South Korean opera singer Sumi Jo is a Grammy winner, an Oscar nominee and has some 50 recordings to her name, but she was initially reluctant to pursue a career in opera.
The soprano said it was her mother who pushed her into singing.
"She wanted to be an opera singer, but she was not able to make her dream come true because of the Korean War and many other difficulties that she had to go through", Sumi Jo said.
"When I was born my destiny was already made because my mother clearly wanted me to be an opera singer, so there was no choice."
Her mother was a devoted fan of Australian diva Joan Sutherland.
"She memorised all her songs, all the albums … everything she knows by memory, and I'm the same, so Australia for me is like a second home," she said.
Sumi Jo is in Adelaide for her Mad for Love tour around Australia.
She'll be performing a repertoire of love songs alongside Argentine-Australian baritone Jose Carbo.
Elaborate gowns weigh up to 25 kilograms
Sumi Jo's performances aren't just about her voice though — her extravagant gowns are also part of the show.
"People want to hear the beautiful voice, beautiful music, but at the same time they want to see the beautiful things," she said.
She has travelled to Australia with five specially designed couture gowns, with the elaborate costumes weighing as much as 25 kilograms.
While in Adelaide, the South Korean opera star will perform with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.
Concert Master Natsuko Yoshimoto said the concert will include a variety of songs and composers.
"Spanish, also Italian, French, also I think she is singing some Korean folk songs, so a huge variety," Mr Yoshimoto said.
"The orchestra will also play a couple of orchestra-only pieces.
"I think that gives Sumi Jo time to change into different costumes."
Sumi Jo is currently based in Italy, while her mother remains in South Korea where sadly, she's suffering from Alzheimer's.
"It's a pity that she cannot come to assist [with] my concert in Australia, she would have loved that," she said.
After Sunday night's performance in Adelaide, Sumi Jo travels to Melbourne, Sydney and Perth.
