SuMi Hwang to Headline Lotte Concert Hall's Second Half Matinee Series
Three Performances from September to November... From Arias to Musical Numbers
"Some people say that SuMi Hwang only performs traditional classical music, but I believe that with this Matinee concert, I will be able to present a stage that is both new and somewhat familiar and approachable."
Soprano SuMi Hwang has been selected as the main artist for the second half of the year’s Lotte Concert Hall Matinee Concert series, where she will perform on three occasions. She plans to showcase her diverse appeal by singing not only art songs and opera, which are her main genres, but also musical numbers and film soundtracks. The first concert in September will feature art songs, the October performance will focus on opera, and in November, she will present musical numbers and film soundtracks. The French word "matinee" refers to a performance held during the day.
Soprano SuMi Hwang is explaining about the second half Lotte Concert Hall Matinee Concert at a press conference held on the 16th at Lotte Concert Hall. [Photo by Lotte Concert Hall]
At a press conference held on the 16th at Lotte Concert Hall, SuMi Hwang said, "I chose the title 'Soundtrack' for the concert, as it is divided into three tracks, allowing audiences to experience a variety of sounds."
SuMi Hwang will not only perform but also provide commentary during the concerts. She is also responsible for planning the concerts, curating the program, and inviting fellow musicians. For the final concert in November, she will be joined by her university senior, Kai, who is currently active as a musical actor. SuMi Hwang shared that during her undergraduate years, she once sought career advice from Kai.
"There was a time during my school years when I was uncertain about pursuing vocal music. At that time, I personally reached out to Jung Kiyeol (Kai's real name), who had just chosen musical theater as his major, for advice. He told me that taking on a new challenge wouldn't be a bad idea. So, I decided to take the leap before I had any regrets." The musical SuMi Hwang auditioned for at the time was 'Dae Jang Geum.' "I hadn't practiced acting at all, and my delivery of the lines was so awkward that I failed the audition. Thanks to that, I was able to let go quickly and return to vocal music, which turned out to be a valuable turning point. It remains a very precious memory of a time when my career path was extremely uncertain and I received much-needed support."
In 2010, SuMi Hwang went to study in Germany. In 2014, she passed the audition for a soloist position at the Bonn Opera House in Germany and won the Queen Elisabeth Competition, one of the world's top three competitions, establishing herself as a world-renowned soprano. After concluding her activities in Europe and returning to Korea, she has performed on various stages domestically and teaches students at Kyung Hee University.
SuMi Hwang said, "Spending time with students is also very meaningful to me," adding, "Now, I am mindful that I am not just a performer but also an educator who can have an influence on students."
This reflects her desire to study vocal music more deeply. She emphasized, "There are still many repertoires I need to learn and many areas I need to work on."
Soprano SuMi Hwang is passionately singing Magda's aria 'Doretta's Beautiful Dream' from Puccini's opera 'La Rondine' ahead of a press conference held on the 16th at Lotte Concert Hall. Photo by Lotte Concert Hall
SuMi Hwang stated that her goal as a vocalist is to perform for a long time with a clear voice. She said, "When I see senior vocalists who are older but still maintain a clear voice, I feel moved and greatly motivated," adding, "because maintaining that kind of vocal condition is not easy."
She explained that she is careful in selecting roles in order to maintain a clear voice for a long time. "I tend to decline offers for characters that are excessively beyond my vocal capacity." As an example, she mentioned Puccini's opera 'Madama Butterfly.'
"When I was active in Europe, I often received offers to play the role of Cio-Cio San in 'Madama Butterfly' because I am Asian. While I could sing Cio-Cio San's arias, I felt that performing the entire role would not suit my voice or physical stamina, so I declined those offers. It could have been an opportunity to become a star, but I want to sing for a long time with a beautiful voice, so I prefer to take on roles that suit me. I believe that performing in this way will also make it more comfortable and relatable for the audience."
In contrast to Madama Butterfly, she named Donizetti's 'L'elisir d'amore,' Mozart's 'Idomeneo,' and Verdi's 'La Traviata' as works she would like to perform.
"The work I want to do before I get any older is 'L'elisir d'amore.' Although I performed as Adina in an open studio during my student days, I have never played the role on a proper stage, so I think it would be fun. I also really love Mozart's works. While I performed the role of Ilia in Idomeneo during my time in Germany, I would like to do it even better if given another chance. Also, if I can further hone my technique and improve my acting, I would like to take on La Traviata as well."
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