Arizona Opera Cast Members & Creatives

Baritone Kidon Choi is a recent graduate of the prestigious Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at The Metropolitan Opera. While in the program he was seen in La fanciulla del West (José Castro) conducted by Marco Armiliato, Otello (Herald) conducted by Gustavo Dudamel, and Madama Butterfly (Prince Yamadori).

Choi’s 2023/24 season includes a debut with San Diego Opera for Madama Butterfly (Sharpless) and a return to The Cleveland Orchestra for The Magic Flute. Additionally, he will join the roster of the Lyric Opera of Chicago for Aida. On the concert stage, he will appear with the KBS Symphony in Korea for Beethoven Symphony No. 9. In 2022/23, he returned to The Korea National Opera for Les Contes d’Hoffmann (Four Villains). Other engagements included his role and company debut with Opera San José for Tosca (Scarpia) and his company debut with San Francisco Opera for Madama Butterfly (Prince Yamadori) and Die Frau ohne Schatten (Night Watchman #2).

Choi made his debut with The Cleveland Orchestra in Otello (Montano) conducted by Franz Welser-Möst and returned to Wolf Trap Opera for La traviata (Germont). Recent appearances include La fanciulla del West (Jack Rance) with The Korea National Opera, scenes from Verdi’s Otello at the Bay Street Theatre followed by debuts at North Carolina Opera in I pagliacci (Tonio) conducted by Keitaro Harada and Opera Idaho in La Bohème (Marcello). He debuted at Wolf Trap Opera as the title role in Rigoletto and returned to Chautauqua Opera for Rigoletto following his debut in La Bohème (Marcello). Additional performance credits include in La traviata (Germont), Aida (Amonasro), Così fan tutte (Don Alfonso), The Elixir of Love (Dr. Dulcamara), Haydn’s Orlando Paladino (Rodomonte), and in Hänsel und Gretel (Peter). On the concert stage he has appeared with the Philadelphia Orchestra in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

Choi is a 2019 Sullivan Foundation Grant recipient. He received second prize in the Giulio Gari International Vocal Competition, fourth prize in the Loren L. Zachary Competition, first prize in the Alfredo Silipigni Vocal Competition, first prize/audience prize in the Cooper Bing competition, third prize in the Opera at Florham Vocal Competition, second prize in the Gerda Lissner Competition, the Major Award in the Opera Index Vocal Competition, and was also a grant winner in the Licia Albanese Puccini Foundation auditions.

Choi earned his professional studies diploma from Mannes School of Music, his master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music, and his bachelor’s degree from Hanyang University in Seoul, South Korea.