Soprano Sumi Jo receives prestigious honor from French Ministry of Culture

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Soprano Sumi Jo receives prestigious honor from French Ministry of Culture

Published: 27 May. 2025, 14:30 Updated: 28 May. 2025, 11:25

LIM JEONG-WON
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Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Soprano Sumi Jo receives France's Commandeur of the Order of Arts and Letters during an awards ceremony at the Opera-Comique in Paris on May 26. [NEWS1]

World-renowned soprano Sumi Jo received the prestigious Commandeur of the Order of Arts and Letters from the French Ministry of Culture on Monday.

The ministry presented her with the Commandeur medal at the Opéra-Comique in Paris. Fleur Pellerin, a former French Minister of Culture of Korean descent, bestowed the award.

The Order of Arts and Letters is awarded to individuals who have shown outstanding achievement in the fields of arts and literature or have contributed to promoting French culture internationally. It has three ranks — Chevalier, Officier and Commandeur — with Commandeur being the highest.

Among Koreans, Jo is the third recipient of the Commandeur after Kim Jeong-ok, then-director of the Korean Culture and Arts Foundation in 2002 and conductor Chung Myung-whun in 2011.

“Jo is one of the great sopranos of our time,” Pellerin said during the awards ceremony for Jo. “In the 1980s, it was almost unimaginable for an Asian artist to succeed in the Western opera world. Jo broke barriers, overcame prejudice and opened a path for others to follow.”

“Jo has made art a tool for peace, dialogue and cultural openness,” Pellerin said. “Her career and talent symbolize a beautiful bridge between France and Korea. By bringing the voice of art to dark places and spreading beauty across borders, Jo embodies the universality of culture and the fraternity realized through art that our Republic cherishes.”

Soprano Sumi Jo receives France's Commandeur of the Order of Arts and Letters from Fleur Pellerin, former French Minister of Culture, during an awards ceremony at the Opera-Comique in Paris on May 26. [NEWS1]

“Receiving this honor goes beyond anything I could have imagined,” Jo responded. “It feels like I’ve reached the pinnacle today.”

“While this is a great honor, it also marks a new beginning,” Jo said. “I want to devote myself more to younger generations, to support and inspire them.”

Jo debuted in 1986 as Gilda in Verdi’s “Rigoletto” at the Teatro Verdi in Trieste, Italy. She gained international fame as a coloratura soprano, performing at prestigious opera houses including Théâtre du Châtelet and Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris.

Jo has released more than 40 albums in a wide array of music genres since her debut, and continues to release music regularly.

Soprano Sumi Jo receives France's Commandeur of the Order of Arts and Letters during an awards ceremony at the Opera-Comique in Paris on May 26. [YONHAP]

In July last year, she launched an international vocal competition in her name to mentor young singers. It is unprecedented for a competition named after a Korean classical musician to take place overseas.

The Sumi Jo International Singing Competition will be held every two years to discover budding musicians with potential and promote them on the global stage. Vocal music students aged 18 to 32 who dream of becoming opera stars can apply.

Next year, Jo marks her 40th anniversary since her debut and will tour China and Korea in June with the first Sumi Jo International Competition winners. She is also preparing for a solo concert to celebrate the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and France. The second edition of the Sumi Jo International Competition is scheduled for July next year.

Jo has received numerous accolades throughout her illustrious career, including a Grammy Award in 1993 for Best Opera Recording for her role in Strauss's "Die Frau ohne Schatten." In recognition of her contributions to the arts, she was awarded the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, Korea's highest cultural honor, in 2023.

Winners of the first Sumi Jo International Competition sing during an awards ceremony for soprano Sumi Jo at the Opera-Comique in Paris on May 26. [NEWS1]

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL,LIM JEONG-WON [[email protected]]