his commitment to authentic and nuanced storytelling, continues to shape him as one of the most compelling baritones of his generation.
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news & reviews
“OperaWire last reviewed Kim in January 2023 for his performance in librettist Philip Kan Gotanda’s and composer Max Giteck Duykers’ powerful chamber opera “Both Eyes Open.” In that opera, Kim portrayed Jinzo, a Nisei man interred at during World War Two. Jinzo was no Don Giovanni; rather, he was a broken man, so ashamed of his behavior that he commits suicide.
Kim demonstrated his versatility as a singer-actor and created a Don Giovanni that was a bit off-kilter, almost maniacal. At one point, in a scene seemingly ripped from a Tarantino film, he places a gun to Leporello’s head, terrorizing his poor servant. Giovanni laughs the whole thing off and tosses the gun away (which is then stolen by the onstage Actress). It was a bonkers moment that came out of nowhere and put the audience on the edge of their seats. While unexpected, it showed his character as someone who is quick to demonstrate his power to get his way, whether with Leporello or the women. But it also showed Giovanni as a quintessential sociopath. He raped a woman, killed her father, and moved on, with zero empathy for the destruction left in his wake.
During Act two, Kim’s Don Giovanni broods in a chair, his arms across his chest, and with a withering stare. His lack of success with Zerlina turned him into a petulant man-child.
Kim’s lyricism was on display as he took on his lines with clean articulation through the speedier recitatives and fast passages, which aided in bringing out the unstable and violent aspects of the character. His rendition of ‘Fin ch’han dal vin, A.K.A. the Champagne aria” was well sung with buoyancy in his voice.
With Giovanni’s famous serenade, “Deh, vieni alla finestra,” Kim showcased the sense of charm and seduction in his voice, adeptly conveying the character’s intentions. He used and maintained control of dynamics, adding to the seductive quality of the piece.
The final scene, perhaps one of the most dramatically intense scenes in opera, was brilliantly performed by Kim. The brooding Giovanni morphed into pure defiance; in his mind no one is as strong and ‘manly’ as he, not even a statue, come to life. But his mocking insolence turns into terror, requiring a quick switch in tone and delivery.
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“Suchan Kim is a compelling baritone with a sophisticated, stentorian voice. Sporadic bright moments show a youthful and somewhat naïve guy with no idea what lies in front of him. The audience witnesses a man’s entire existence destroyed by injustice and cruelty. Kim had to get through the emotional maze in just 80 minutes, not over the course of three or four hours, and he managed the gauntlet wonderfully.”
“As Rabbi David, the fully professional if still young baritone Suchan Kim’s terrific singing rather eclipsed the Young Artists’ honest work. Kim showed full command of legato and dynamics and projected a strong, burnished sound with seeming effortlessness.”
“Suchan Kim commanded each scene he appeared in with a focused, muscular baritone and brought the house down with a virtuosic portrayal of the increasingly drunken servant, Germano.”
“Suchan Kim’s assured, warm-toned Guglielmo and Annie Rosen’s dulcet, sweetly phrased Dorabella were well matched as a pair of nervous, believable lovers in Act 2’s “Il core vi dono.””
“Equally malleable and expressive was the singing of baritone Suchan Kim’s meddlesome servant Germano, a sort of Figaro on steroids (and booze), who acted with zeal and athletic skill.”
“Baritone Suchan Kim sang Tarquinius with a voice seductive warmth and overpowering strength.”
“Baritone Suchan Kim sang Guglielmo in Così fan tutte suavely, exhibiting command of the musical language in the Act One trios with Ferrando and Don Alfonso. There was no disputing his sincerity when this Guglielmo declared that ‘La mia Fiordiligi tradirmi non sa,’ and his parts in first the quintet and then the duettino with Ferrando were impeccably voiced. Kim’s traversal of the aria ‘Non siate ritrosi, occhetti vezzosi’ simmered with romantic zeal, a quality that also coursed through his singing in the terzetto and Act One finale.
Throughout Act Two, Kim’s vocalism convincingly limned Guglielmo’s conflicting feelings, each successive ensemble adding a further dimension to his portrayal. In the duet with Dorabella, he voiced ‘Il core vi dono’ seductively, his wooing overwhelming the lady’s defenses. Guglielmo’s anger upon learning of Fiodiligi’s eventual surrender to Ferrando’s advances was scorching, but Kim also emphasized the pain of the betrayal, thereby intensifying the cathartic reconciliation of the opera’s finale. The emotional complexity of his characterization notwithstanding, Kim’s singing elicited nothing but joy.”
“Suchan Kim offered a swaggering, self-assured Giovanni and a warm, richly developed baritone.”
“Kim defined a singing actor. He made the role his. In fact, he was a take home memory, so total was his amusing portrayal. He embraced the fun, while offering a rich, full voice that overflowed with warmth and lots of appeal.”
“Suchan Kim (Tobias Mill) magnetizes the audience to him throughout the evening, with a sumptuous baritone voice and precisely communicative Italian. He is wonderfully funny without ever becoming cartoonish, and sustains a level of energy in both voice and deportment that left me exhausted just watching him.”
“Suchan Kim, who sang the ill-bred and macho guy who takes him out, had a sexy presence and a thrilling lunge of phrase. It would be fun to hear him in a role that let him show off.”
“The evening ended, for instance, with a powerhouse vocal display from soprano Marina Boudart Harris and baritone Suchan Kim. In the duet from Act 3 of Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin” - the lone non-Italianate ringer - Boudart Harris’ flair and well-placed high notes made a fine match with Kim’s suave and fluent contribution.”
“Everything Mr. Kim does is superb. We were impressed with his creation of the deformed character of the eponymous hunchback in Verdi’s Rigoletto which he accomplished without any humping or limping. It was all in the voice!”
“There is a mercenary older man, played with bluster by baritone Suchan Kim, who always turns in a great performance.”
“Baritone Suchan Kim, a Bare Opera regular, is the possessor of a very fine instrument that he employs with superb technique. Moreover, his extensive repertoire allows him to slip into a very wide selection of roles with every gesture and facial expression intact—but always appearing spontaneous. That’s a wonderful skill! We loved his interpretation of Doctor Malatesta describing the potential wife he has found for Don Pasquale in the Donizetti opera of the same name. “Bella siccome un angelo” is an old favorite for the baritone fach but we seemed to be hearing it anew.
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“Tuesday’s performance did, at least feature some impressive singing from its young cast. The most polished of the leads was Suchan Kim as Hoël, the greedy goatherd who schemes to claim the cursed treasure before finding redemption through his love for Dinorah. His rich, smooth baritone was effective in emphatic declamation, as in the early “O puissante magie!” Yet he was an even better fit in gentler, lyrical writing, giving a lovely account of the pleading little arioso “Et maintenant, mélasse,” praying for Dinorah to recover in Act III.”