This was very beautiful. I didn't know that Sumi had sung Casta Diva. My personal opinion upon hearing this is that it's 100 times better than Cecilia Bartoli's version which I can't stand for being too whispery. Sumi's fach isn't suited to Norma just as Beverly Sills' wasn't but here she sings with clarity and precision in fioritura/coloratura, it's sweet, lovely, romantic and gorgeous. Thank you for uploading it Primo
@OperaMystery80 It's on her most recent recording. You do know she and Bartoli are / have recorded Norma (Bartoli being Norma), which is due out soon...hopefully. 2 of my favorite voice in opera today.
I just adore Sumi Jo singing any good song properly, After years of hearing other "popular singers" murdering material it is very refreshing to hear thses songs sung properly.
From smoothiw's post below it would appear that we will soon get a feast of "good stuff" to enjo,, be it classical or crossover.
I don't think there's a problem with crossover albums. Placido Domingo recorded more albums of rancheras and broadway songs than he did of actual opera. I just thought interested that she was doing albums more on the Sarah Brightman style instead of true opera recordings, as even the operatic recordings on this album have been mixed and mastered more like a pop song (a lot louder and more compressed) than traditional operatic recordings
I don't believe the electronic alterations are required, she is just too good to require this kind of intervention! leave that for the lesser performers who normally sing? this material.
Indeed I always prefer her more natural sound, but sad addict that I am, I listen avidly to everything she does and more or less love it all!
I'm not suggesting that her voice was digitally retouched, what I am saying is that the way the material is presented it is more on the line of a popera album than an actual classical recording.
For example, besides the 2 or 3 pop/broadway numbers in the album, the section from "Carmen" is presented as a medley instead of entire scene or aria, that is more like something Sarah Brightman would do. And the level of compression and loudness of the album is more like that of a pop album.
@primohomme 1) I understand what you mean. IMO, there's a large gap between you and me about this. I think that she could handel this like what you said, a traditional way. In that way, considering the limited time of one cd, some other songs needed to be deleted. Actually, that Carmen was composed of 3 arias (Habanera, Triangel and Flower song.), so if she did this like the way you prefer, this album may be considered as some kind of incomplete Carmen rather than Sumi Jo's Gypsy recital.
@primohomme 2) In one single track of 11 minutes long, there are 3 arias, including the Flower song, a tenor's repertoire. Isn't this a good choice for one singer's recital album, is it? If this is a full Carmen recording, that kind of choice must be weird, but this is a recital. As I mentioned already, I understand what you're talking about, and this is just my own thought. Nice day. (Being poor at English, I have touble writing here :),,, just don't want to make any troble to you with it.)
Well that's pretty much my point, that it's not a classical recital but more of a crossover album
The fact that there is 1 pop song, a medley of broadway songs, a medley of Carmen scenes (including an aria originally sung by a Tenor), and at least one aria sung by dramatic soprano as opposed to light coloratura (Casta Diva) shows it's not an album recital like her "virtuoso arias" or "bel canto" album. It wasn't a criticism, just an observation :) I like her singing and her albums
@rmcinuk I think this album can make you satisfied enough. Very good singing and beautiful photos in the booklet. Carmen & Norma, which Sumi never sang before, are also beautiful. !
If Sumi Jo has done Adalgisa I can only pray she got to sing the solo aria for Adalgisa from the french version of Norma, it is quite gorgeous and not known at all
I have the sheet music of the aria and I think it's called "vois grand dieu! vois ma de tresse" though the score only says "cavatine d'Adalgise". The range of the aria goes from Eb3 to Eb6 in the coloratura vocal line, and the tessitura is definetely higher than the standard tessitura of the rest of Adalgisa's music, so I'm guessing it wasn't written for Giulia Grisi but perhaps for Laure Cinti-Damoreau who was the reigning soprano at the time in french grand opera.
One would think it would have been recording, by some soprano doing Bellini rarities or something...
Earlier this year I sent the sheet music of it to Gerald Moore, Renee Fleming's vocal coach who has also coached DiDonato, Dessay, and Netrebko in the role of Anna Bolena. He didn't know if the existance of the cavatina either. So it's truly a rarity, maybe we can get in contact with Sumi Jo or some other virtuosic coloratura soprano, to get her to record it :P
@primohomme Well, sending it to Moore is a good start. But what if he suggested it to Dessay and she recorded it? Then you would be truly disappointed. : P
@primohomme Mmm,, I don't think so. This album has 13 tracks, and only 2,3 are from crossover (Balfe, Bernstein..). The rest 10 songs are from opera, Operetta & Art Song (Falla, Dvorak, Bellini, Lehar, Bizet). Actually, I really like this cd very much. Though I have all her cds, this is one of the best. The concept of this album is Gypsy, the key word that expresses Sumi's musical journey for 25 yeras. And, the last 3 albums...
@primohomme And, the last 3 albums... 1st, German lieder album, Ich Liebe Dich... not crossover.2nd, Missing You is one of that. 3rd, Baroque Journey... not crossover. And, In limited release in Japan, "Concert"...etc. So,,,, crossover style is one, MISSING YOU. Considering all her cds (about 50), 2 or 3 could be crossover. I heard that next her project would be J.S.Bach cantatas & French melody. And, next year Norma (Bartoli as Norma, Sumi as Adalgisa) will be released. Nice day ~
I normally can tell by the opening line if I'm going to like a Casta Diva or not, but this actually wasn't that bad. She skips the comma and a few other Bellini technicalities, but at least she doesn't have a breathy asthmatic attack like Grubby and pause between notes.
It's true, Jo has a much rounder and warmer voice than Gruberova or Devia and other lesser bitches :P
Overall I like her version, of course she doesn't sing the commas but instead does what most everybody else does, stopping and letting the pitch drop somewhat and scoop it back up.
I actually enjoy this version very much... Her middle voice has filled out nicely :) Very lyrical :)
floridante2k 3 months ago 3
This is fabulous!
MusicTheGreat 3 months ago
divine
TheShanXu 3 months ago
This was very beautiful. I didn't know that Sumi had sung Casta Diva. My personal opinion upon hearing this is that it's 100 times better than Cecilia Bartoli's version which I can't stand for being too whispery. Sumi's fach isn't suited to Norma just as Beverly Sills' wasn't but here she sings with clarity and precision in fioritura/coloratura, it's sweet, lovely, romantic and gorgeous. Thank you for uploading it Primo
OperaMystery80 4 months ago 2
@OperaMystery80 It's on her most recent recording. You do know she and Bartoli are / have recorded Norma (Bartoli being Norma), which is due out soon...hopefully. 2 of my favorite voice in opera today.
uniquebfly 3 weeks ago
Un mantra dolce e sdrammatizzante. Una ninna-nanna sussurrata con affetto in un orecchio..
Una voce tenera senza tormenti, senza rancori e le sofferenze dell'occidente. Forse c'è bisogno di questa voce bambina per avvicinare cielo e terra.
reconditearmonie 4 months ago
Is there a problem with crossover?
I just adore Sumi Jo singing any good song properly, After years of hearing other "popular singers" murdering material it is very refreshing to hear thses songs sung properly.
From smoothiw's post below it would appear that we will soon get a feast of "good stuff" to enjo,, be it classical or crossover.
Long live Sumi Jo.
rmcinuk 4 months ago
@rmcinuk
I don't think there's a problem with crossover albums. Placido Domingo recorded more albums of rancheras and broadway songs than he did of actual opera. I just thought interested that she was doing albums more on the Sarah Brightman style instead of true opera recordings, as even the operatic recordings on this album have been mixed and mastered more like a pop song (a lot louder and more compressed) than traditional operatic recordings
primohomme 4 months ago
@primohomme
Many thanks for explaining your thoughts.
I don't believe the electronic alterations are required, she is just too good to require this kind of intervention! leave that for the lesser performers who normally sing? this material.
Indeed I always prefer her more natural sound, but sad addict that I am, I listen avidly to everything she does and more or less love it all!
rmcinuk 4 months ago
@rmcinuk
I'm not suggesting that her voice was digitally retouched, what I am saying is that the way the material is presented it is more on the line of a popera album than an actual classical recording.
For example, besides the 2 or 3 pop/broadway numbers in the album, the section from "Carmen" is presented as a medley instead of entire scene or aria, that is more like something Sarah Brightman would do. And the level of compression and loudness of the album is more like that of a pop album.
primohomme 4 months ago
@primohomme 1) I understand what you mean. IMO, there's a large gap between you and me about this. I think that she could handel this like what you said, a traditional way. In that way, considering the limited time of one cd, some other songs needed to be deleted. Actually, that Carmen was composed of 3 arias (Habanera, Triangel and Flower song.), so if she did this like the way you prefer, this album may be considered as some kind of incomplete Carmen rather than Sumi Jo's Gypsy recital.
smoothiw 4 months ago
@primohomme 2) In one single track of 11 minutes long, there are 3 arias, including the Flower song, a tenor's repertoire. Isn't this a good choice for one singer's recital album, is it? If this is a full Carmen recording, that kind of choice must be weird, but this is a recital. As I mentioned already, I understand what you're talking about, and this is just my own thought. Nice day. (Being poor at English, I have touble writing here :),,, just don't want to make any troble to you with it.)
smoothiw 4 months ago
@smoothiw
Well that's pretty much my point, that it's not a classical recital but more of a crossover album
The fact that there is 1 pop song, a medley of broadway songs, a medley of Carmen scenes (including an aria originally sung by a Tenor), and at least one aria sung by dramatic soprano as opposed to light coloratura (Casta Diva) shows it's not an album recital like her "virtuoso arias" or "bel canto" album. It wasn't a criticism, just an observation :) I like her singing and her albums
primohomme 4 months ago
I love Jo's and Caballe's version most
Wynyu27 5 months ago
Wow... She finally sings "Casta Diva". What a wonderful, angelic voice she has. =D
DrRigolettoPianist 5 months ago
This is from Sumi Jo's new album, LIBERA (25th anni album.)
smoothiw 5 months ago
@smoothiw
Beautiful as always.
Being unfortrunate enough to live in the UK where Sumi Jo things are difficult to obtain, I am still waiting for my cd to arrive from Korea.
I have no doubt it will be well worth the wait..
Sumi Jo forever!
rmcinuk 5 months ago
@rmcinuk I think this album can make you satisfied enough. Very good singing and beautiful photos in the booklet. Carmen & Norma, which Sumi never sang before, are also beautiful. !
smoothiw 5 months ago
@smoothiw
If Sumi Jo has done Adalgisa I can only pray she got to sing the solo aria for Adalgisa from the french version of Norma, it is quite gorgeous and not known at all
primohomme 5 months ago
@primohomme What's the title of the aria? Are there any extant recordings of it? I've always thought that Adaglisa needed an aria. :)
90lysander 4 months ago
@90lysander
I have the sheet music of the aria and I think it's called "vois grand dieu! vois ma de tresse" though the score only says "cavatine d'Adalgise". The range of the aria goes from Eb3 to Eb6 in the coloratura vocal line, and the tessitura is definetely higher than the standard tessitura of the rest of Adalgisa's music, so I'm guessing it wasn't written for Giulia Grisi but perhaps for Laure Cinti-Damoreau who was the reigning soprano at the time in french grand opera.
primohomme 4 months ago
@90lysander I'd love to know more about that also !
512gontran 4 months ago
@512gontran Yes. Both Google searches and YouTube searches have yielded nothing. Apparently coloraturafan is right, and it is "not known at all"!
90lysander 4 months ago
@90lysander
One would think it would have been recording, by some soprano doing Bellini rarities or something...
Earlier this year I sent the sheet music of it to Gerald Moore, Renee Fleming's vocal coach who has also coached DiDonato, Dessay, and Netrebko in the role of Anna Bolena. He didn't know if the existance of the cavatina either. So it's truly a rarity, maybe we can get in contact with Sumi Jo or some other virtuosic coloratura soprano, to get her to record it :P
primohomme 4 months ago
@primohomme Well, sending it to Moore is a good start. But what if he suggested it to Dessay and she recorded it? Then you would be truly disappointed. : P
90lysander 4 months ago
@90lysander By the way, I realize I've never heard any excerpt of Norma in french (and I am french...)
512gontran 4 months ago
@512gontran
I can send you the sheet music of the aria if you wish to check it out
That way you can also translate the lyrics for me please :P
primohomme 4 months ago
@primohomme Great ! I wrote you in your box.
512gontran 4 months ago
@512gontran Me neither. Lucia, yes. A couple other bel canto operas, yes. But not Norma (or any other Bellini, now I think about it).
90lysander 4 months ago
@smoothiw
Yes, and it's more of a popera crossover album, don't you think?
in fact, the last 3 albums she has released have been in that style
primohomme 5 months ago
@primohomme Mmm,, I don't think so. This album has 13 tracks, and only 2,3 are from crossover (Balfe, Bernstein..). The rest 10 songs are from opera, Operetta & Art Song (Falla, Dvorak, Bellini, Lehar, Bizet). Actually, I really like this cd very much. Though I have all her cds, this is one of the best. The concept of this album is Gypsy, the key word that expresses Sumi's musical journey for 25 yeras. And, the last 3 albums...
smoothiw 5 months ago
@primohomme And, the last 3 albums... 1st, German lieder album, Ich Liebe Dich... not crossover.2nd, Missing You is one of that. 3rd, Baroque Journey... not crossover. And, In limited release in Japan, "Concert"...etc. So,,,, crossover style is one, MISSING YOU. Considering all her cds (about 50), 2 or 3 could be crossover. I heard that next her project would be J.S.Bach cantatas & French melody. And, next year Norma (Bartoli as Norma, Sumi as Adalgisa) will be released. Nice day ~
smoothiw 5 months ago
I normally can tell by the opening line if I'm going to like a Casta Diva or not, but this actually wasn't that bad. She skips the comma and a few other Bellini technicalities, but at least she doesn't have a breathy asthmatic attack like Grubby and pause between notes.
BZBlaner 5 months ago
@BZBlaner
It's true, Jo has a much rounder and warmer voice than Gruberova or Devia and other lesser bitches :P
Overall I like her version, of course she doesn't sing the commas but instead does what most everybody else does, stopping and letting the pitch drop somewhat and scoop it back up.
primohomme 4 months ago
Thanks, nice edition.
nomoody 5 months ago
i've been waiting this for a very long time!!! where did u get this?
williamevans321 5 months ago
Very beautiful...
ACULTURE0 5 months ago
I love Sumi Jo :)
mAnNyElLaTiNo33 5 months ago