August's 'Theme of Love'... Listen Through Lee Yoonji's Song

[Soprano Yoonji Lee Recital Poster (Image=Yein Arts Planning)]

Soprano Lee Yoon-ji's recital "Poetry of Love" will meet audiences on the 18th (Wednesday) at 7:30 PM at the Sejong Center Chamber Hall. This is her third recital since her homecoming recital in 2018, and on this stage, she will collaborate with pianist Han Mi-yeon and flutist Seo Ji-won to present various themes of love.

"Although everyone is going through difficult times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I hope people find comfort and warmth through the themes of love," said Lee Yoon-ji. In this performance, she will present 16 songs about various aspects of love, including Italian, German, French, and Anglo-American art songs.

Among the pieces are Handel's opera "Alcina" aria "Tornami a vagheggiar (Return to Me)," which became more famous as 'Rona's Cheong-Ah Arts Festival Song' in the drama "Penthouse"; Edvard Grieg's six songs "Sechs Lieder, Op. 48," expressing the sorrow and pain of love like watching a romance film; Leo Delibes' "Le Rossignol for Soprano, Flute and Piano," which conveys that love, once gone, never returns; four love-themed songs including Renaldo Hahn's "A Chloris"; Francesco Paolo Tosti's passionate "Summer"; Kurt Weill's musical number "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" from "One Touch of Venus," depicting provocative love of modern women; Jake Heggie's "Animal Passion," dreaming of desire and craving physical love; and Joseph Schwantner's mystical "Shadowinnower," portraying the process of realizing femininity.

In particular, Lee Yoon-ji said about the finale piece , "It was the piece that received the most response from the audience at the 2013 Tanglewood Music Festival, and it is a piece I have always wanted to perform again. I want to make sure the audience hears it this time."

Lee Yoon-ji, who has played leading roles on American stages in operas such as Adina in "L'elisir d'amore," the Queen of the Night in "The Magic Flute," Norina in "Don Pasquale," and Susanna in "The Marriage of Figaro," has shown outstanding talent beyond classical and romantic music into contemporary music. Regarding why composers seek Lee Yoon-ji, soprano Lucy Shelton, a master in contemporary music, said, "She has a beautiful voice with excellent technique and quickly analyzes and applies the score. Therefore, she is a rare artist who makes even difficult contemporary music sound captivating to the audience."

Soprano Lee Yoon-ji studied under Shin Ae-kyung, Patricia Wise, and Beth Roberts at Ewha Womans University College of Music, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and Mannes School of Music, as well as under Choi Hoon-nyeo. Since her homecoming recital in 2018, she has been actively performing on opera and concert stages both domestically and internationally.

She is scheduled to perform early next year as a member of the American "Finesse Trio" and is currently engaged in research activities with the Anglo-American Vocal Research Society, the Korean Art Song Research Society, Ewha Vocal Society, and Gyeongnam Vocal Society, while also teaching at Gyeongsang National University, Dongduk Women's University, and Gyeongnam Arts High School.