Sumi Jo looks back on her life in music on 40th year of int'l debut

Soprano Sumi Jo met audiences at the Berlin Philharmonie on Thursday to mark 40 years since her international debut. She made her debut as Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto in Trieste, Italy, on Oct. 26, 1986, after leaving for Italy to study in 1983. Jo said she has maintained her identity as a soprano from Korea and wants to support young Asian musicians by helping them gain opportunities to perform for European audiences.

Jo said she arrived at Rome airport on March 28, 1983, with two bags to begin her studies in Italy.

She auditioned for Herbert von Karajan during the Salzburg Festival in 1987 and later signed with a major international record company.

Before turning 30, Jo became the first Asian to perform on the stages of the five major opera houses in New York, London, Paris, Vienna and Milan.

Jo said she received honors from Italy and France, a Grammy Award and the Maria Callas Award, while giving up the prospect of having a family and husband.

Jo holds an international singing competition named after her in France and gives master classes; she said winning competitions is not enough without opportunities to communicate with audiences on solo stages.

Published Oct 23, 2026 3:53 pm KST

Soprano Sumi Jo / Courtesy of SM Entertainment

World-renowned soprano Sumi Jo met local audiences at the Berlin Philharmonie’s main concert hall on Thursday, marking the 40th anniversary of her debut. In an interview with Hankook Ilbo a day before the concert, Jo said, “From the beginning of my career, I held firmly to my identity as a soprano from Korea,” adding, “I had a strong desire for my country to prosper faster than I did.”

After leaving for Italy to study in 1983, Jo made her debut on Oct. 26, 1986, as Gilda in Verdi’s opera “Rigoletto” at the Teatro Verdi in Trieste, Italy. Although she has since spent much of her life in Europe, her affection for Korea has remained exceptional. During preparations for the concert, she even spontaneously suggested playing the "janggu," a traditional Korean drum, onstage the following day.

Jo is also deeply interested in nurturing young musicians. She holds an international competition named after her in France and travels around the world to give master classes.

“I want to introduce more Asian musicians, including those from Korea, China and Japan, to Europe,” she said. “When I meet talented musicians from Asia, I really want them to succeed, so I try to support them in every way I can.”

The following is an excerpt from the interview.

Q. How do you feel about marking your 40th anniversary?

A. It feels like yesterday that I landed at Rome airport on March 28, 1983, with two bags. I quickly moved on from being a student and made my debut three years later, but I can't believe 40 years have passed. Looking at the diary I kept back then, it was 40 years of living intensely, day by day, like a war.

Q. What is your connection to Berlin?

A. The most important places in my musical life are Italy, France and Austria, but I love Germany, which has produced so many great composers, and I like the German lifestyle. Unlike the relaxed pace of Italy and Spain, coming here makes me pull myself together. I pay a lot of attention to the atmosphere of concert halls, and this place has the Berlin Philharmonie.

Q. Did you expect to perform for more than 40 years when you made your debut?

A. Not at all. All I could think about was quitting quickly and returning to Korea. Then I met Maestro Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989) and signed with a major international record company, and I became ambitious.

I went through tremendous hardship. I ate bread soaked in tears and even collapsed on the street from malnutrition. But I persevered with my identity as a soprano born in Korea. Back then, because of the name “Sumi,” local media introduced me as Japanese. I called newspaper offices and visited them in person to have it corrected to Korean.

Note: Sumi Jo auditioned for Karajan, the music director of the Berlin Philharmonic for 34 years, during the Salzburg Festival in 1987. The conductor has called her voice a "voice given by God."

Q. What have you gained and lost over 40 years since your debut?

A. Before turning 30, I became the first Asian to perform on the stages of the world's five major opera houses (New York, London, Paris, Vienna and Milan). I also received honors from Italy and France, a Grammy Award and the Maria Callas Award. Instead, I gave up the life of having a family and husband. It was a deal I made with myself. I thought it was my destiny, so I enjoy living this way.

Q. You are very interested in nurturing young musicians.

A. I want Asian musicians to do better in Europe. Winning prizes at major international competitions is not everything. What matters is communicating with audiences on the solo stage afterward, and I want to give them more opportunities to do that.

I thought I wouldn't be suited to teaching others because I'm impatient, but surprisingly, it suits me, and I learn a lot, too. There are great musicians who think, “Why should I give away for free what I worked so hard to learn?” But when I meet a talented musician, I want to give them everything I have.” (Jo held a master class the previous day at the Korean Cultural Center in Germany for young musicians from Korea, China and Germany.)

Q. How do you want to be remembered?

A. Being recognized internationally is important, but I want to remain an artist whom Korea loves most and is proud of. If Korea protected me in the past, now I want to take care of Korea with a mother's heart.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.

周四，女高音歌唱家赵秀美在柏林爱乐音乐厅与观众见面，庆祝她国际首演40周年。1983年赴意大利求学后，她于1986年10月26日在意大利的里雅斯特首次登台，饰演威尔第歌剧《弄臣》中的吉尔达一角。赵秀美表示，她始终保持着韩国女高音歌唱家的身份认同，并希望通过帮助年轻的亚洲音乐家获得在欧洲舞台上表演的机会来支持他们。

乔说，她于 1983 年 3 月 28 日抵达罗马机场，带着两个行李箱前往意大利开始她的学业。

1987 年，她在萨尔茨堡音乐节期间参加了赫伯特·冯·卡拉扬的试镜，后来与一家大型国际唱片公司签约。

在 30 岁之前，赵成为第一位在纽约、伦敦、巴黎、维也纳和米兰五大歌剧院的舞台上表演的亚洲人。

乔说，她获得了意大利和法国的荣誉、格莱美奖和玛丽亚·卡拉斯奖，同时放弃了组建家庭和拥有丈夫的可能。

Jo在法国举办了一场以她名字命名的国际歌唱比赛，并开设大师班；她说，如果没有机会在独唱舞台上与观众交流，赢得比赛是不够的。

发布于2026年10月23日下午3:53（韩国标准时间）

女高音歌唱家赵秀美 / 图片由SM娱乐公司提供

世界著名女高音歌唱家赵秀美周四在柏林爱乐音乐厅主音乐厅与韩国观众见面，纪念她出道40周年。在音乐会前一天接受《韩国日报》采访时，赵秀美表示：“从我职业生涯伊始，我就坚定地认同自己作为韩国女高音歌唱家的身份。”她还补充道：“我强烈希望我的祖国能够比我更快地繁荣发展。”

1983年赴意大利留学后，赵婷于1986年10月26日在意大利的里雅斯特威尔第剧院首次登台，饰演威尔第歌剧《弄臣》中的吉尔达一角。尽管此后她的大部分人生都在欧洲度过，但她对韩国的感情始终深厚。在音乐会筹备期间，她甚至自发提议第二天在舞台上演奏韩国传统鼓“长鼓”。

乔对培养年轻音乐家也充满热情。她在法国举办了一项以她名字命名的国际比赛，并周游世界举办大师班。

“我想把更多亚洲音乐家，包括来自韩国、中国和日本的音乐家，介绍到欧洲来，”她说。“当我遇到有才华的亚洲音乐家时，我真心希望他们能够成功，所以我尽我所能地支持他们。”

以下摘自采访内容。

问：对于即将迎来结婚40周年纪念日，您有何感想？

A. 感觉就像昨天一样，1983年3月28日，我带着两个行李箱抵达罗马机场。我很快就告别了学生时代，三年后正式出道，但难以置信，40年竟然已经过去了。翻看当年的日记，那40年过得无比充实，每一天都像一场战争。

问：你和柏林有什么联系？

A. 在我音乐生涯中，最重要的几个地方是意大利、法国和奥地利，但我热爱德国，这里孕育了众多伟大的作曲家，我也喜欢德国的生活方式。与意大利和西班牙悠闲的生活节奏不同，来到这里能让我重新振作起来。我非常注重音乐厅的氛围，而柏林爱乐音乐厅恰好满足了我的这种需求。

问：你出道时是否预料到自己会表演超过40年？

A. 完全不是。我当时满脑子想的都是赶紧辞职回韩国。后来我遇到了赫伯特·冯·卡拉扬大师（1908-1989），并与一家大型国际唱片公司签约，我的雄心壮志也随之而来。

我经历了巨大的苦难。我吃过被泪水浸透的面包，甚至因为营养不良而倒在街头。但我始终坚持着我作为一名出生于韩国的女高音歌唱家的身份。那时，因为我的名字叫“须美”，当地媒体把我介绍成日本人。我打电话到报社，亲自去报社，要求他们把我的名字改成韩语。

注：赵秀美于 1987 年在萨尔茨堡音乐节期间参加了卡拉扬的试镜，卡拉扬是柏林爱乐乐团的音乐总监，执教长达 34 年。这位指挥家称她的声音是“上帝赐予的声音”。

问：从出道至今的40多年里，你获得了什么，又失去了什么？

A. 在30岁之前，我成为首位在世界五大歌剧院（纽约、伦敦、巴黎、维也纳和米兰）登台演出的亚洲人。我还获得了意大利和法国的荣誉、格莱美奖和玛丽亚·卡拉斯奖。然而，我放弃了组建家庭和拥有丈夫的生活。这是我与自己达成的协议。我认为这是我的使命，所以我很享受这种生活方式。

问：您对培养年轻音乐家非常感兴趣。

A. 我希望亚洲音乐家在欧洲发展得更好。在国际大赛上获奖固然重要，但并非一切。更重要的是之后在独奏舞台上与观众的交流，我希望为他们提供更多这样的机会。

我原以为自己不适合教别人，因为我性子急躁，但出乎意料的是，我竟然很适合，而且自己也能学到很多东西。有些伟大的音乐家会想：“我为什么要免费分享我辛辛苦苦学到的东西呢？”但当我遇到一位才华横溢的音乐家时，我却想倾尽所有。（前一天，赵在德国韩国文化中心为来自韩国、中国和德国的年轻音乐家举办了一场大师班。）

问：你希望人们如何记住你？

A. 获得国际认可固然重要，但我更希望成为韩国最喜爱、最引以为傲的艺术家。如果说过去是韩国保护了我，那么现在我想用母亲般的心去守护韩国。

本文来自《韩国日报》（《韩国时报》的姊妹报），由人工智能生成系统翻译，并由《韩国时报》编辑。