By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
World-famous coloratura soprano Sumi Jo was selected as this year's winner of the Puccini Prize from the Puccini Festival Foundation in Italy. This year is the 150th anniversary of Italian composer Giacommo Puccini's birth.
Jo, considered a cultural icon in Korea, captivated the world with her amazing voice. Throughout her career, she has won numerous international competitions, including the prestigious Carlo Alberto Cappelli International Competition in Verona in 1986; and has performed with some of the world's most renowned opera companies.
According to the Puccini Festival Foundation, the prize is not just given to musical artists but also individuals involved in recording, publishing, cinematography and promising young people in theater.
Past recipients of the Puccini Prize include conductor Lorin Maazel, lyric soprano Maria Chiara, and tenors Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carreras.
The 54th Puccini Festival will be held from July to August this year in Torre del Lago, Tuscany. Every year, the festival attracts about 40,000 spectators who are treated to performances of Puccini's works such as ``Turandot,'' ``Tosca'' and ``Madam Butterfly.''
This year's festival will mark the opening of a theater, located in a cultural park designed to celebrate Puccini's music, history and art. It is situated near Massaciuccoli Lake, where Puccini composed most of his operas including ``La Boheme,'' ``Tosca'' and ``Madam Butterfly.''