Liam James Karai
PRAISED FOR THE "NATURAL" AND “SEEMINGLY EFFORTLESS BEAUTY" OF HIS VOICE.
Born in Hong Kong, Liam James Karai is a bass-baritone of Scottish, Irish and Indian descent. In the 2023/24 season, Liam was a member of the International Opera Studio at Staatsoper Hamburg. His roles there included Angelotti in Tosca, Hobson in Peter Grimes, Figaro (Cover) and Antonio in Le Nozze di Figaro, Zaretsky in Eugene Onegin, Count Ceprano in Rigoletto & Alcindoro in La bohème. He also performed as Escamillo in Carmen at Oper Frankfurt and Staatstheater Mainz, appeared in a concert version of Ambroise Thomas’ Hamlet as Horatio at Salzburg festspiele and sang in new production of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk at Oper Leipzig and Staatsoper Hamburg. He was previously a young artist at Salzburg Festspiele as well as a finalist of the 41st International Hans Gabor Belvedere Competition. In the 2024/25 season, his engagements include house debuts in Teatro San Carlo, Tiroler Festspiele Erl, Polish National Opera & returning to Staatsoper Hamburg. Liam also recently performed in the Operalia 2024 final rounds in Mumbai, India and was awarded the Encouragement Award in the final. Alongside his operatic career, Liam is a keen concert soloist and has regularly performed in concerts around the world. Recent highlights include singing as the Bass Soloist for Beethoven 9 with Singapore Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hans Graf, performing 2 opera galas with the Orquestra Simfònica de les Illes Balears conducted by Pablo Mielgo, and also his Elbphilharmonie Groẞer Saal debut singing as the bass soloist in Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy with the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Kent Nagano. Liam completed a Postgraduate Diploma on a full scholarship as well as a Master of Music degree in Performance at the Royal Northern College of Music under the tutelage of Quentin Hayes.
Press
Karai's Figaro was sincere and centred, and his bass voice was delightful - Matthew Dougall - Number 9 Reviews
"Two extremely talented young singers provide surprises. Liam James Karai, gives his Escamillo a self-confidence and bass-baritone virility that does not fail to have an effect on the trophy huntress Carmen"
- Bettina Boyens (Allgemeine Zeitung)
"Most interesting, however, is Escamillo, who is portrayed in his first appearance as a mysterious savior, but as a local hero in a dirty T-shirt. Liam James Karai's unassuming, self-confident demeanor compares well with the noble sound of his youthful bass-baritone"
- Robin Passon (Orpheus Magazine)
"The crowd chats and drinks, Escamillo, his shirt already stained with blood, is an approachable man with Liam James Karai (with a very well-founded bass-baritone)"
- Judith von Sternburg (Frankfurter Rundschau)
On Instagram
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