Hera Hyesang Park

Her refined interpretations and dramatic abilities have been highly praised by critics, but her artistry encompasses so much more. South Korean soprano Hera Hyesang Park is a cosmopolitan and is determined to confront racism, discrimination, and prejudice of all kinds. For her, performances and recordings are an act of self-discovery, allowing her to connect with others in an emotionally honest way. Her lyrical coloratura soprano, with its flawless technique and infinite palette of colors, corresponds with the daring nature of her performance style. In May 2020, the soprano signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon, and her first album for the yellow label, I am Hera, was released in January 2021. Recorded with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra under Bertrand de Billy, it features music by Bellini, Gluck, Handel, Mozart, Pergolesi, Puccini, and Rossini, as well as works by Korean composers Joowon Kim and Un-Yung La. Exemplifying the positive critical reception, BBC Music Magazine wrote: "Hera Hyesang Park has recorded one of the most compelling debut albums in recent years. This is a voice that is up to any challenge." Exclusive interviews with Hera Hyesang Park Watch on STAGE+ Park's second album, Breathe, was released in February 2024. Again, a personal concern is reflected in her choice of music, as after the oppressive experiences of the pandemic, some seemingly casual experiences led her to a positive and life-affirming attitude. The works on Breathe include classics by Rossini, Verdi, Massenet, and others, but also newer pieces by Luke Howard, Cecilia Livingston, Hyowon Woo, and Bernat Vivancos. The recording was made in Genoa with the Choir and Orchestra of the Teatro Carlo Felice under the direction of Jochen Rieder; alongside Park, mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo features in some pieces. After a recital in the Palacio Municipal of the Mexican city of Álamos with pianist Andrés Sarre at the beginning of 2024, she sang repertoire from Breathe at Seoul Fashion Week and in the city's Lotte Hall in February, just days after the album's release. In February/March, she embarked on her first recital tour of the UK: it began with a short residency at Cedars Hall in Wells, where she conducted masterclasses and workshops with students from Wells Cathedral School and gave recitals with pianists James Baillieu and Bretton Brown; further recitals followed at the Barbican Centre in London and at the Manchester Song Festival with Brown, before she appeared in a performance of Mozart's Mass in C minor with Edward Gardner and the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir at the Royal Festival Hall. She will participate in a gala concert with the New York Philharmonic under the direction of Gustavo Dudamel on April 24 at Lincoln Center and then return to Europe to embody Despina in Così fan tutte at the Opéra de Paris (June/July). Park's talent was recognized and nurtured from an early age; she studied at Seoul National University and the renowned Juilliard School of Music in New York. She achieved her international breakthrough in 2015 when she was among the laureates at Plácido Domingo's Operalia competition. In 2016, she won first prize at the Gerda Lissner Foundation International Competition, and in 2018, the coveted Hildegard Behrens Foundation Award. After completing her two-year Artist Diploma in Opera Studies at the Juilliard School in 2015, Park became a member of the prestigious Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at the Metropolitan Opera. In 2017, she made her house debut at the Met as the first Elf in Rusalka, and since then has celebrated successes there in roles such as Amore in Orfeo ed Euridice (2019), Pamina in Die Zauberflöte (2021/22), and Nannetta in Falstaff (2023). Further highlights of her career in recent years include the role of Violetta Valéry in the premiere of Marina Abramović's 7 Deaths of Maria Callas (September 2020), Despina and Susanna at Glyndebourne (July/August 2021 and May to July 2022), her role and house debut as Adina in L’elisir d’amore at the Berlin State Opera (February/March 2022), and her first recital at Carnegie Hall (March 2023). Park's personality and her development as a singer are shaped equally by her Korean roots and by her experiences of life in the West. She describes herself as "traditional but unusual," and open to learning from both classical and modern attitudes towards life and art. 03/2024