Ágnes Anna Kun graduated from the Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music in 2008, after studying under Júlia Pászthy. Since 2009, she has been working with teacher Sherman Lowe in Venice. In 2006, she took the top spot at the Fifth József Simándy Singing Competition, and she has taken prizes at numerous other competition as well. She has participated in master classes held by Ildikó Komlósi, Péter Eötvös, Júlia Hamari, Éva Marton, Cornelia Kallisch, Johannes von Duisburg, Helmuth Rilling, Antoine Palloc, Mitsuko Shirai, Nicholas Clapton, Adrienne Csengery, Katalin Schultz, Roel van Oosten and Gergely Vajda. She started her career as an opera singer at the Csokonai National Theatre in Debrecen, and has been singing at the Hungarian State Opera since 2014. She regularly appears at Hungarian theatres outside of Budapest, and is also a popular concert singer. A seasoned interpreter of works by contemporary composers, she premieres many new pieces each year.
Education and training:
1998-2003: Járdányi Pál Music School – voice, teacher: Katalin Schultz
1998-2003: Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary – Faculty of Theology
2003-2008: Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music – voice, teacher: Júlia Pászthy
2009-: Sherman Lowe – Venice (Italy)
Master classes:
Ildikó Komlósi, Péter Eötvös, Júlia Hamari, Éva Marton, Cornelia Kallisch, Johannes von Duisburg, Helmuth Rilling, Antoine Palloc, Mitsuko Shirai, Nicholas Clapton, Adrienne Csengery, Katalin Schultz, Roel van Oosten and Gergely Vajda
Competitions:
Budapest Singing Competition, Third place (1999)
Mihály Székely Singing Competition, Second place (2001)
Fifth József Simándy Singing Competition, First place, Bartók Rádió's special prize, the University of Szeged, Faculty of Music's special prize (2006)
Mezzo TV – Opera Competition, semifinalist (2008)
Plácido Domingo – Operalia (2009)
Armel Opera Competition, semifinalists (2010)
Awards and recognitions:
Annie Fischer Scholarship (2009)
Festivals and concerts:
Miskolc International Opera Festival (2006, 2014, 2016)
Arezzo Festival – Accademia dell’Arte (2007)
Mini Fesztivál – Contemporary Music Festival (2008)
Kecskemét Spring Festival (2008)
International Bartók Seminar and Festival (2008, 2009, 2013, 2016)
Budapest Spring Festival (2011)
“Versünnep” Poetry Festival (2014, 2015)
Budaörs Festival (2015)
Primavera ’16 Festival (2016)
Educational activities:
2009-2011: University of Miskolc, Faculty of Music
2010-: Lutheran Theological University – Department of Church Music
Principal roles:
Mozart: Così fan tutte – Dorabella
Bizet: Carmen – Mercedes
Sullivan: The Mikado – Katisha
Bartók: Bluebeard's Castle – Judith
Racine/Melis: Athalie – Levite girl
Haydn: Lo speziale – Volpino
Prokofiev: The Fiery Angel – Abbess
Kodály: Háry János – Örzse
Gounod: Roméo et Juliette – Stephano
Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia – Rosina
Melis/Euripides: The Bacchae – Chorus head, Mezzo-soprano solo
Rossini: La Cenerentola – La Cenerentola/Angelina
Vidovszky: Narcissus and Echo – Echo
Bizet: Carmen – title role
Britten: The Rape of Lucretia – Female chorus (Narrator)
Vivaldi: Farnace – Selinda
Balassa: Cataclysm – Aunt Mári
Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro – Cherubino
Education and training:
1998-2003: Járdányi Pál Music School – voice, teacher: Katalin Schultz
1998-2003: Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary – Faculty of Theology
2003-2008: Ferenc Liszt Academy of Music – voice, teacher: Júlia Pászthy
2009-: Sherman Lowe – Venice (Italy)
Master classes:
Ildikó Komlósi, Péter Eötvös, Júlia Hamari, Éva Marton, Cornelia Kallisch, Johannes von Duisburg, Helmuth Rilling, Antoine Palloc, Mitsuko Shirai, Nicholas Clapton, Adrienne Csengery, Katalin Schultz, Roel van Oosten and Gergely Vajda
Competitions:
Budapest Singing Competition, Third place (1999)
Mihály Székely Singing Competition, Second place (2001)
Fifth József Simándy Singing Competition, First place, Bartók Rádió's special prize, the University of Szeged, Faculty of Music's special prize (2006)
Mezzo TV – Opera Competition, semifinalist (2008)
Plácido Domingo – Operalia (2009)
Armel Opera Competition, semifinalists (2010)
Awards and recognitions:
Annie Fischer Scholarship (2009)
Festivals and concerts:
Miskolc International Opera Festival (2006, 2014, 2016)
Arezzo Festival – Accademia dell’Arte (2007)
Mini Fesztivál – Contemporary Music Festival (2008)
Kecskemét Spring Festival (2008)
International Bartók Seminar and Festival (2008, 2009, 2013, 2016)
Budapest Spring Festival (2011)
“Versünnep” Poetry Festival (2014, 2015)
Budaörs Festival (2015)
Primavera ’16 Festival (2016)
Educational activities:
2009-2011: University of Miskolc, Faculty of Music
2010-: Lutheran Theological University – Department of Church Music
Principal roles:
Mozart: Così fan tutte – Dorabella
Bizet: Carmen – Mercedes
Sullivan: The Mikado – Katisha
Bartók: Bluebeard's Castle – Judith
Racine/Melis: Athalie – Levite girl
Haydn: Lo speziale – Volpino
Prokofiev: The Fiery Angel – Abbess
Kodály: Háry János – Örzse
Gounod: Roméo et Juliette – Stephano
Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia – Rosina
Melis/Euripides: The Bacchae – Chorus head, Mezzo-soprano solo
Rossini: La Cenerentola – La Cenerentola/Angelina
Vidovszky: Narcissus and Echo – Echo
Bizet: Carmen – title role
Britten: The Rape of Lucretia – Female chorus (Narrator)
Vivaldi: Farnace – Selinda
Balassa: Cataclysm – Aunt Mári
Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro – Cherubino
