Young opera singers from Asia poised to overtake European counterparts, judges at Hong Kong singing contest say

World-class soprano argues that strong will to achieve goals and work hard contributing to rise

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Hong Kong tenor Chen Yong performing during the semi-final round of the Hong Kong International Operatic Singing Competition held at City Hall in Central. Photo: Nora Tam

Published: 10:40am, 2 Jul 2018Updated: 10:42am, 2 Jul 2018

Young Asian opera singers are poised to overtake their European counterparts, judges of Hong Kong’s first international singing contest have declared.

Sumi Jo, one of the world’s top coloratura sopranos and a jury member at the Hong Kong International Operatic Singing Competition now under way, believed high-quality living standards and a constructive attitude towards hard work put singers from the region on solid footing.

“This is a good era for young Asian artists,” the South Korean diva told the Post ahead of the event’s final round on Monday at City Hall.

Europe was experiencing “severe problems” in its scene, she explained. “People don’t want to have a difficult life ... operatic singing requires tough training and hard work.”

Jury member Sumi Jo is one of the world’s top coloratura sopranos. Photo: Nora Tam

In contrast, Asians tended to have a strong will to achieve goals and work hard for them, Jo said, arguing they would “lead the world of art” as well as many areas in the 21st century. The South Korean soccer team’s recent win over Germany at the World Cup was one example, she added.

Among 24 semi-finalists who performed at the Hong Kong competition over the weekend, 14 were Asians, including seven Koreans and four Chinese. Of the 10 finalists to compete for three grand prizes on Monday evening, six are Asians: three Koreans, two Chinese, and a Filipino. The rest of the sopranos hail from Denmark, England, Norway and Russia.