Ah Young Hong
Voice
Soprano Ah Young Hong has been praised by The New York Times for her “lovely voice with round, soft low notes and a sugar-sweet top" and The Washington Post described her voice as “glistening and resilient.” Her concert work has included performances with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Opera Lafayette, Folger Consort, Concert Artists of Baltimore, The Lincoln Symphony Orchestra, and Harmonious Blacksmith among others.
Ms. Hong has commanded the stage with Opera Lafayette in Rebel and Francoeur’s Zélindor, roi des Sylphes at the Lincoln Center and La Musique in Charpentier’s Les Arts Florissants at the Kennedy Center. Other operas include the title role in Monteverdi’s L'incoronazione di Poppea, Morgana in Handel’s Alcina, Gilda in Verdi's Rigoletto, Asteria in Handel's Tamerlano, and Minerva in Monteverdi’s Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria. The Baltimore Sun acclaimed her “a triumph as the subtly conniving Poppea. The soprano’s tonal gleam filled the hall beautifully, and her phrasing was always richly detailed. Her acting, too, proved appealing.” IONARTS described her performance as Morgana having “the most persuasive singing by merging musical wit with strong acting and facial expressions, all while showcasing superbly clear text and vocal agility.” In England, she was Papagena in Die Zauberflöte under the direction of Benjamin Luxon, Fortuna and Minerva in Monteverdi's Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria under the musical direction of Michael Chance and director Tim Carroll at the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.
In the summer of 2005, Ms. Hong made an American premiere recording of Johann Sebastian Bach’s newly discovered aria, Alles mit Gott und nichts ohn’ ihn, BWV 1127, for National Public Radio’s Performance Today. This recording has been broadcast throughout the world. Other recordings include a world premiere of Rebel and Francoeur's Zélindor, roi des Sylphes (Naxos), Pergolesi's Stabat Mater (Peter Lee Music), and Harmonious Blacksmith Sentirete una Canzonetta.
Ms. Hong is currently a member of the voice faculty at the Peabody Conservatory of Music of the Johns Hopkins University.
