Sumi Jo - Verdi - Rigoletto - Gilda - Caro Nome

[Operahawk1]

Her voice is so delicate. It brings tears to my eyes. I've heard Jesse Norman and K. Battle live at the SF Opera. But Mss Jo is the best.

[ralphmei]

Every time I heard her performance, I always surprise to her clean voice and the sophisticated techniques hidden behind a camouflage of ease and confidence

[rmcinuk]

@ralphmei

Well said.

That apparent easy comes from hours and hours of practise, plus of course the boundless talent that she exhibits with every wonderful performance.

She is the best!

[jcyoo52]

Bravo, Sumi! The opera lives long because of those like you. It's heavenly.

[Tenorbravo]

Sumi Jo is unique, original, one of a kind, an angel from heaven, with a "bellizima " voce ". She has it all. She is MAGNIFIQUE. Born to sing anything. Fantastica. Thanks for allowing us to enjoy what is called in Italian "Bell Canto".

[corationgson]

When she sings, she glows and becomes the most beautiful and enchanting person in the world.

I am truly captivated, galvanized! Sumi Jo is a work of art.

[rmcinuk]

@corationgson

I sense another hopless devotee here!

Totaly agree with every word

[rayc287]

The "Ugly American's" raise there heads again....as an American I apologize to the rest of the world for some of our uneducated people.

[Operahawk1]

@rayc287 Great comment. Sad that Lady Gaga(Madonna, etc) is a bigger celeb than artists who have spent a lifetime increasing their talent. And have talent.

[MyDona78]

scusate ma nn mi piace!!!!! w callas e tebaldi 4ever

[sthephaf]

Love IT!!

rigoletto,,....

[AmantePura]

che fine ha fatto il tempo e la danza ritmica con l'orchestra? Voto:4

[BonePhone]

Ya I'd tap that.

Oh ya she has a skilled mastery over her voice or whatever.

[lipera]

If she wasn't good as many are saying, she would not be successful in Europe as she is today cuz they're very strict about bad singers, of course sometimes they make a mistake but in Jo's case I think they've hit the spot! She's phenomenal!

[mostrodelalaguna]

infernal. gracias.

[ocakavanie]

Sumi is the best Gilda in 20 century no doubt

[Marcelisa]

Sublime sweet perfection!!!

[abbirolli]

Ela é linda, fantastica. Adoro ve-la cantando. Magnifica. Maravilhosa.

[kullifulusi]

please listen this from leyla gencer watch?v=2G1Bdr32kHk

[tvbates]

Excellent. Perfect intonation, registration, turn of the top, and wonderfully-done cadenzas, messa di voces, and rallantando. She is on top of her game, and is light years ahead technically of most other coloraturas out there singing at the MET today.

[noball12]

beautiful

[LittleMongoosie]

This is a great rendition; very clear and precise. I love Sumi Jo-- she's very talented! Thank you very much for posting this!

[sumimimi0]

but it is true that she is the best. you see, she has taken the 1st international puccini award. see who is the 2nd international puccini award.

[NKWIAM]

Those who can, do.

Those who can't, criticize.

[silvr94]

Usually a lot of failed musicians become critics. They have to know a lot about music, but weren't good enough to have a career themselves. The German Coloratura Soprano's teacher always said: "Children, practice! Otherwise you must become a critic!"

[hymnofashes]

@NKWIAM If people would just speak for themselves without putting their words in the mouth of The God of Opera, then much of this could be avoided.

To be honest, though, an echo chamber of praise is not an interesting discussion.

Still, criticizing this woman is just kind of a joke to me...

[KriBlackRoson]

she might be one of the best singers on earth!

too bad that people come and criticize

that assholes couldn't do better

[golaxo]

so just those should say anything negative about a musician who could do better?

so I should think about a politician only If i would be a better politician

or a doctor?

or I dont have ears?

please leave this foolness.

She is an outstanding singer and sings this Caro nome marvellously too. But I really hate this "why do you say anything dehonesting when u couldnt do better" stuff...

[KriBlackRoson]

haha exactly!

finally someone understands....

if you don't like it you can say "I don't like it", if you have proofs and enough knowledge to say it's bad then say it, but if you don't, then you have no right to say it because you don't know and it only makes you sad and immature and this world doesn't need that kind of people today, we have much more problems....

[duhhh86]

yep. dunno about you guys, but i'm totally with herbert von karajan on this - sumi jo's voice is really "a voice from above"!

[thewickedzirenita]

Wow

[Thisdayno1]

i have this movie clip 'yeollin um ak hoi' very clean. in that clip, she sounds like water, sounds like bell. May be other time i'll upload it on Utube.

[dreamworld6]

gaddddd... unbelievable voice!!!!!!!

[vsm18]

Maravillosa, She's a Godest!

[ritavila]

Que es lo feo del final? A mi me parecio genial esta version de Sumi jo :)

[acitipo]

A mi tambien me parecio genial, las sopranos ligeras pueden hacer con su voz lo que les da la gana!!!!

[AulicExclusiva]

Except for the non-ending, this was OK. The conducting is sluggish. The whole thing doesn't make much musical sense. But her voice is beautiful.

[colinmochriesbuddy]

NOT FAIR.

[gibraltarrr]

God knows I adore Sumi, but does anyone else think her high notes sound whiny in this?

[Johnoooh]

this absolute fucken great performance makes that bad quality of a video more than worth watching and listening =D

[LE3C]

BEL CANTO IS NOT A TECHNIQUE, IT IS A STYLE. THERE IS TERRIBLE CONFUSION ABOUT THE VOICE AND VOCAL TERMS TODAY.

The vocal works of Mozart, Donizetti, Bellini, Rossini (which influenced Verdi, of course) ask the singer to be capable of legato phrases - REAL LEGATO, not what passes for legato today - (sostenuto) and agility (fioritura) and these are some of the characteristics of the bel canto style that REQUIRE true vocal mastery.

[gibraltarrr]

could you define "real legato" please? thanks.

[LE3C]

Underlying hum or "arcato": bowed, played with a bow. Jo's singing, like almost any singer today, attempts legato but what you can hear if you listen is uneven pressure on the pitches-creating *dashes*rather than one extremely smooth, seamless line, with one note connecting to the next. The words too must be clean, effortless and even, a"pearl necklace",a flowing stream of notes. For great legato in piano playing, listen to Rachmaninoff. You would swear he is playing with a bow.

[BeauTenor]

you could hear great examples of true legato by listening to singers like Leontyne Price (a good example is "D'amor sull' alli rosee" from Trovatore). Listen to how the phrases are like big arches of sound supported on the breath. Each arch has a "destination" where the next arch begins. As good as Price was, NO ONE could spin a long phrase like Caballe in her prime. Your eyes could almost cross waiting for her to take a breath.

[senilangakali]

I think u need to clean your ears out! Unlike Sutherlands constant muffling, Jo's attack is crystal clear and sure, her trills comfortable and fluid. Listen again...

[tubeninja1]

Was this shot with a camera phone from 5 years ago? like the sound but one of the worst quality videos ive seen on you tube.

[02kissme]

Maybe Anna Moffo did, but had a lot more finesse and artistry with it. (And sang it in tune better as pointed out by Lohengrin). Is this a room full of Asians defending their own or what? Damn, ease up...it's America and everyone's entitled to an opinion.

[luap42]

@02kissme Its NOT America, you twat... Its the whole world. Youtube is available everywhere, idiot.

[silvr94]

Anna Moffo used the same ornaments/cadenze!!

[acitipo]

@silvr94 La Moffo vivio hace 40 años atras estamos opinando de la Sumi Jo.

[silvr94]

para mí, la moffo está la mejor gilda. pero encuentro sumi jo también buena.

[02kissme]

Looks like an example of the Suzuki method gone bad....much too labored and sluggish for this aria....both by Sumi and the orchestra.

[ehasl]

It is good to make fun of the Suzuki method. But this woman sings well.

[karrington2008]

It amazes me how soft she can sing such high notes. I LOVE this woman. By far my favorite opera singer, next to Maria Callas. Beautiful.

[pastsecrets]

jeanette macdonald sings this song better/

[rix657]

@pastsecrets

I don't think so. I quite like Jeanette Macdonald's movies, but a great singer she was not. She's not in Sumi Jo's league I'm afraid.

[djRaydiation]

I'm not a musical expert or anything but is it just me or did she slow down and skip 2 notes(among others in the aria) at 3:47, I usually listen to the Joan Sutherland version of this, and 3:47 stuck out like a soar thumb. Also at 2:45 her tempo was noticeably faster, and her notes were more slurred together, but that may very well just be technique or interpretation.

Anyways, there is a noticeable difference between Joan and Sumi, although Sumi is good, Joan, in my opinion is better.

[Burgundia1980]

No, she did not skip any notes at 3:47, but she did take way more liberties with the rhythm than most singers.

[mom2grace08]

that's what's so fun about this aria, most performers take far more liberties, decorating it up and such.

[kenndogg]

i think ur rite... but i also do think she just slowed down and didnt do that segment of notes like other sopranos....have u heard leontyne price's rendition?

[luyan1234]

she's vesion is the best. both voic and tecnique

[senilangakali]

I totally agree...

[gokjooo]

Sumi Jo's unbelievably good but Edita is so .......(couldn't find any adjective to describe her performance) I think Gruberova's the best GILDA ever come.

[RachieLizOpera]

I agree completely!! No one can surpass Gruberova!

[chelseafg]

Sumi Jo... is so amazing but i love more kimera's version in the lost opera

[hollabelle]

normally i love sumi jo, but not in this. it's not bel canto enough for me, there needs to be more line in her singing. she halts too much. i still favor anna maffo for this one.

[thewoot78]

That's kind of the nature of this aria; if you look at the music, there are a lot of rests and staccati. I think she does a beautiful job, although it's a bit faster than other versions I've heard.

[senesino83]

Why bel canto? Verdi is not bel canto anymore. It officially ends with some Rossini/Bellini...

[hollabelle]

i just mean legato, but relax, she is still one of the most beautiful singers in the world!! i think i prefer anna moffo though.

[CharlotteinWeimar]

Officially??? Bel canto is a broad term with more than one meaning, as you surely must understand, for you say you are a student singer yourself. This Verdi piece demands "bel canto", or "beautiful singing" in line and tone and flexibility, as much as any Handel or Bellini aria.

[senesino83]

Yes, yes, of course I understand what you mean. It is good, though, to start using "bel canto" as a technical term for a certain style of composition that requires florid/coloratura singing in the baroque/classical meaning... which ends with Rossini. Of course Verdi must be "beautiful singing", as every singing should be :)

[kngiht84]

Sutherland is always the best, yet Jo has done an amazing job.

[missykunde]

I agree. Joan Sutherland.

[Cenayon]

I used to think no one could beat Anna Maccianti but this one is very good too. *applauds*

[renic17]

I like to hear all of Sumi Jo. She is amazing!

[Nivri80]

Ah! She's soo good! brava! I'm going to see you at your Feb recital in NYC! wee!

[hpeterh]

Hello,

thanks for sharing this.

Low video quality gives better sound quality and it can be still seen that she's a pretty one ;-)

It can also be seen that she really enjoys singing and I think she is best when she's allowed to show this and to let it hear.

[Iareto]

She is marvelous. I have always preferred Elizabeth Futral cover of this song, but that is a personal choice. You know how you acknowledge great talent, but sometimes you just prefer other performers? It's just a tone thing for me.

[moizestefan]

Compared with the other performers of Caro Nome (even Maria Callas), Sumi Jo's voice in this opera is much more relaxing and confident. A real diva...

[gleong]

My goodness - those floated high pianissimi. UNBEATABLE. Have just compared her with Christine Schafer (effortful) and Ileana Cotrubas (a lovely performance, but no piasnissimi...) THANK you for sharing

[adremoid]

marvellous instrument!

[operaticxingenue]

Those pianissimo high notes are virtually impossible...gosh..but she does them like they're NOTHING. *Adores*

[meryfuriosa]

bellisimo