Opera luminary Sumi Jo at Meralco Theater
Photo from Sumi Jo Facebook
MANILA, Philippines - The world-acclaimed Korean diva Sumi Jo will be heard anew in Manila a year after music fans worldwide deplored the last-minute cancellation of her song number in the 88th Academy Awards.
Sumi was invited to the event as the artist for Simple Song #3 from the film Youth. She made a special appearance in Youth and sang the song.
Simple Song #3, composed by David Lang, was nominee for last year’s Best Original Song, one of the 24 categories, presented at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. She was the first Korean singer to be nominated in the Oscar Awards.
The Korean diva will be accompanied in her Manila return engagement by pianist Najib Ismail at the Meralco Theater on Feb. 7.
The diva’s not performing was not due to being snubbed, but because her team was unable to reach an agreement with show planners on cutting the six-minute song into a shorter version.
Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang, who joined Sumi, in the Oscars red carpet said: “In fairness, letting everyone sing would be a way to show it. I know there’s a lot of time constraints, but I think they’re worried that because we come from the opera world, that people won’t like opera. But actually, Sumi is one of the great singers of our time. And if people heard her, they would love her.”
The Korean diva received a standing ovation during her last engagement in Manila and critics described her as “an operatic talent of earth-shaking proportion.”
Sumi was also well-received in her return engagement with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Long Yu last Jan. 31.
Sumi’s Feb. 7 concert is made possible in partnership with Marco Polo Hotel Manila, 98.7 DZFE The Master’s Touch, Steinway and Sons Piano and Leica.
(For details, call 0906-5104270, Ticketworld at 891-9999 and CAEO at 782-7164, 0918-3473027 or 0920-9540053.)
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