Soprano Youna Jang Hartgraves
Connect with Youna on social media! (Youna Hartgraves – OperaMyWay on Facebook, Instagram, tiktok, and Youtube) Her content showcases her unique and refreshing take on classical vocal music with impeccable storytelling. Featured as a “piano playing opera singer mama who lost 100 lbs” she strives to communicate with her fellow music lovers and advocates for a healthy lifestyle.
“Youna Jang excelled in the role of Susan B. Anthony—she has a big voice, large range, and well developed vibrato.” – TheaterJones
“Youna Jang displayed a voice of beauty and power that was more than adequate to convey the emotional turmoil of her character in Menotti’s “The Consul” and the needed vocal agility for a fine rendition of Marguerite’s “Jewel Song” from Gounod’s Faust.” -Annapolis Patch
“Mirroring Onegin’s tragic descent into desperate loneliness, Tatyana conversely blossoms into womanhood before the audience’s eyes. It is fascinating to watch how actresses confront this challenge of transitioning from youth to maturity. Youna Jang met this challenge adeptly, singing the famous “Letter Scene” with manic hormonal shifts from lovesick despair to ecstatic bliss. In the final scene, when Onegin begs her not to reject him, Ms. Jang expertly balanced Tatyana’s tortured pathos with a self-assured grace. Her powerful voice effortlessly filled the room, yet her soft singing immediately commanded attention. With a controlled and heart wrenching diminuendo, her exclamation, “Ah, happiness was in our reach. So close…” encapsulated a lifetime of suffering within a single phrase.” – InstantEncore
Acclaimed for her electrifying and passionate performances, soprano Youna Jang Hartgraves has sung leading operatic roles throughout the United States, including the title role of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, which she sang when she was 23 years old at Opera Delaware. She was then invited to sing Mimì in Puccini’s La Bohème as well as many recitals and concerts.
At Temple University in Philadelphia, she performed Natalia Petrovna in Hoiby’s A Month in the Country, Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro, Mimì in La Bohème, Climene in L’Egisto, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, and Antonia in Les Contes d’Hoffmann. A rare opportunity to sing the role of Susan B. Anthony in Thomson’s The Mother of Us All was given to her at The University of North Texas.
Youna has participated in the young artist programs at Opera Saratoga (formerly Lake George Opera) for two seasons and sung the role of Louise in La Vie Parisiènne and covered the title role of Madama Butterfly. She participated in the apprentice and studio programs at Sarasota Opera and sang the title role of Madama Butterfly at the Sarasota Chalk festival. As a resident artist at The Academy of Vocal Arts, she sung the roles of Amelia in Un ballo in maschera and Tatyana in Eugene Onegin.
She has recognitions from the Fritz & Lavinia Jensen Foundation, two-time awards from The Annapolis Opera Competition, Gerda Lissner International Competition, and New Jersey State Alfredo Silipigni Vocal Competition. She was also invited to participate in Dallas Opera Guild Vocal Competition, Elizabeth Connell prize for Dramatic Sopranos (New York and San Francisco) Compositione dell’opera in Germany and Hariclea Darclée Competition in Romania. She received the Boyer Merit scholarship in recognition of her musical excellence and was the soprano soloist in Bruckner’s Te Deum at the Kimmel Center – Verizon Hall.
Youna earned a Master of Music degree and a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice and Opera Performance from Temple University before appearing as a resident artist at the prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. She received a Doctorate degree in Voice Pedagogy from University of North Texas and held teaching positions at UNT, Texas State University, Tarrant County College, and University of Mary while maintaining her successful private studio for singing and piano.
