Eun Sun Kim is a South Korean conductor of commanding presence and interpretive depth, who became the first female and first Asian music director of San Francisco Opera in 2021, establishing herself as one of the most significant operatic leaders of her generation.
Known For
Defining moments and milestones
From her early training in Seoul and Stuttgart, where she absorbed the German symphonic tradition under Barenboim and Petrenko, Eun Sun Kim emerged as a conductor of rare interpretive sophistication and commanding stage presence. Her professional debut in 2012 at Oper Frankfurt initiated a rapid international ascent, leading to engagements across Europe's greatest opera houses and orchestras. In 2021, she achieved a historic milestone as the first female and first Asian music director of San Francisco Opera, a position from which she has championed both canonical masterworks and bold contemporary commissions, establishing herself as one of the most significant operatic leaders of the twenty-first century.
Appointed Caroline H. Hume Music Director of San Francisco Opera (2021), becoming the first female and first Asian woman to hold the music directorship of a major North American opera company
Yonsei University, Seoul (Bachelor's in Composition, Master's in Conducting); State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart, Germany (Conducting, graduated with distinction)
Recordings featuring Eun Sun Kim in the Society index
Additional recordings will appear here as the catalog expands.