The “astonishing countertenor” (New York Times) Kangmin Justin Kim is one of the most sought-after singers of his voice type, having earned accolades in the Baroque repertoire, contemporary music and Mozart roles.

In the summer of 2022, the Korean-American, naturalized French mezzo-sopranist created the role of Song Liling in the world premiere of M. Butterfly at Santa Fe Opera, receiving rave reviews for his “alluring, ringing tone” and his “sensitivity as an actor” (New York Times). Another breakthrough performance was his 2019 debut at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, where Justin wrote history as the first male singer to appear as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro on this prestigious stage.

In the 2024/25 season, he makes his role debut as Natasha in a new production of Tri Sestri at the Salzburg Festival, appears in the world premiere of Unsuk Chin’s Die dunkle Seite des Mondes at the Staatsoper Hamburg, the title role of M. Butterfly at the London Barbican Hall, as Acis in a new production of Porpora’s Polifemo at the Opéra de Lille, Orfeo in Handel’s Parnasso in festa with La Cetra in Basel, Ruggiero in Alcina in Brno, Vinci’s Artaserse at the Chicago Haymarket Opera, Four Seasons with Boston Lyric Opera in Boston and New York City, as well as in Baroque concerts at the Karlsruhe Handel Festival and the Weiwuying International Music Festival.

Recent performances include house debuts at the Staatsoper Hamburg as Sesto (La clemenza di Tito) and as Despina (Così fan tutte); at the Dallas Opera as Hansel (Hansel and Gretel), and at the Opéra du Rhin in Strasbourg as Nerone (L’incoronazione di Poppea). Justin also recently performed Sesto (Giulio Cesare) at the Wiener Staatsoper and Opéra de Monte-Carlo, in Luxembourg, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and Köln; starred as Ruggiero (Orlando furioso) at the Teatro La Fenice; as Nerone with English Concert Opera in Madrid and Barcelona, and as Witch (Hansel and Gretel) in Wiesbaden.

He has also sung Nerone at the Staatsoper Berlin, Salzburg Festival, Teatro La Fenice, in New York, Paris, Berlin, Chicago, Edinburgh, and Lucerne; Annio (La clemenza di Tito) at the Theater an der Wien; Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus) at Oper Köln; Orfeo (Parnasso in festa), Epitide (La Merope) and Amanzio (Il Giustino) at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam; Ottone (La Griselda), Gilade (Farnace) and Hyacinthus (Apollo et Hyacinthus) at La Fenice. Justin also made his debuts at the Wiener Staatsoper in Henze’s Das verratene Meer; at Glyndebourne in Giulio Cesare; and at the Teatro San Carlo of Naples in Britten’s Canticles.

Kangmin Justin Kim was born in South Korea, grew up in Chicago and is now living in Paris, having acquired the French citizenship. He studied voice, opera, and musical theater at Northwestern University in Evanston and the Royal Academy of Music in London. His professional operatic debut in 2013 was quickly followed by Orlofsky at the Opéra Comique Paris and Oreste (La Belle Hélène) at the Théâtre du Châtelet of Paris.

He has collaborated with such prestigious conductor as Leonardo García Alarcón, Harry Bicket, Gianluca Capuano, William Christie, Diego Fasolis, Adam Fischer, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Emmanuelle Haïm, Andrea Marcon, Mark Minkowski, Raphaël Pichon, Emmanuel Villaume, Omer Meir Wellber, and Simone Young.

December 2024

[Photo: Darren Smith]