IT is a rare treat to have South Korea's celebrated classical music diva Sumi Jo mesmerise a packed concert hall in Kuala Lumpur.
The classical music legend held Malaysians spellbound for two hours in her concert at the prestigious Dewan Filharmonik Petronas in KLCC, Kuala Lumpur, last Oct 22. She last performed there 10 years ago.
Sumi's stellar performance was the highlight of the South Korea-Malaysia Friendship Concert, brought to Malaysian classical fans by the South Korean embassy in Malaysia and the republic's ambassador to Malaysia Yeo Seung-Bae.
DIVERSE
Held specially to celebrate South Korea's National Day and the elevation of South Korea-Malaysia relations to a strategic partnership, it was attended by 900 people, who included Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming and Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
Sumi captivated the audience with a diverse repertoire of 10 songs.
She was joined by Malaysian pop king Anuar Zain, and the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) led by conductor Nasran Nawi.
PUCCINI
Awarded the prestigious La Siola D'Oro (1993) for the best soprano in Italy and the Puccini Award (2008), Sumi is one of the world's top sopranos.
She was selected as one of the Three Divas at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and last year, she was awarded South Korea's highest cultural honour, the Gold Crown Order Of Cultural Merit, in recognition of her 38-year contribution to the arts.
RUSSIAN
The NSO began the show at 7.15pm with 'Overture To Opera' from 'Ruslan and Lyudmila' by Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka.
This melodious and power-packed number was the highlight of the popular 1837 opera of the same name, based on a 1820 poem by Russian literary giant Alexander Pushkin.
Sumi then took the stage in a striking purple gown to sing the enchanting 'Chacun Le Sait from La Fille Du Regiment' by Gaetano Donizetti.
The title of this French opera means "The Daughter Of The Regiment" and it was first performed in Paris in 1840.
WIDOW
Sumi's next two numbers, which proved to be vocal acrobatic acts, were 'Vilja Lied' and' I Love You So from The Merry Widow' by Franz Lehar.
'The Merry Widow' is an opera by Hungarian composer Lehar, about a wealthy widow and her countrymen's attempts to get hold of her wealth by finding her the right husband.
The NSO's next number was the hauntingly beautiful 'Waltz Of The Flowers' from 'The Nutcracker' by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
'The Nutcracker' is an 1892 ballet set on Christmas Eve at the foot of a Christmas tree in a child's imagination, and many of its songs have been used in Hollywood movies.
ENYA
Sumi returned with the moving 'I Dreamt That I Dwelt in Marble Halls' from Michael Balfe's 'Bohemian Girl', an Irish Romantic opera based on a Miguel de Cervantes tale, 'La Gitanilla'.
The song is performed by the main character Arline and it was recorded by Irish singer Enya.
NURSERY RHYME
Sumi then took Malaysian music lovers to a familiar song, and revealed its real origin to everyone's delight.
This song was 'Ah! Vous Dirais-Je Maman' from the 1849 French opera 'Le Toreador' (The Agreement) by Adolphe Adam, and in the English-speaking world, it is the iconic nursery rhyme 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'.
KRU
Anuar, dressed in an elegant white suit, made his comeback to the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas singing the heartfelt 'Sedetik Lebih', composed by A. Haidi from the movie 'Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa'.
'Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa' is a 2011 historical fantasy film by KRU Studios about the legendary king of ancient Kedah, Merong Mahawangsa, who successfully thwarted attempts by the neighbouring Siamese empire to annex his kingdom.
Anuar also delivered the moving 'Andainya Takdir' composed by Helen Yap and joined Sumi for 'Endless Love', a 1980s duet by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross.
The crowd gave Sumi and Anuar a standing ovation, and she remarked that "Malaysia and South Korea make great music together".
DREAMY
After a dreamy number by the NSO, Arirang Rhapsody composed Ji-Soo Lee, Sumi returned to sing the challenging 'Adagio In G Minor 'by Albinoni, a neo-Baroque composition which was rearranged by 20th-century Italian musicologist Remo Giazotto.
Sumi's most-awaited performance for the evening finally arrived, 'I Could Have Danced All Night' by Frederick Loewe, and she once again earned a standing ovation.
'I Could Have Danced All Night' is often performed as introductory music in major Hollywood events, and 'My Fair Lady' is based on George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion.
SCHUBERT
Sumi then returned to her roots with 'Into The Flower Clouds' by Baek Nam Ok, before ending the concert with the spiritual 'Ave Maria' composed in 1825 by Franz Schubert.
The actual last song for the evening, aimed at ending the show with a bang, was the NSO's majestic 'Radetsky March' composed by Johann Strauss Sr.
This dignified Austrian number was first performed in Vienna in 1848 to celebrate the victory of the Austrian Empire over the Italians at the Battle of Custoza.