Han, Jongwon

Bass-Baritone

Korean bass-baritone Jongwon Han is a second-year Adler Fellow with San Francisco Opera and was the winner of the Third Prize at the 2022 Operalia World Opera Competition. He recently debuted with Atlanta Opera as Schaunard in La Bohème, singing the same role in San Francisco Opera’s production of Bohème Out of the Box, where he was also seen this season as Tom in Un Ballo in Maschera and the Speaker in The Magic Flute. This fall he covers the role of Escamillo in Carmen.

Recent highlights include Han’s San Francisco Opera debut as Il Bonzo in Madama Butterfly, a Voice of the Nightwatchmen in Strauss’ Die Frau ohne Schatten, and Colline in the Company’s production of Bohème Out of the Box. Other highlights included debuts with Dayton Opera as the bass soloist in Handel’s Messiah and Palm Beach Opera as Il Bonzo.

In the summer of 2022, Han joined the Santa Fe Opera as an Apprentice Artist, covering the role of Bartolo in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and made his professional debut at the Vernazza Opera Festival (Cinque Terre, Italy). His operatic roles include the title roles of Don Giovanni and Le Nozze di Figaro, Masetto in Don Giovanni, and Schaunard in La Bohème. He has been featured in Bach’s Cantata BWV 140, Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Sparrow Mass, and Haydn’s Theresienmesse.

Han was a Grand Finalist in the 2021 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, 1st prize winner of the Vero Beach Opera Rising Stars, and 3rd place and Audience Choice award winner in the Houston Grand Opera Eleanor McCollum Competition. In 2021, he was the recipient of the Stephen De Maio Memorial Award from the Gerda Lissner Foundation and an encouragement award winner in the Gerda Lissner Lieder Competition

Han received his Bachelor of Music Degree from Seoul National University and his master’s degree at the Mannes School of Music, and he studied at The Juilliard School in the Artist Diploma in Opera Studies program.