Helen Yu Park - Mezzo Soprano “…the artist of the evening was Helen Yu, a debut mezzo from Korea via Toronto, who looked like a little girl but effortlessly generated the largest sounds on stage.  The mezzo drought may be ending.” 

“…But toward the close of act one, something wonderful happens…Helen Yu, a Korean-born mezzo-soprano with a rich, smoky voice.  In her single song, Yu brings to the show the emotional focus and captivating musicality, and suddenly-albeit briefly the evening is thrilling…” 

Korean mezzo-soprano Helen Yu Park combines a voice of exceptional agility and strength. From Rosina in Barbiere di Siviglia to Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, her unfailing musicality allows her to reveal the individuality of each character within the music. 

Ms. Park made her New York debut with the New York City Opera singing the role of Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro. Following her debut, Ms. Park’s frequent appearances with the New York City Opera have included a series of roles including Cenerentola in La Cenerentola, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, Second and Third Lady in The Magic Flute, and a series of orchestral concerts in Madrid and Korea.  Ms. Park made her Metropolitan Opera debut singing Flosshilde in Das Rheingold and Gotterdammerung. She was also a soloist with the Metropolitan Opera Guild for two seasons. 

Ms. Park made her musical theater debut as Lady Thiang in the National tour of the Broadway show The King and I. Additional credits include singing Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro with Opera Grand Rapids; a major tour of the Far East and The United States with the Asian Youth Orchestra with Sergiu Comissiona,singing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, which she also sang with the Vancouver Symphony; Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana at the Berkshire Festival; and Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with the Metropolitan Opera Guild. 

Other roles include Maddalena in Rigoletto, Stephano in Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette, Flora in La Traviata, Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte, Mallika in Lakme, Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Enrichetta in I Puritani. 

As a member of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio, Ms. Park achieved instant success as a last minute replacement as Nancy in Britten’s Albert Herring.  She has appeared with EPCASO in Treviso, Italy, Toronto Opera in Concert, Toronto Operetta Theatre, The Juilliard Opera Center, L’Opera Francais, and the Korean-American Opera Company in New York. 

Helen Yu Park holds a Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from The Juilliard School in New York.  Ms. Park has been a faculty member at University of Toronto (Canada), Oakland University in Michigan, Cranbrook Private School in Michigan, and at Montclair State University in New Jersey.  She is also a lecturer at Manhattan School of Music Summer Program covering various vocal techniques and styles for singers transitioning from classical to musical theatre genre.