Kihwan Sim
Bass-baritone
© Barbara Aumüller
During the 2023/24 season Kihwan Sim, who joined the ensemble at Oper Frankfurt in 2012/13, can be heard as Figaro & Ramfis (role debut) in new productions of Le nozze di Figaro & Aida, Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, Orest in Elektra and Lodovico in Verdi's Otello. Last season he enjoyed great success with Sarastro and Orest when Die Zauberflöte and Elektra first opened, Gremin (role debut) in Eugene Onegin and Leporello in Don Giovanni. During 2021/22 roles included the 5th Jew and Escamillo in Barrie Kosky's stunning productions of Salome and Carmen, Sparafucile in Rigoletto, Capellio in a new production of Rossini's Bianca e Falliero and his wonderful portrayal of Gottardo in La gazza ladra. This Korean singer enjoyed great success singing other roles for the first time at Oper Frankfurt, including Verdi's Ferrando (Il trovatore), Jean Procida (Les vêpres siciliennes) and, in concert, Oberto and Don Ruy Gomez de Silva in Ernani. He also thrilled audiences here with Rodolfo (La sonnambula), Raimondo (Lucia di Lammermoor), Méphistophélès (La damnation de Faust), Nick Shadow (The Rake’s Progress), Tiridate (Radamisto), Truffaldin / A Wig Maker (Ariadne auf Naxos) and Sir Giorgio (I puritani). He recently sang Timur in Turandot at Opera Steinbruch in St. Margarethen, Escamillo at the Royal Opera in Copenhagen and returned to the Met in New York, where he made his debut as Colline in La Bohème, for Masetto in Don Giovanni. Kihwan Sim has performed at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London, Cologne Opera, the Staatsoper in Budapest, Savonlinna Opera Festival, the Bolschoi in Moscow, Soeul Arts Centre and Nice Opera. He studied in Seoul and Hamburg and enjoyed success at international competitions including the Concours Régine Crespin in Paris and Mirjam Helin Competition in Helsinki.