Hanover State Opera Soloist Seungjik Kim Recital "Dichterliebe"

July 18 at the Sejong Center Chamber Hall

Tenor Seungjik Kim, who is currently performing as a soloist at the Hanover State Opera in Germany, will present a solo recital featuring the essence of German art songs on July 18 at the Sejong Center Chamber Hall.

Through the representative lieder of Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, and Robert Schumann, Seungjik Kim will highlight the unique poetic sensibility and delicate musical world of German art songs.

In the first part of the concert, he will convey the deep lyricism of German lieder that sing of nature, youth, wandering, and romance, through signature songs by Beethoven and Schubert. The program begins with Beethoven's "Adelaide," "Ich liebe dich (I Love You)," and "Der Kuss (The Kiss)," followed by Schubert's "Im Abendrot (At Sunset)," "Die Forelle (The Trout)," and "Der Musensohn (The Wandering Artist)."

Tenor Seungjik Kim. Art & Artist (c) Teresa Rothwangl

The second part will feature the complete song cycle "Dichterliebe (A Poet’s Love)" by Schumann. This work, set to the poetry of the great German writer Heinrich Heine, is acclaimed as a masterpiece of German Romantic lieder for its delicate depiction of the excitement and loss of love and the poet’s inner world.

Seungjik Kim graduated from the College of Music at Seoul National University and completed the master’s program at the same institution. In 2014, he was a finalist at the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition, gaining international recognition. In 2016, he won third place (with no first prize awarded) at the Geneva International Music Competition. Domestically, he has been recognized for his musicality, winning prizes at major competitions such as the KBS·KEPCO Music Competition, the Dong-A Music Competition, and the Seil Korean Song Competition.

In 2015, he made his operatic debut in Korea as the lead in the Seoul Metropolitan Opera’s production of "Faust," commemorating the company’s 30th anniversary. Since then, he has starred in various productions, including the National Opera Company’s "Bombom" and the original opera "Red Shoes." He has also performed with major Korean orchestras such as the KBS Symphony Orchestra, the Korean Symphony Orchestra, and the Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra. Recently, he appeared as a soloist for oratorio "Stabat Mater" and Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 under the baton of Myung-Whun Chung.

Over the past five years, he has built solid experience on the European stage, performing as a soloist at the Cologne Opera in Germany and the Landestheater Linz in Austria. He is currently active as a soloist at the Hanover State Opera.

Seungjik Kim said, "The purity and heartfelt expression I felt in the songs of Fritz Wunderlich continue to inspire my music to this day. Based on the experience I have gained in Korea and Europe, I hope to share with the audience the genuine emotions conveyed by poetry and music, beyond simply beautiful sound, in this recital."

After this recital, Seungjik Kim will appear as Siegmund in the "Wagner The Ring of the Nibelung Highlights" concert. This performance, organized to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the premiere of "The Ring of the Nibelung," will take place on August 8 at the Seoul Arts Center and on August 14 at the Bucheon Art Center.

For the 2026·2027 season at the Hanover State Opera, he is scheduled to appear in "La Bohème," "Rigoletto," "Don Giovanni," and "The Queen of Spades," as well as present a lieder recital.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.