CRITICAL ACCLAIM
Musetta (Houston Grand Opera 2018)
Pureum Jo Shines as Musetta. Pureum Jo is a standout as the tease Musetta. Bohème was Jo's show from her first entrance at the Cafe Momus, all flounce and flirt, to her final embrace with Marcello at Mimi's bedside. She breezed through “Musetta's Waltz,” throwing off Puccini's soaring melody with grace to spare, while fondling jealous lover Marcello and tempting her sugar daddy of the moment at the same time. She was always the most alive on stage, eminently watchable, and a pleasure to listen to.
by D.L.Groover [Houston Press]
Musetta, whom Jo animates with verve and high camp. Clad in a sheath-like hot-pink gown that would impress Nicki Minaj, she dominates the bustling marketplace of Act 2 — breaking plates, brazenly flirting with Marcello and brandishing her vanity like a rapier during her famous aria “Quando M’en Vo” (also known as “Musetta’s Waltz”). “Over the top” would be an understatement, and is precisely what the part calls for.
by Chris Gray [Houston Chronicle]
Pureum Jo Shines as Musetta. Pureum Jo is a standout as the tease Musetta. Bohème was Jo's show from her first entrance at the Cafe Momus, all flounce and flirt, to her final embrace with Marcello at Mimi's bedside. She breezed through “Musetta's Waltz,” throwing off Puccini's soaring melody with grace to spare, while fondling jealous lover Marcello and tempting her sugar daddy of the moment at the same time. She was always the most alive on stage, eminently watchable, and a pleasure to listen to.
by D.L.Groover [Houston Press]
Musetta, whom Jo animates with verve and high camp. Clad in a sheath-like hot-pink gown that would impress Nicki Minaj, she dominates the bustling marketplace of Act 2 — breaking plates, brazenly flirting with Marcello and brandishing her vanity like a rapier during her famous aria “Quando M’en Vo” (also known as “Musetta’s Waltz”). “Over the top” would be an understatement, and is precisely what the part calls for.
by Chris Gray [Houston Chronicle]
Susanna (Opera Naples 2018)
Extremely talented... Soprano Pureum Jo was a Susanna both lovely and lyrical,
her dramatics faultless and her control in her delicate garden aria was impressive.
By Harriet Howard Heithaus [Naples Daily News]
Extremely talented... Soprano Pureum Jo was a Susanna both lovely and lyrical,
her dramatics faultless and her control in her delicate garden aria was impressive.
By Harriet Howard Heithaus [Naples Daily News]
Mozart Concert Arias (Sarasota Orchestra 2018)
Each of these selections was lovely and meticulously performed... Pleasant enough, Jo was called on to emote over texts that even in translation lack resonance out of context. Jo had more to work with and a good measure of florid coloratura to show off the silky pliancy of her voice in “Bella mia fiamma, addio! Resta, o cara”, K.528. And what is a good aria without anguish, self-sacrifice, and surrender? In that classy Mozart manner, we got it all here with Jo’s careful delivery.
By Gayle Williams [Herald-Tribune]
Each of these selections was lovely and meticulously performed... Pleasant enough, Jo was called on to emote over texts that even in translation lack resonance out of context. Jo had more to work with and a good measure of florid coloratura to show off the silky pliancy of her voice in “Bella mia fiamma, addio! Resta, o cara”, K.528. And what is a good aria without anguish, self-sacrifice, and surrender? In that classy Mozart manner, we got it all here with Jo’s careful delivery.
By Gayle Williams [Herald-Tribune]
Mahler 4 (Spoleto Festival USA 2017)
The undeniable highlight of the Mahler, and of the entire concert, was lyric soprano Pureum Jo, whose childlike performance of the final movement's "Das himmlische Lebel" was captivating. After a roller coaster ride through a fracturing, warming Earth and an uncertain Heaven, Jo's gorgeous voice ended the night on a welcome, joyous note.
By Sarah Hope [The Post and Courier]
Then soprano Pureum Jo came out to sing in the final movement, and I was mesmerized. Her voice was powerful when it needed to be and playful and sweet at other times. Lovely, ringing high notes and clear, crisp low notes. It’s a difficult piece to sing and she made it look easy. She was even theatrical. Being that the song is in German, I had no idea what she was saying, but by her movements and facial expressions I was able to discern meaning. Her voice and presence demanded my attention, and I was glad to give her every bit of it.
By Matt Dobie [Charleston City Paper]
The undeniable highlight of the Mahler, and of the entire concert, was lyric soprano Pureum Jo, whose childlike performance of the final movement's "Das himmlische Lebel" was captivating. After a roller coaster ride through a fracturing, warming Earth and an uncertain Heaven, Jo's gorgeous voice ended the night on a welcome, joyous note.
By Sarah Hope [The Post and Courier]
Then soprano Pureum Jo came out to sing in the final movement, and I was mesmerized. Her voice was powerful when it needed to be and playful and sweet at other times. Lovely, ringing high notes and clear, crisp low notes. It’s a difficult piece to sing and she made it look easy. She was even theatrical. Being that the song is in German, I had no idea what she was saying, but by her movements and facial expressions I was able to discern meaning. Her voice and presence demanded my attention, and I was glad to give her every bit of it.
By Matt Dobie [Charleston City Paper]
Dai Yu (San Francisco Opera/ Hong Kong Arts Festival 2016)
“In soprano Pureum Jo, the opera’s creators and former San Francisco Opera general director David Gockley found the tenor’s ideal match on every level. The beautiful and slender soprano possesses a finely focused voice of dream-like purity. Intentionally touching her initial highs softly, only to expand them like the sun gradually rising above the horizon to full light, she at one point soared in unison with Yijie to a full-voiced, passionate high B.”
By Jason Victor Serinus [Classical voice america]
“The discovery of the night, however, was the young and relatively unknown Korean soprano Pureum Jo singing Dai Yu.
One suspects the “relatively unknown” part of this description may not remain valid for long.”
By Peter Gordon [HK ELD]
“Her vocal performances in Houston had impressed me.
Her assumption of the lead female role in “Red Chamber” confirmed that she is in the early years of a major career as a lyric soprano.”
By William [Opera Warhorses]
“Soprano Pureum Jo, in a performance of tireless, crystalline grace”
by Joshua Kosman [SF Chronicle]
“As the beautiful but sickly Dai Yu, Pureum Jo, a native of South Korea, was this opera’s most engaging singer.
Her pure, crystalline soprano shone brightly throughout the opera.”
By James Roy MAcBean [The Berkeley Daily Planet]
“Jo unflaggingly maintained creamy tone and sensitive musicality.”
By Harvey Steinman [Seen and Heard International]
“In soprano Pureum Jo, the opera’s creators and former San Francisco Opera general director David Gockley found the tenor’s ideal match on every level. The beautiful and slender soprano possesses a finely focused voice of dream-like purity. Intentionally touching her initial highs softly, only to expand them like the sun gradually rising above the horizon to full light, she at one point soared in unison with Yijie to a full-voiced, passionate high B.”
By Jason Victor Serinus [Classical voice america]
“The discovery of the night, however, was the young and relatively unknown Korean soprano Pureum Jo singing Dai Yu.
One suspects the “relatively unknown” part of this description may not remain valid for long.”
By Peter Gordon [HK ELD]
“Her vocal performances in Houston had impressed me.
Her assumption of the lead female role in “Red Chamber” confirmed that she is in the early years of a major career as a lyric soprano.”
By William [Opera Warhorses]
“Soprano Pureum Jo, in a performance of tireless, crystalline grace”
by Joshua Kosman [SF Chronicle]
“As the beautiful but sickly Dai Yu, Pureum Jo, a native of South Korea, was this opera’s most engaging singer.
Her pure, crystalline soprano shone brightly throughout the opera.”
By James Roy MAcBean [The Berkeley Daily Planet]
“Jo unflaggingly maintained creamy tone and sensitive musicality.”
By Harvey Steinman [Seen and Heard International]
Musetta (Aspen Music Festival 2016)
“Soprano Pureum Jo as the flamboyant Musetta stole the Cafe Momus scene, using her star-quality face and body both for humor and to underline the character's extravagant vocal lines.”
Harvey Steiman [The Aspen Times]
“Soprano Pureum Jo as the flamboyant Musetta stole the Cafe Momus scene, using her star-quality face and body both for humor and to underline the character's extravagant vocal lines.”
Harvey Steiman [The Aspen Times]
Matsukaze (Spoleto Festival USA, Lincoln Center Festival 2013)
"Pureum Jo was riveting in her ecstatic despair. You could take neither your eyes nor your ears off her."
[Opera News]
“Mesmerizing as Matsukaze”
By Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim [NYTimes]
“Jo sustained the very high writing of Matsukaze with great stamina and confidence”
By Zerbinetta, 21 July 2013 [Bachtrack]
“Simply fabulous”
By Lindsay Koob [Charleston City Paper]
“Sing exquisitely in utterances that are often understated yet also soar with euphonious passion.”
By George Loomis [Financial Times]
“Nothing short of spectacular.”
By Yiorgos Vassilandonakis [The Post and Courier]
"Pureum Jo was riveting in her ecstatic despair. You could take neither your eyes nor your ears off her."
[Opera News]
“Mesmerizing as Matsukaze”
By Corinna da Fonseca-Wollheim [NYTimes]
“Jo sustained the very high writing of Matsukaze with great stamina and confidence”
By Zerbinetta, 21 July 2013 [Bachtrack]
“Simply fabulous”
By Lindsay Koob [Charleston City Paper]
“Sing exquisitely in utterances that are often understated yet also soar with euphonious passion.”
By George Loomis [Financial Times]
“Nothing short of spectacular.”
By Yiorgos Vassilandonakis [The Post and Courier]
Barbarina (Houston Grand Opera 2016)
“Pureum Jo was a standout in both the aria and the performance as a whole, auguring well for a major operatic career.”
By William [Opera Warhorses]
“Pureum Jo was a standout in both the aria and the performance as a whole, auguring well for a major operatic career.”
By William [Opera Warhorses]