Described by Opera Canada as a “strong singer with excellent diction and a flair for comedy,” Neil Hong is a baritone entering his fourth year of undergraduate studies in Opera Performance at the University of British Columbia (UBC). 

This summer, Neil is returning to the Highlands Opera Studio (HOS) to cover Malatesta in Don Pasquale, a role he is performing at the Mediterranean Opera Studio and Festival (MOSF) with Maestro Leonardo Catalanotto and Director Andrew Owens. Neil has also been selected to join the Canadian Opera Company Summer Vocal Intensive.

In the previous season with UBC Opera, Neil performed the roles of Papageno in Die Zauberflöte with Maestro Jacques Lacombe and Director Nancy Hermiston, Maximillian in Candide with Maestro Jonathan Girard, and covered Curio in Giulio Cesare with Maestro Leslie Dala and Director Tatye Mitchell.

Last summer, Neil participated in both the HOS and the MOSF. As an Apprentice Singer at Highlands, Neil performed the role of Vicomte Cascada in The Merry Widow under the baton of Kamna Gupta and the direction of Richard Margison. At MOSF, Neil sung the role of Belcore in all public performances of l’Elisir d’Amore under the baton of Rachelle Jonck and the direction of Jack LiVigni. There, Neil also jumped into the role of Alessio for five performances of La Sonnambula under the baton of Leonardo Catalanotto and the direction of Nelly Miricioiu. 

Other performance credits with UBC Opera include Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte, Captain Corcoran in H.M.S. Pinafore, Harry Easter in Street Scene, and the First Minister in Cendrillon. With the UBC Choral Program, Neil was featured as a Bass Soloist in Mozart’s Coronation Mass and as a frequent Baritone soloist in UBC University Singers’ concert series, as well as UBC Memorial Day services. Neil was also an ensemble member for two Opera West concerts featuring Sondra Radvanovsky and Javier Camarena. 

Neil has received prestigious academic awards including the Vancouver Opera Guild Award, Liu Ruo Xi Vocal Music Arts Center Award in Voice and Opera, the British Columbia Achievement Scholarship, the Angelica Camata Memorial Scholarship in Opera, and the Barbara Clague Music Scholarship.