Customer Reviews

Art of Sumi Jo

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But now, others can have access to this peppy, catchy-tuned album with Sumi Jo singing arias from obscure French operas and operettas (with the two Queen of the Night arias from Die Zauberflöte thrown in for good measure!).

Every one of these songs are so enjoyable, there's really isn't a bad one in the bunch. They all seem to be perfectly tailored to what this woman can do (Yes, it is true... she is no machination but a real, live woman.) Sumi Jo is in great form, singing with her crystal-clear coloratura through almost every piece ("Mes chères soeurs" is more legato and smooth-flowing than the others probably to allow you to hear that she is not only a master of the coloratura but the length and flow of line as well). Not much else is to be noted since this CD is just so amazing (if you love her other CD's like: Bel Canto, Virtuoso Arias, and Sumi Jo Sings Mozart, you should ADORE this album). I really like the trio "Ah, vous dirai-je maman" from the opera Le Toreador by Adolphe Adam that she recorded with Richard Bonynge a while ago. It's basically been made a vocalise from the original theme by Mozart. I have to make a special note though about one other piece, the "Carnaval de Venise" by Victor Masse. I'm sure Bonynge pulled out this obscure piece JUST for Sumi Jo. The last one-and-a-half minutes are PURE coloratura (I know, this sounds a little excessive as my girlfriend would point out, but I find it thrilling as I hang on every moment of it). It shows just how much control she has of her technique (The only bobble she makes on the entire CD is heard at one point in this piece where she seems to be running out of breath. But who can blame her for one teeny mistake when she's just sung fiery, blazing coloratura for 20 seconds or so with one breath in a long string of appoggiaturas???). It's simply amazing and is a perfect showpiece to end the CD with, though they're all great arias.

If you purchase this album and enjoy it at least half as much as I do, it'll be well worth the buy. So... we have 14 pieces multiplied by 5 stars easily each, plus 20 stars for Sumi Jo's gorgeous voice, and 10 for Bonynge's selection of material and we arrive at a grand total of 100 stars. Enjoy!

Sumi Jo is probably the greatest coloratura soprano today. This CD is a great showcase for Miss Jo's talent. She has an incredible technique, never sounding shrill or strained. Her musicality is always evident in these selections, from her albums CARNAVAL, LE DOMINO NOIR, DIE ZAUBERFLOTE and LE TOREADOR. It is difficult to mention the highlights of this CD. The Queen of the Night's arias, even when Sumi Jo's voice is lighter than what is expected for the role, shine with expression and cristal clear execution. Other highlights are "Ah! vous dirai-je maman" from LE TOREADOR, "Sevillana", "Couplets de Mysoli". And there is no better way to end this CD than with the "Carnaval de Venise" from Masse's LA REINE TOPAZE. These variations are executed by Miss Jo in a spectacular way. Her singing reminds me of Amelita Galli-Curci: the same combination of charm and technical brilliance. This CD is a prefect introduction for people who do not know Sumi Jo. And it will be no doubt a treat for the fans of the Korean soprano.

Her voice is incredibly beautiful... I've never heard such effortless high notes from a soprano leggiero.. Brilliant is not enough to describe this gem of a voice! It's a gift from God! Buy this and be enchanted by the goddess of beautiful singing!

Anybody who listens to this CD would not doubt that she is by far the best soprano (not one of the best) in the world. I have heard Maria Callas, Kiri Te Kanawa, Renee Fleming, Joan Sutherland, Cecilia bartoli, ...etc, but nobody is as perfect as Sumi Jo. She is not only super- excellent in techniques and musicality (This is shown the best in "the original Ariadne auf Naxos", and in "Sumi Jo sings Mozart" - the songs in this CD had been composed by Mozart in his later years and because of techical difficulties, no singer in modern times has ever successfully been able to sing them. However, Jo sings them with great ease and at the same time shows great expressions of subtle emotions! One medical examination of her throat through up-to-date machine showed that the opening and closing of her throat is complete! Without any gap!), her expressing of emotions are so warm and humane that some of her songs make me jerk off tears every time I hear it (ex. in this CD, Carnival de Venise) and give goose bumps and thrills. I went to her concert a year ago and believe me, her live performance is even more impressive, which proved that all her songs in her CDs are not thanks to some kind of mechanical manipulations, which some singers sometimes use in recording! I hope more people will hear her music so that she can be in the main streams of the opera world. She has produced as many as 26 albums till now, and she is still in her 30s! I've got most of her CDs and ALL OF THEM are excellent. For those who want to enjoy her live performance, I wanna recommend "Sumi Jo Live Carnegie Hall" performed with Richard Bonynge Orchestra of St. Luke's. I've never experienced such a performance in my whole life!

There's not much I can write that Andre hasn't already said - I just wanted to second his recommendation of this CD. One of my favorite tracks is the delightful "Ah, vous dirai-je, maman" from a French opera-comiquè by Adam. Just try not to smile. Additionally, this CD features the two highlight Queen of the Night arias from "Die Zauberflöte" - "O Zittre Nicht" and "Der Hölle Rache", for which Sumi Jo is justly famous. I prefer these recordings to those on the Arnold Östman recording of The Magic Flute on period instruments (which is a pity because that recording features Barbara Bonney - the best Pamina I've ever had the pleasure of listening to). On that recording, Sumi sounds too quiet and restrained - "Der Hölle Rache", an aria of rage and terrible beauty, comes out sounding like a very rushed vocal exercize (albeit a beautiful one :). On this disc, however, the two arias are sung with power and presence.

Anyway, if you're looking for brilliant coloratura singing with impeccable technique, look no further - here is your CD. I think it's a shame that this CD is not more widely available - best of luck in obtaining it.

I can think of no better description of Sumi Jo's incredible voice - especially as displayed on this CD - than a quote from Ann Patchett's "Bel Canto: A Novel":

Never had he thought, never once, that such a woman existed, one who stood so close to God that God's own voice poured from her. How far she must have gone inside herself to call up that voice. It was as if the voice came from the center part of the earth and by the sheer effort and diligence of her will she had pulled it up through the dirt and rock and through the floorboards of the house, up into her feet, where it pulled through her, reaching, lifting, warmed by her, and then out of the white lily of her throat and straight to God in heaven.

This is most assuredly a "must-have" CD, and one I treasure. There's not a bad track or false note...as close to Heaven as we'll be this side of Heaven itself.

This includes a sampler of arias taken directly from the recordings of operas, as opposed to the arias sung solo with backing orchestra which is the case in some of her other CDs. I like it better when I hear her in the context of the other singers and the narrative of the story.

So if you don't own any Sumi Jo CDs yet, you might want to check this one out first.

What more could I say about her voice? Though certainly no soprano expert, and not really a fan of opera, I can say that her voice is one of the most beautiful that I've ever heard. Arvo Part is quoted as saying that "the voice is the most perfect of instruments" and in that cases Sumi Jo may have in her posession one of the most perfect vocal instruments.

Another of her CDs that I enjoy very much, and which is not opera arias, is "Prayers." For those like me who do not appreciate as much the opera arias with their trills, this might be another title to check out.

Sumi Jo is one of the greatest coloratura sopranos of recent times. This disc from Decca compiles many of her best arias. Hers is a bell-like voice with a very high capacity for those wicked top notes, but her mid-voice is also warm and well developed. Many sopranos find a balance between their head and chest voices very difficult, but Sumi Jo does not, allowing a greater variety in repertoire, and abundance of roles.

Sumi Jo has made the role of "Die Zauberflote"'s Queen of the Night her own, and this disc includes the murderously-difficult "Der Holle Rache" and "O zittre nacht" arias. Other choice pieces include "Sevilliana" (Massenet's "Don Cesar de Bazan"); "Bolero" (Boieldieu's "La Fete du village"); and "Valse tyrolienne" (Offenbach's "Un mari a la porte").

I also recommend the many other Sumi Jo recordings, specifically her album 'Les Bijoux' which focuses on the French arias (available on the Erato label). For those who would like a concise collection of Sumi, or are beginning a collection, this disc is a wise purchase.

While this disc is currently out-of-print, most of the selections also appear on the 2-CD set 'Portrait of Sumi Jo', available on Decca [473 821-2].

[Decca/Polygram 458 927-2]

This is the greatest coloratur artist of the year. sumi jo has a very good technique and she sing all the song with a very good control. and The recording sound is very good.