Julian Jootaek Kim

Julian Jootaek Kim, also known as Julian Kim, is a South Korean baritone opera singer, crossover artist, and musical theater performer.

He was born on September 9, 1986.

Kim is known for his portrayal of Figaro in the opera Il barbiere di Siviglia in Italy, which he performed more than 70 times, and as the Phantom in a Korean replica production of the musical Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera.

Julian Kim, an opera singer and musical actor, is an alumnus of Sunhwa Arts School.

In Italy, he garnered the Premio Miglior Giovane Promessa (Best Young Promise Prize) in the Renata Tebaldi International Competition in 2007.

Noteworthy accolades include the fourth place and second place in the Seoul International Music Competition in 2007 and 2013, respectively, alongside the Myung-whun Chung Miracle Of Music Awards received in Korea in 2011.

Additionally, he attained the second place in the Riccardo Zandonai Competition and International Lyric Competition "Magda Olivero" and the first place and the Young Voices Award by the City of Magenta in 2009, followed by the third place in the Francesc Viñas International Singing Competition and the second place in the International Singing Competition Maria Caniglia in 2011.

Kim's debut took place in 2009 at the Teatro Pergolesi in Jesi, Italy, where he performed as Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia.

He has since portrayed leading roles in various renowned operas, including La Traviata, The Marriage of Figaro, Madama Butterfly, Cavalleria rusticana, Cosi fan tutte, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Simon Boccanegra, Pagliacci, Lucia di Lammermoor, La bohème, and Rigoletto across multiple theaters in Italy.

Kim collaborated extensively with Maestro Myung-whun Chung and also had the privilege of working with renowned conductors like Sir Antonio Pappano, Roberto Polastri, Daniel Oren, Jader Bignamini, Riccardo Frizza, Stefano Ranzani, Daniele Rustioni, Francesco Cilluffo, Gregory Kunde, and Juraj Valčuha.

His performances primarily took place in Italy, notably at Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence, Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, and Terme di Caracalla in Rome.

He also showcased his talent in Korea, as well as in other countries such as China, Austria and Peru.

Teatro La Fenice, a historic cultural landmark, serves as a significant representation of Italy's theatrical and operatic traditions.

This renowned theater, known for hosting premieres of works by eminent composers including Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti, holds a special place in the history of Italian opera.

Notably, it was at La Fenice where Verdi spent 13 years, composing and staging operas like Ernani, Attila, Rigoletto, La Traviata, and Simon Boccanegra.

Alongside La Scala and Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, La Fenice is recognized as one of Italy's foremost theaters.

After completing his high school education in South Korea, Kim continued his studies at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan, Italy, graduating with a perfect score with honors (Dieci e lode e menzione) in 2010.

Kim has achieved numerous accolades throughout his career.

He secured the Grand Prize in The Korea Voice Competition by the Lee DaeWoong Music Scholarship Foundation and clinched the first place in the Music Chunchu Competition and Shin Youngok Competition during his high school years in Korea.

In 2012, he secured second place in the Concorso Internazionale di Canto Lirico Giacinto Prandelli, the International Singing Competition Maria Caniglia, and the Verdian Voices International Singing Competition.

Furthermore, he triumphed by achieving first place in the International Singing Competition of Toulouse and the second place in the Viotti International Music Competition.

Julian Jootaek Kim made his debut at La Fenice in 2013, portraying the character Marcello in La bohème.

As of May 2024, he has performed on the esteemed stage 104 times, earning acclaim for his prominent baritone roles in productions like Attila (Ezio), Il Barbiere de serville (Figaro), La Traviata (Germont), La bohème (Marcello), and Don Carlo (Rodrigo).

Especially, Julian Kim has portrayed the character Figaro during the 2014–2020 season at Teatro La Fenice, featuring in 47 out of a total of 60 performances of Il barbiere de Serville.

Furthermore, he participated in 20 out of 27 performances of La bohème during the same season at Teatro La Fenice, embodying roles such as Marcello or Schaunard.

At La Fenice, an annual financial report is released at the end of every year.

Season 1 of the show aired from November 11, 2016, to January 27, 2017.

He mentioned feeling his heart race while watching Phantom Singer 1, leading to a realization that he needed a change in his life.

Despite his deep involvement in numerous operas in Italy that he cherished, he yearned to explore various genres of singing.

His colleagues in the classical field, as well as his parents, were worried that his exposure to popular music could harm his career in opera when he decided to participate in Phantom Singer 2.

Kim chose to be on the show to broaden the listener pool of classical music, believing that music is for anyone who enjoys it regardless of the genre.

In the previous season 1, there were singers with classical training from Korea, Italy, and the USA, but none were working in the opera scene abroad.

In season 2, about half of the 32 finalists were classically trained, with one graduate student who was a bass-baritone from Germany.

Julian Jootaek Kim was the only opera singer working abroad and was referred to as 'the world-famous opera star' on the show, with one judge questioning why he chose to join.

Ultimately, he emerged as a runner-up and joined a group named Miraclass - a title derived from blending "miracle" and "class," signifying their commitment to delivering an extraordinary reinterpretation of classical music or exceptional excellence in music.

The 2020 report (Fondazione Teatro La Fenice di Venezia, BILANCIO DI ESERCIZIO, 2020) highlights Don Carlo 's performance under the direction of Myung-whun Chung after a 28-year hiatus as a notable achievement.

Julian Kim portrayed Rodrigo.

The report also lists the names of outstanding Italian and international artists who performed at La Fenice in 2020, emphasizing their exceptional artistry and reputation.

Julian Kim is listed among the 55 Class A artists, with a total of 11 baritones featured.

Phantom Singer is a television show on JTBC in Korea that functions as an audition program to select a male crossover vocal quartet.