Yunah Lee

B.M. Han Yang University
M.M Juilliard School of Music

Korean American lyric Soprano Yunah Lee has been praised in the U.S., Europe, and Asia for her “handsomely colored full lyric sound” (OPERA NEWS) and “picture perfect” acting (BERKSHIRE FINE ARTS). Performances in the title role of Madama Butterfly were hailed in Germany as “a revelation… [her] voice unites the girlish innocence and the wistful sensuality [of Cio Cio San]” (ONLINE MUSIK MAGAZIN). “…thoroughly captivating, above all thanks to Yunah Lee, who is utterly convincing in mood and presentation… a commanding and touching performance revealing the highs and lows of Butterfly’s emotions.” (DAS OPERNGLAS).

Ever since she made her professional debut with New York City Opera while a student at the Juilliard School, Ms. Lee has been in demand for operatic engagements all around the world. She is known internationally for her signature role as Madama Butterfly, having performed the role of Cio Cio San nearly 200 times with opera theaters in New York, including the Metropolitan Opera, Boston, New Jersey, Michigan, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Memphis, Minnesota, Quebec, Kentucky, Ohio, Dallas, Austin, Colorado, California, Utah, Washington D.C, Belgium, Ireland, Germany, and Switzerland, among others. 

Ms. Lee’s lush lyric soprano voice is especially well-suited to Puccini’s heroines, such as Mimi in La Boheme, which she has sung in over 70 performances. Her other operatic roles include Nedda, Liu, Micaela, Adina, Zerlina, Donna Elvira, Contessa Almaviva, Pamina, Leila, Antonia, Marguerite, Juliette, and Suor Angelica. She made her role debut in Korea in the title role in Dvo?ák’s opera Rusalka with the Korea National Opera, and as Tatyana in Eugene Onegin with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. 

As an active concert singer, Ms. Lee has sung Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, Haydn’s The Creation, and Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the New York Oratorio Society at Carnegie Hall, and Verdi’s Requiem with National Chorale at Avery Fisher Hall, among others. Ms. Lee also performed in Mahler’s Symphony 2 with the Hiroshima Symphony in Hiroshima for a special concert commemorating the 60th anniversary of the atomic bomb blast.

Her solo recital tours have taken her to global cultural hubs including Tokyo, Shanghai, Saó Paulo, Los Angeles, New York’s Carnegie Hall, and the Seoul Arts Center. Ms. Lee was also featured in the Beijing National Symphony’s Christmas Concert in China. Ms. Lee’s discography includes “Four Seasons in Korea” with I Musici (Arcadia label) and the songs of Paul Salerni on Albany Records. 

A sought-after pedagogue, Ms. Lee is frequently invited to lead masterclasses at prestigious institutions across Italy, Korea, and the United States. She currently serves on the voice faculty at the University of Arizona’s School of Music, where she leverages her international experience to mentor the next generation of vocal talent.

Ms. Lee received her training at The Juilliard School and The Juilliard Opera Center in New York, following her completion of a Bachelor of Music degree at Hanyang University in Seoul, Korea.