Search - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Kenneth Montgomery, English Chamber Orchestra :: Sumi Jo sings Mozart

Stunningly Beautiful Singing

M. Ramos | 12/08/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sumi Jo, a famous Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte, brings her beautiful voice and perfect technique to a challenging program of opera and concert arias by Mozart. These arias were all composed for some of the best sopranos of the time, like Aloysa Weber, her sister Josepha (the first Queen of the Night) Caterina Cavalieri (the first Konstanze in the Abduction from the Seraglio) and other fine singers. Some of these arias are not much performed today, due to their great technical difficulty. Sumi Jo is up to the challenges of these pieces. There are not many sopranos today who can sing this music with the freshness and security of Ms. Jo. From the first number "Marten aller Arten", the Korean soprano displays wonderful scales, perfect trills, brilliant high notes and great musicality. Arias like "Non, che no sei capace" (with its brilliants stacattos up to D's and E's), "Vorrei spiegarvi, oh Dio!" (with a lot of legato singing and some very difficult jumps) and "Ah se in ciel, benigne stelle" (full of scales in a very high tessitura) are sung by the soprano with total ease. The most lyrical pieces also models of pianissimo singing and expression, like the meditative "L'ameró, saró constante" from Il Re Pastore,the charming "Deh vieni non tardar" of Le Nozze di Figaro and the playfulness of "Voi avete un cor fedele". Jo uses appogiaturas and ornamentation with great taste. Kenneth Montgomery conducts the English Chamber Orchestra using some odd tempos, but they do not distract from Sumi Jo's superlative singing. In all, a delighful musical experience."

Radiant Voice

Christopher A. Lanter | Mesa, AZ United States | 11/01/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I don't know if I can be counted on to write an objective review of one of Sumi Jo's albums, given that I'm such an ardent fan, but here goes...
This album marries Sumi Jo's stunningly brilliant, sweet, pure voice to some of the most demanding of Mozart's opera and concert arias. The result is a joy to listen to, from the first track to the last (a new favorite of mine). Within, Ms. Jo proves that, despite her virtuoso coloratura status, she is capable of great emotional depth and expression (e.g., the achingly poignant "Ach, ich fühl's" from Die Zauberflöte), and not just another shallow songbird. This CD also contains some of the most amazing vocal acrobatics I've ever heard - the leap up the staff in "Vorrei spiegarvi, O Dio!", from the B below to the D above, has to be heard to be believed.
In sum - countless hours of listening pleasure, destined to become a classic. The great conductor Herbert van Karajan, who discovered Ms. Jo, once said that a voice like hers only appears every century or so. Buy this album and hear for yourself."

Sumi jo. Queen of coloratura!!!

Tony Jeung | Seoul, Korea | 09/07/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mozart's music is easy to listen, but not easy to perform. Sumi's sing make Mozart's technical and lyrical part very immaculate. Her cut-glass voice give much pleasure to us!! I think that she is real queen of coloratura. If you like Mozart's aria, this CD's yours."