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WON WHI CHOI
TENOR
BIOGRAPHY
Won Whi Choi has been busy captivating and thrilling audiences worldwide with his lustrous and ringing voice, elegant musicianship, and sensitive artistry. In 2020, Mr. Choi made his Metropolitan Opera début as Alfredo in La Traviata to rave reviews and was slated to return for productions of Maria Stuarda and Les contes d’Hoffmann.
Last season, Mr. Choi sang the Duke in Rigoletto in his début with The Atlanta Opera, returned to Minnesota Opera as Rodolfo in La bohème, sang on a Puccini Gala concert as part of Artpark’s 50th anniversary season in Lewiston, NY, and made his Australian début as Ruggero in La rondine with Victorian Opera. This season, he returns to The Atlanta Opera to sing Macduff in Macbeth and joins Hawaii Opera Theatre to sing Don José in Carmen.
Mr. Choi recently returned to The Metropolitan Opera for both Rigoletto and Fedora, joined Seoul Metropolitan Opera to sing Roméo in Roméo and Juliette, sang Alfredo in La Traviata with Virginia Opera, and returned to New York City Opera as Giorgio in The Garden of the Finzi-Continis. Choi spent three seasons at Theatre Erfurt in Germany, during which he sang a variety of leading roles, including, the Duke in Rigoletto, Don José in Carmen, Roméo in Roméo et Juliette, Ferrando in Così fan tutte, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Hyllus in Hercules, Andres in Wozzeck, Il Cantatore in Giulietta e Romeo, and Prince Sou Chong in Lehár’s Das Land des Lächelns which he also performed for the Morbisch Festival. In his first New York City performance, Choi was praised by The New York Observer for his portrayal of Rodolfo in La bohème and his “big, virile sound that rocketed fearlessly up to a high C, so secure he dared to run across the stage while holding the note.”
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CRITICAL ACCLAIM
"...flowering high notes..." – Opera News
Florencia en el Amazonas – “Tenor Won Whi Choi demonstrated nicely flowering high notes as the ardent Arcadio”
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"...unfurling a big, virile sound..." – New York Spectacular
La bohème – “Most spectacular was tenor Won Whi Choi as the poet Rodolfo, unfurling a big, virile sound that rocketed fearlessly up to a high C so secure he dared to run across the stage while holding the note.”
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"...soaring tenor..." – Idaho Statesman
Rigoletto – “South Korean raised tenor Choi made for a strapping and sexy Duke of Mantua, which makes it more believable that women would so willingly fall for his charms, and sacrifice themselves for his life. His soaring tenor easily and fearlessly reached the high Bs in La donna è mobile, one of the most known arias in the operatic canon.”
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"...Won Whi Choi’s performance was absolutely perfect..." – Glas Slavinije
La bohème – “How do I write a critique that would realistically assess the role of the tenor, the Korean Won Whi Choi? His singing was far above all other protagonists in this cast musically, artistically and dramatically. Won Whi Choi as Rodolfo sang his famous aria, with joyful accents excited enthusiasm and noble, pure lilting melodies (with striking vocal line and effortless voice climbing to a high C). Won Whi Choi’s performance was absolutely perfect, far above all other artists showcasing his excellent legato phrasing. The range of voice was remarkable! His performance consisted of high notes that were strongly developed, dynamic contrasts, great diction and vocal coloring as well as world class phrasing and dynamic shading. Such tenors are difficult to imagine we will experience on stage performing for us.”
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"...remarkable vocal strength..." – Winnipeg Free Press
Handel's Messiah – “South Korean-born tenor Won Whi Choi asserted his booming presence immediately with his opening recitative Comfort ye my people followed by aria Ev’ry valley shall be exalted. Demonstrating a remarkable vocal strength for his relatively slight frame, the singer responded ably to the composer’s many virtuosic runs while also displaying an equally impressive dynamic range”