Biography
American soprano Karen Vuong is recognized for her expressive artistry and versatility across both standard and contemporary repertoire. Recent engagements include Cio-Cio-San in Madama Butterfly with Opera Grand Rapids in a new production directed by Mo Zhou, Diane Tran in Huang Ruo's Bound with Anchorage Opera, the title role in Rusalkawith Portland Opera, Mimì in La Bohème with Seattle Opera, and Gänsemagd in Königskinder at the Tiroler Festspiele.
Additional career highlights include Tina in the film production of Flight with Seattle Opera, Suzel in L'amico Fritz at the Tiroler Festspiele, Maya Lin in the world premiere of Huang Ruo's The Rift at Washington National Opera, the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel, Agata in Fioravanti's La cantatrici villane, Suor Genovieffa in Suor Angelica, Gerhilde in Die Walküre, and Micaëla in Carmen.
From 2013 to 2019, Ms. Vuong was a member of the ensemble at Oper Frankfurt, where she performed a wide range of leading and supporting roles. She was also an inaugural member of Los Angeles Opera's Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program and studied at The Juilliard School, where she received the Novick Career Grant. Her honors include awards from the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition (formerly the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions), Operalia, and the Marilyn Horne Lieder Competition.
RECENT
MADAMA BUTTERFLY (Cio-Cio-San) | PUCCINI
Opera Grand Rapids | May 15 / 16, 2026
Bound (Diane Tran) | Huang Ruo
Anchorage Opera | Feb 5 / 7 / 8, 2026
FEARLESS (IRIS) | Derrick Wang
OperaDelaware | WORLD PREMIERE | May 16 / 18, 2025
MADAMA BUTTERFLY (Cio-Cio-San) | PUCCINI
Anchorage Opera | February 6 / 8 / 9, 2025
TURANDOT (LIÙ) | PUCCINI
OperaDelaware | May 17 / 19, 2024
SUOR ANGELICA (SUOR ANGELICA) | PUCCINI
University of Northern Iowa | March 1-3, 2024
Bound (Diane Tran) | Huang Ruo
Seattle Opera | June 9 / 10 / 11 / 16 / 17 / 18, 2023
Königskinder (Gänsemagd) | Humperdinck
Tiroler Festspiele Erl | July 7 / 15, 2023
Rusalka (RUSALKA) | DvoRák
Portland Opera | April 22 / 28 / 30, 2023
THE RIFT (MAYA LIN) | HUANG RUO
Washington National Opera | March 5 / 9 / 13 / 19 / 21 / 25, 2022
L’AMICO FRITZ (SUZEL) | MASCAGNI
Tiroler Festspiele | December 26, 2021 | January 2 / 4, 2022
LA BOHÈME (MIMI) | PUCCINI
Seattle Opera | October 16 (PREMIERE) / 22 / 24m / 30, 2021
Königskinder (Gänsemagd) | Humperdinck
Tiroler Festspiele | July 9 (PREMIERE) / 11 / 17, 2021
FLIGHT (TINA) | DOVE
Seattle Opera | February 27 / 28, 2021 | March 3 / 6 / 7 / 10 / 12 / 13, 2021
Rusalka (RUSALKA) | DvoRák
Tiroler Festspiele | December 26 (PREMIERE) / 28 / 30, 2019
SATYRICON (CRISIDE) | MODERNA
Oper Frankfurt | June 15 / 17 / 20 / 22 / 24 / 27 / 29, 2019
CARMEN (MICAËLA) | Bizet
Oper Frankfurt | March 3 / 7 / 10 / 15 / 23, 2019 | April 4, 2019
Rinaldo (ALMIRENA) | Handel
Oper Frankfurt | January 12 / 14 / 16 / 18 / 20 / 23, 2019
Rusalka (RUSALKA) | DvoRák
Oper Frankfurt | September 28, 2018 | October 7 / 13 / 21 / 27, 2018
honors
2013
ARTIST DIPLOMA IN OPERA STUDIES | The Juilliard School
WINNER | Eastern Regional Metropolitan Opera Council Auditions
2011
WINNER | Marilyn Horne Song Competition
2009
SEMIFINALIST | Jose Iturbi International Music Competition
FINALIST/4TH | Loren L. Zachary Society National Vocal Competition
2ND | Long Beach Mozart Festival Vocal Competition
2007
SEMIFINALIST | Loren L. Zachary Society National Vocal Competition
LOS ANGELES OPERA YOUNG ARTIST FOR DOMINGO-THORNTON PROGRAM
2006
CULTURARTE AWARD | Placido Domingo Operalia Competition
LOS ANGELES OPERA YOUNG ARTIST FOR DOMINGO-THORNTON PROGRAM
2004
GERALDINE & RON HOEFFER SCHOLARSHIP | Palm Springs Opera Guild Vocal Competition