Customer Reviews

Sumi Jo - Virtuoso Arias ~ Verdi, Rossini, Donizetti, Meyerbeer

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Korean soprano Sumi Jo has established herself as a remarkable and gifted lyric coloratura soprano in recent years. She has a vast following wherever she goes- whether she is touring Europe, performing in American opera houses or singing in her native Korea. Sumi Jo's good looks, winning personality and acting abilities add to her allure. She's almost the equivalent of Beverly Sills in many ways. Her legato and coloratura technique is thrilling. Her vocal embellishments in any coloratura role is exceptional. Plus, as mentioned, she can really act. I first had the privelege to watch Sumi Jo in a live performance at the Los Angeles Opera. She was performing as Olympia, the doll in Offenbach's "The Tales Of Hoffman." In addition to her vibrant coloratura roulades and passages, she was hilarious and easily won the audience. Among her many roles, she has performed as Rosina (Barber Of Seville), Queen of the Night (Mozart's Magic Flute and long considered her signature role), Lucia Di Lammermoor, Gilda from Rigoletto, Zerbinetta, Lakme, and various other bel canto heroines of Donizetti and Verdi as well as her touching performance as Mimi in Puccini's La Boheme. Sumi Jo has made it as a successful recording artist as well.These days, an opera singer with huge star power cannot dismiss the temptation of recording albums, sometimes in coloraboration with other singers or contemporary rock or pop singers. This album features the best of Sumi Jo in appropriately virtuoso arias from bel canto operas. Especially dazzling is her Zerbinetta and Lakme. I urge any fan of Sumi Jo to get this album. Viva the diva.

Although I love the music of the coluratura soprano one finds too often that the singers, though flexible and wide in range, do not have emotional or tonal depth. Sumi Jo proves an exception. She has one of the most delightful voices on record and produces some stupendous sounds in the heights of her range. One might mistake her for a wind instruments at times!

I disagree with a previous reviewer who argued that the songs are less than satisfying. Here we see one of the most beautiful selections of music available. Although it is true that some are not so well executed as that giant of coluratura (and any other genre) soprano-singing the great Joan Sutherland or as effortless in the heights there is a fine selection. Sumi Jo is of a different ilk to Sutherland and makes a masterpiece of 'Der Hoelle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen.'

I love coloratura singers and I find that Sumi Jo is one of the best... in this CD we can listen to different kinds of repertoire: from mozart to bernstein to a folk korean song.
in each track she shows her amazing skill in high and clean notes. If you buy ths cd you won't regret: sometimes you will take her voice for a flute for she is incredibly clean and effortless. In Lakmé aria you will listen at the end the best E sovracuto ever heard: it's clean, it's regular in the "vibrato", it starts and ends in the exact moment it should... wonderful. Glitter and be gay it's astonishing: it seems like she never stops climbing on higher and higher!!! Maybe queen of night's aria is a little bit slower than in other records and may sound less incisive, but it's always a pleasure listening to the perfect acrobatic singing of Ms Jo. With Natalie Dessay (who is even higher than Sumi, but less clear) Sumi is the best coloratura soprano of our times, and this CD shows her ability!

Born in Seoul, Korea, Sumi Jo was discovered by the famous and late conductor Herbert Von Karajan. His choices in singers has always been superb- he has been credited for launching the careers of such opera legends as Maria Callas and most recently Cecilia Bartoli. Sumi Jo is a singer of the lyric-coloratura department, but she is equally successfully in spinto, dramatic and bel canto repertoire. Her voice, immediately indicative of sweet youthfulness, passion and stratospheric high notes, can also belt out the long legato phrases of the bel canto operas of Rossini, Bellini and Donizetti. She is "opera fluent" in the languages of German, Italian and French. This album showcases her versatility. It would'nt be called Virtuoso Arias for nothing. These arias are indeed studies in virtuosity for voice. Let's take a look at some of them.

Rosina's Aria From Barber Of Seville: Rossini's Barber Of Seville was the most popular opera he ever wrote. The story tells of the courtship of Count Almaviva and Rosina, with the aid of the clever barber Figaro. Rosini's first aria, "Une voce poco fa" is a beautiful aria which not only shows off a singer's talents but also the character of Rosina herself. She is charming, docile but feisty and fiery. The role of Rosina was written for the mezzo soprano voice. In fact, most if not all of Rossini's heroines were mezzo soprano roles. This is because in Rossini's day, the tenor Manuel Garcia's daughters were employed in the opera and they were both mezzo sopranos. But the allure of Rosina's character has drawn even the most dramatic sopranos, among them Maria Callas. Other interpretors include Joan Sutherland and Beverly Sills and mezzo soprano Cecilia Bartoli, who most efficiently sings the role with more closeness to the original Rossini mezzo soprano Garcia girls. Sumi Jo is able to inflect a "mezzo" voice in the singing but she embellishes passages with dazzling coloratura. It's a tour de force from Sumi Jo.

The Sleepwalking Scene From Sonnambula: Bellini's La Sonnambula is a bel canto opera if there ever was one. It was reportedly Queen Victoria's favorite opera. The story is about a beautiful village girl who falls in love, is temporarily estranged from her love but reunited for a happy finale. The Sleepwalking Scene is a close cousin of the Mad Scene. She momentarily loses grip on reality and revels in a hallucination while she sleepswalks across a bridge in the village. The first portions call for a sweet, lyric voice with long flowing lines. Sumi Jo impresses us with this ability. The last portions demand vibrant coloratura. Sumi Jo has the right stuff for this, as has been mentioned. She leaps with her voice, runs through scales and arpeggios beautifully and ends with squillo high notes.

The Bell Song From Lakme: Delibes' Lakme is a beautiful French opera, made famous by the greatest interpretor Madie Mesple. The Bell Song is a showcase for coloratura and for lyricism. Lakme tells the story of the Pariah's daughter, beginning with tenderness and romance, which is complimented with the romantic and exotic sound of the music and finalizes the aria with bird-like coloratura. Sumi Jo's coloratura is decorative and tasteful. She is a coloratura soprano in the tradition of such names as Lily Pons, Roberta Peters and Beverly Sills.

Gilda's Aria From Rigoletto: Caro Nome is a song about love. Gilda, Rigolettos' daughter, has made the mistake of falling in love with the decadent Duke who is disguised as Gualtier Malde, a music student. Gilda's aria expresses innocent love and exuberance. Sumi Jo's voice is perfect for this kind of role. She is young and her voice comes off as young. In addition, Sumi Jo is a beautiful woman. If she trains her voice for it any further, she might become a successful Verdi heroine. Perhaps Desdemona from Othello is next ? Or perhaps the more famous Violetta Valery from La Traviata ? A great aria in Sumi's hands.

The Mad Scene From Lucia is on here and it's delivery is close to perfect. Sumi comes off as tormented, melancholy and grieving. This is preferable to radical hysteria as some sopranos have made the mistake of doing. Her elegant phrasing matches the music and she tops off the scene with coloratura and high notes.

Zerbinetta's Aria From Ariadne: This aria is considered the most difficult aria for a coloratura soprano. Why that is I don't quite understand. The music is beautiful and flowing, as is the voice that Strauss' music was written for. The aria demands breath control and soaring high notes. Sumi Jo is able to do this perfectly, ranking as one of the divas of this type of singing with such names as Kathleen Battle and Natalie Dessay.

So there you have it. This is a must have for fans of Sumi Jo and fans of virtuosic singing. It is a superb album, despite what comments say, most likely from people who haven't even heard the album and how truly great it is.

Starting with traditional Italian arias (by Rossini, Bellini, Verdi and Donizetti), the listener is treated to even more challenging series of arias such as "The Bell Song (from Lakme by Delibes); "Glitter and Be Gay" (from Candide by Leonard Bernstein); and "Queen of the Night" (from Die Zauberflote by Mozart). There is no doubt that Ms. Jo is a world-class talent and her voice does inspire everyone to go and see her in concert. Bravo!!!

I don't know if this CD is her best. However, I do love her Lucia,and La sonnambula among any other singer's version. Too bad, it has been cancealled by DECCA to record full version of Lucia by Sumi Jo. Anyhow, if you are looking for arias from Lucia, La sonnabula, Lakme, rigoletto, Candide, this Cd is far the best among any cds by any other singers.

Personally I think each aria in this CD is the most perfectly and beautifully sung by Sumi Jo. She sings every cruelly demanding aria as if it's child's play. Her singing throughout the album is incredible as Karayan once called her voice "A gift given by God". I've never heard "Una voce poco fa" more brilliantly and confidently sung than here. I witnessed her singing this aria live without any amplification, which was even more thrilling. The Gilda's aria and Lucia's mad scene are definately owned by Sumi Jo in my opinion. Before hearing Jo's rendition of mad scene, i had always thought the aria was owned by Joan Sutherland. Korean folk song "Boribat" is the epitome of beauty itself. It's magical that the song which I always thought somewhat boring in my high school times turns into a kinda beautiful heart-felt belcanto style aria when sung by Jo.

Sumi Jo's voice is crystal clear and these are some of her best arias. You won't be disappointed!

This CD showcases a dazzling and quite beautiful opera singer. her voice is quite amazing and the choice of songs on this CD are prolific: the French, Italian genre, as well as Mozart, Richard Strauss, Leonard Bernstein, and a very nice Korean piece.

The CD also comes with nice liner notes but no translations except for the Korean song.

I was looking for a complete recording of Zerbinetta's aria (I still don't know whether I have one, this one is 7 minutes long, 5 minutes were cut from Lucia's mad scene, I thought Zerbinetta's aria was much longer than 7 minutes), I had Gruberova singing it many years ago, but I cannot take her style and got rid of it. Sills (my main reason for buying the DVD) only sings part of it on "Made in America" which was disappointing, as was the entire DVD (all hints and glimpses and snippets, nothing, or very little, complete, very unsatisfying). So damnit just went through Strauss (ick, don't like any of the Strausses) on Amazon looking for the cheapest most likely to be complete recording of this aria and settled on the Sumi Jo. And my god what a jolt! This is the most beautiful new thing I've heard in years! She's another Pons. Good, clear, perfect separation of notes, wonderful range, warm beautiful voice, agile, wonderful Sutherland leaps to the last note of arias. This is it. This is wonderful. Just ordered 2 more of her albums. Should be here in a few days. A reviewer of another of her albums said she can't sing as fast as someone name Kirkby (or something), so immediately looked up Kirkby. Thought I'd found another jewel. Well, no. Kirkby specializes in Renaissance, Baroque and Classical music, mainly religious. That's out. But sigh maybe not. I only went through 3 or 4 or 5 pages of her stuff, then lost interest and stopped. Maybe a Meyerbeer or Donizetti popped up later. I'm not current with the world of music or any other art. No interest. Generally don't like it. And I stick pretty close to Sutherland, Sills, Callas (up to a point), and what Pons I can find. But this album is absolutely wonderful, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes coloratura singing.