John Kun Park

Tenor

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Korean-American Tenor John Kun Park has been described as “a clarion tenor,” “that floats his high notes with ease and emotional fervor.
 

John began the 2024-2025 season with Opera on the James, debuting as Rodolfo in La Boheme. He will join Opera Grand Rapids as Loud Stone in Matthew Aucoin’s Eurydice, then premiere the role of Daruma with New Performance Traditions’ production of Both Eyes Open by

Max Duykers. John will be making two major role debuts – Manrico in Verdi’s Il Trovatore with Boheme Opera NJ, and as the titular role in Verdi’s Otello with West Bay Opera. He will close his season by joining the Glimmerglass Festival as an apprentice artist covering Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca and will return to Opera on the James in the 25/26 season as Lt. Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly.

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John started off his 23/24 season with Opera Grand Rapids reviving Ricky Ian Gordon's The Tibetan Book of the Dead, as the Tenor 1 soloist, then join Penn Square Opera for their “Opera Couples Therapy” concert, where he will headline signature pieces and duets from Carmen, Cavalleria Rusticana, and Tosca. He made his company and role debut with Opera Modesto as the iconic Mario Cavaradossi in Puccini's Tosca, and finished the 23/24 season with Mid America Productions at Carnegie Hall as their guest Tenor Soloist for Mozart's Coronation Mass.  John was also a finalist for the Wagner Society of New York's competition and received an encouragement grant.

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After his successful debut as Erik in Wagner's Der Fliegende Holländer, with West Bay Opera, John traveled to Berlin and debuted as Bacchus in Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos with Berlin Opera Academy. He had also debuted as Rick in John Adams’ I was looking at the ceiling and then I saw the sky, with InSeries Opera right before, covering the title role Canio, I Pagliacci, with Opera Tampa in March 2023. 

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John began 2022 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic covering the role of Florestan in Beethoven’s Fidelio for their collaboration with Deaf West Theatre. Then John joined the Chautauqua Opera’s summer season where he covered the role of Mario Cavaradossi in Puccini’s Tosca, and sang the role of John Adams in Gertrude Stein & Virgil Thompson’s The Mother of us All.

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John has performed with various companies, debuting roles such as Don Jose Carmen, Faust Faust, Ismaele Nabucco, Siegmund Die Walküre, and performing as a feature soloist with companies such as the LA Philharmonic, Des Moines Metro Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Sarasota Opera, Central City Opera, Pittsburgh Festival Opera, and West Bay Opera.

 

John is a recipient of the prestigious Olga Forrai Foundation Grant.