Khuon Sethisak during his performance
Khuon SethisakWashington
28 January 2008
In a land covered with karaoke clubs, with singers in every home and videos on every television, Cambodia’s only traditionally trained opera singer stands singularly apart.
Trained in Moscow, Italy and Berkeley, Khuon Sethisak, has been back in Cambodia since 2001 and has since worked steadily to bring opera to Cambodians—and help them sing.
Khuon Sethisak, who tenor voice is rich and powerful when he sings but a little quiet when he speaks, said Cambodia’s singers need help to learn how to protect their voices, and encouragement to join international venues and events.
Past singers have not had access to international venues, he said Monday, as a guest on “Hello VOA.” “I want the world to know the voice of Khmer singers,” he said.
Cambodians need to work on the craft of singing and need to nurture the talent they have and keep training their voices, he said.
Meanwhile, he said, he hopes to make opera accessible to all.
“Opera is a world inheritance,” he said. “An opera singer can sing until he’s 70 or 80 years old. It’s not just for the old or rich. To learn opera is to sing, act, to behave. Opera is good to instill morality in society.”
Trained in Moscow, Italy and Berkeley, Khuon Sethisak, has been back in Cambodia since 2001 and has since worked steadily to bring opera to Cambodians—and help them sing.
Khuon Sethisak, who tenor voice is rich and powerful when he sings but a little quiet when he speaks, said Cambodia’s singers need help to learn how to protect their voices, and encouragement to join international venues and events.
Past singers have not had access to international venues, he said Monday, as a guest on “Hello VOA.” “I want the world to know the voice of Khmer singers,” he said.
Cambodians need to work on the craft of singing and need to nurture the talent they have and keep training their voices, he said.
Meanwhile, he said, he hopes to make opera accessible to all.
“Opera is a world inheritance,” he said. “An opera singer can sing until he’s 70 or 80 years old. It’s not just for the old or rich. To learn opera is to sing, act, to behave. Opera is good to instill morality in society.”
32 comments:
Go Sethisak go!
I hughly appreciate Sethisak for his high knowledge and understanding of Music.
If you watch Khmer TV contest of songs, the organizers always set as main Criteria for singers: Beautifull dress and good looking body.
It's a pure discrimination!Contest of song or Pageant Contest(Concours de beaute)?
Go out of the stage those stupid organizers!I don't want to see their"Mme Claude face".
Of course that they have nice dress and good looking body. They are aimed to be rent or sold to the rich and powerful....You can not get any money if you take uggly faces and bodies...
Most of the singers female earn their living by fucking with tycoons, excellencies, okhnas and ministers. Don't you know why a lot of singers or actress are shoot or acide attack? From rivals, jealous or spouse of the fuckers. Most of them are eager to marry with khmer overseas and living oversea to flee away and make a new virginity...in their life..
We must applause new talents who will change the way how the artists are perceived. Note that even in USA and Europe, before, artists, actors and singers had also have to sleep with sponsors for their living. It was a hundred years ago.... we are just catching up the modern civilization and consumerism environment...
There is a different setting between an opera performance and a song or pageant contest. One would not expect Pavarotti to wear a t-shirt, or lady violists to wear mini-skirts, during the opera performance. But, a beauty or Euro-vision songs contest will require a different atmosphere and costumes.
Discrimination aside, Sethisak is by far a Pavarotti of Cambodia. His tenor voice is to be admired by both international and local audience. His good conscience and intention are also to be appreciated.
I HIGHLY DOUBTED IF THE PROGRAM WILL GO FORWARD.
CUSTOMARILY, CAMBODIAN PEOPLE WOULD RATHER WATCH LA-KOUN BA-SAKK INSTEAD.
ALSO, PEOPLE WILL SPEND THEIR MONEY ON SOMETHING ELSE -- NOT OPERA.
OPERA MIGHT BE POPULAR IN THE WESTERN COUNTRIES, CERTAINLY NOT IN CAMBODIA, BECAUSE PEOPLE WOULD PREFER SOMETHING ELSE.
ALTHOUGH HE CAN SUCCESSFULLY CARRY OUT THE WESTERN TUNES, BUT AGAIN, CERTAINLY NOT KHMER TUNES. I HEARD HIM SING -- NOTHING COMPARE TO WESTERN TUNES.
YES, HE WILL HAVE A LONG JOURNEY AHEAD OF THEM.
AGAIN, HE MIGHT BE WELCOME IN RUSSIA, ITALY OR U.S., BUT NOT IN CAMBODIA. PEOPLE WILL SPEND THEIR MONEY ON SOMETHING ELSE.
TRADITIONALLY, WESTERN OPERA DOES NOT MIX WITH OUR KHMER TRADITIONAL OPERA, OR LA-KOUN BA-SAKK.
SUFFICE TO SAY, SIN SI SAMOUTH WILL ALWAYS BE MY HERO. AND I CAN TELL EVERYONE THAT NO ONE ELSE CAN REPLACE THE MAGNIFICENT SIN SI SAMOUTH.
ONLY THE RICH WESTERNERS WHO WILL PAY HIGH-PRICE TICKET TO ENJOY THIS KIND OF OPERA; HOWEVER, IN CAMBODIA, IT WILL BE HARD-PRESSED TO FIND POPULARITY IN CAMBODIA.
ALSO, I DON'T THINK THE VAST MAJORITY OF KHMER PEOPLE WILL LIKE THE WESTERN OPERA.
I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF BETTER KHMER LA-KOUN BA-SAKK SINGERS IN CAMBODIA THAN THE NEW CAMBODIAN-WESTERN OPERA SINGER.
AGAIN, THE CAMBODIAN PEOPLE ARE READY FOR THIS KIND OF OPERA JUST YET.
10:43 AM
I think it is too bad that this time will be a guy who will be singing solo. And if those high-raking official faggots interested in have this new Khmer opera to bent over for a good money, he might do it for a good change. But, is the new Khmer opera ready to be reared by these high-ranking official faggots?
This is call the land of the free where people can fuck anyone they wish if they had a deep pocket.
Welcome to the land of lawlessness!
Please bent over!
I think, the opera is welknown all around the world and every nations on earth love it, if you never been into just one of an opera house and watch opera once in your life, if you are not high educated enough you would never ever understand opera at all and your wil stil blind about opera and you will be shame one day when every people talking just a spot from opera then you are alone that can not understand and you would look very stupid to them even you are a Ph.D from Mars... An I think people in Cambodia are very inteligent enough, they just need to learn more... they need the new tast of arts..
OPERA IS THE INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE. HIGH CLASS OPERA SINGERS GET LOTS OF RESPECTS FROM ALL PEOPLE A ROUND THE WORLD.. I ALSO WANT CAMBODIA TO SPEAK TO THE WORLD INTELLIGENTLY AS WE USED TO HAVE IN THE OLD AGE, REMEMBER CAMBODIANS ARE NOT STUPID PEOPLE, THEY CAN DO EVERYTHING WHAT OTHER DO IN THE WORLD.
YES, SIN SI SAMUTH IS THE HERO FOR CAMBODIAN WITH 7 MILLION OF POPULATION WAS THEN... BUT PAVAROTTI IS THE HERO FOR PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD THAT ALSO INCLUDED CAMBODIA... CAMBODIAN RECOGNIZED PAVAROTTI, BUT NO ONE FOREIGNER BESIDE CAMBODIAN RECOGNIZED SIN SISAMUTH. I WISH SIN SISAMUTH WAS THE HERO FOR THE WORLD, BUT HIS RANGE OF VOICE NOT HIGH ENOUGH, IF HE IS ALIVE WE WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT HE CAN NOT COMPETE WITH THE WORLD..BUT I LOVE HIS STYLE OF SINGING ANYWAY, JUST A NATIONAL OLD POP STAR..
Dear friends, thank you so much for your good and bad commends... anything you want to ask, please..
I think why LA KHAON BASSAK IS DYING, BECAUSE PEOPLE IN CAMBODIA ARE GROWING HIGH AND MORE INTELLIGENT, THEY WOULD NEVER EVER PAY THEIR MONEY TO LISTEN TO THE VOICE THAT CAN NOT REACH OR CAN'T SING AT ALL IN THE LA KHAON BASSAK OR YIKE.. BECAUSE THEIR VOICE IN THE PERFORMANCE ARE ALWAYS BAD BAD BAD... WOULD YOU BE PREFERED TO BUY TICKET TO SEE SINGERS SINGING IN LA KHAON BASSAK WITH THE BAD VOICE, WE SAY THE VOICE IS CRAPS... I OF COURSE WIL NEVER SPEND MY MONEY, BUT IF GOOD VOICE WITH BEAUTIFUL AND RICH COLOR SUCH AS ITALIAN HERO TENOR FRANCO CORELLI, I WOULD OF COURSE WIL SPEND EVEN $1000 A TICKET.. BECAUSE I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT AND IT MAKES ME LIVE IN THAT ARTS...
Sin Sisamuth is a very inteligent man, a singer that composed his own songs and sing himself with his range of voice ability, very smart.. but different from opera, if you ever learn about opera, once I would recommend you to, but if you stil cant get it... that mean you have born with no talent and your the right of your brain is not developed enough or inability right brain... then you should do other things instead of trying with the art of singing.
Remember that, OPERA is the same kind of La Khaon Bassak KHMER, but just opera has been developed more and more, centuries and centuries, but our Bssak is not at all... when Sang Sarun sang Bassak he always use drugs.. before he goes on stage.. and just sing carelessly without care his voice and the next day he can not sing again,, why??? very stupid, that's why we need education for that.
Regarding popularity in cambodia, I think Sethisak is not looking for, he just want to help Cambodian singers who realy want to be pro singers... to get more education in their arts so people can respect them with their inteligent..
Hello friends, I really appreciate all of your commends...
I think, I have got enough respect from people around the world and lots of high from cambodian government.. i have lots of friends from the world come to see me wherever i sing, even just one song they love it.. and for Sin Sisamuth I do not have to sing his song because is just for his voice and I don't think that we need another Sin Sisamuth though. But yes I used to sing Sin Sisamuth alot, but not for business... just for friends and fun... they just love it even for cambodians living abroad, they just cry when they heard my voice... but unfortunately I am a person that respect art very much and i live with arts, so I do appreciate, but not do any business from it, i respect Sin Sisamuth and I think his relatives should take advantages of his voice and they should get all the money from whatever people doing with Sin Sisamuth song now... But for opera is totaly different world, we compete voice with people around the world and all knowledge of music and languages.. the very highly education... more and more education... you have to learn the whole of your life... you have to find color of your voice... Sorry, I WOULD SING OPERA RATHER THAN SIN SISAMUTH BECAUSE I CAN SEE THOSE SINGERS THAT SING SIN SISAMUTH SONGS... NO RESPECT FROM AUDIENCE EVEN WHEN HE FINISH SINGING NO ONE WOULD RAISE THEIR HANDS TO APLAUD... FOR ME WHEN I SING JUST ONE OPERA SONG I GET SO MUCH RESPECT WITH LOTS OF APLAUDS... I LOVE THAT BECAUSE AS A PERFORMER I FEEL SO WARM FROM PEOPLE THAT APRECIATE MY SINGING..
We'll wait and see how far this new Khmer opera singer can express himself successfully five years from now.
You'r certainly can sing the American National Antheim and other scripted (pre-written) songs, but other Khmer songs, you won't be able to perform that kind of tune, because your voice is not suitable to that kind of tune.
I don't think you're able to compete with other global opera singers as you have surmised, but time will tell. Again, we'll wait and see what you'll become in five years from now. My colleagues and I will check on your progress.
When we saw you in Cambodia, we have spoken to other colleagues (high-ranking officials with the Cambodian government)and had lengthy discussion about your voice, and how you would put it to useful tune in Khmer; however, we're highly doubted that you can carry that tune (if you were to sing in Khmer). Plus, the fund that you'll be needing for the building for the opera house, the government will not provide you this fund, because the project will not benefit the country, while this fund can be used for other useful projects(we simply won't support it).
Preah Vihear temple part of Thailand
As a Khmer architecture junkie, I find Dr Reiff's rationale somewhat presumptive in maintaining that since the Preah Vihear temple has Hindu elements, it therefore should belong to Cambodia (Postbag, Jan 29).
There are many temples along the royal road from Angkor Wat to Phimai (such as Surin, Prachin Buri and Buri Ram) that have Hindu elements and Khmer style of architecture, and yet, indisputably they belong to the modern Siam (Thailand).
Phnom Rung in Buri Ram, another potential World Heritage site with plenty of Khmer art, is definitely not claimable by Cambodia.
The judgement of the Court of Justice in The Hague on the territory of Preah Vihear temple was only a legalistic interpretation and, with due respect to the court, all the Thai governments since the ruling date have accepted the decision.
However, it is an indisputable fact that natural access to the Preah Vihear temple has to be made through Thai territory and hence physically it is difficult for visitors not to view the temple as being within Thai territory.
In theory, the temple may belong to Cambodia, but in practice, the temple is part of Thailand.
So it is rather ludicrous for Cambodia to ask the UN to recognise the temple as a World Heritage site without Thailand's participation.
SONGDEJ PRADITSMANONT
Bangkok
Thank you Mr. no name, think you shouldn't hide your name because you are a smart person. To reply back to you. Yes, we'll see in the next 5 years, yes I even can live by myself in other countries that has been inviting me to teach their people. But I reall rean Khmer to be on the top of the arts and respect arts since we are now very low and no respect at all even to our own culture.
I think Cambodians people with high educated and high cultural respect... they support opera and other art forms.
I have been singing for The King Father and Royal family for years and years and I have got lots of respects and warms.
Also Priminister had been in the Concert of Jose Carreras in Angkor Wat. And we have now a Musical Theater has written by Dr. Him Sophy and has performed in US and for Government people such as Duputy Priminister and for people who has highly educated... they really love and respect that...
Yes, I can sing local songs, but why should I? Opera is more for me and there is more to learn, I can see the local singers who sing Sin Sisamuth and stuffs.. what they got? even no respect, and not talk about their financial life.
I want to help cambodian to give more respect to the arts and performers, and that's why the performers itself should have their proud to be respected...
I use my voice with my way of dicovering to compete with the others in the world again. Yes, I have no supports, but I try my best. Well, I have been trying very hard to get to this stage of my voice, and I am very happy with myself with what I am doing. I think I am happy with 700 people or more in the population of 15 millions because the opera house will not fit all people in once.. if I could have 700 to 1000 person to listen and understand the opera in cambodia, I would be proud of them and they are the real intelligent. Well, people live and die, but at least help people before you disapeared from earth..
before I start my opera singing,I sung a lot of Khmer style and tune. What is Khmer tune mean to you? Tune is all the same, but style is different. Khmer style of singing is just natural voice when you got from born and the style of singing, it calls in khmer is EURN.. not with healthy breathin as opera singers.. Opera singers sing without Microphone,, we use our bodies and blood and of course intelligence... Opera voice has colors, many color.. it shows your uniqueness of personal vibrants...It is kind of meditation to find yourself, that's how you would find your voice. Opera is the highest respect culture for the world and of course very difficult for the normal person without some educations.. it would sound like taking a cow to listen to the music. Tha's why I am planning to teach at least for the basic understanding for cambodian people to get more highly respect from the world.. And I am sure that our Government will support my jurney. I have got more respected from Misnister of Tourism, he is also the very highly respectful person that had talked so good about opera during my performance in front of Angkor Wat 2006.. I bet that lots more people in the high level are very intelligent and they will support this world art and khmer arts also.
Of course for the normal person, it won't be unless they would have learn some more... even they can not eat CHEESE... I can eat every food in every countries in the world, but some khmers are only stick with the PROHOK... Come on brothers, there are more foods out there,,, just try!!!
The fund for the Music Conservatory and Opera House I will find it, but government should support me with the location or building. I think this Music Conservatory and Cambodian Opera House would help a lot for cambodian people to build up and help for the Social Development. Can you imagin how many people you would need to be in one opera show? that's it.. So, cambodians would have lot of jobs.. and how many tourist if we bring one opera show to cambodia, one time? how many hotels will be packed?? that's it.
CHEERS!!
Bravo Sethisak, I respect you and your arts. I think Opera will benefit lots for khmer people, to build up highly respectful nation again with intelligence and social moral...
Opera is loved around the world despite the fact that it's mostly sung in Italian or sometimes German. Khmers should applaud the fact that you have a professionaly trained opera singer who wants to give back to his home country by helping to educate other Khmers in international arts. I have met this man and he never criticized his own country's culture or said that opera was better than locally based culture. As far as I can recall his dream was for Cambodians to have access to all things that other countries have - and that includes the ability to train as professional musicians, singers etc. I'm not sure how some negative small-minded posters can be so certain that he would be unable to sing local songs. He's a professional singer and musician and of course he can sing local songs.
Good luck to him.
Hey peopel, lets give our respect to our cambodian Tenor, ok! because he is the only one in the country and is representing Cambodia, Koun Khmer, ok! If Sethisak was born in other countries he would be the Hero for that country and that country will support his talent with any financial needs for building his career for his country, but unfortunately he born as Khmer and during the War.. and now he has got these far for Cambodia, we should proud of him with his intelligent.. Go forward Sethisak you are walking faster than other cambodians.. and yes even in the world it is hard to find a unique talented like you,, every country in the world they would be proud of their talented people if they have someone like you. Dear Sethisak, you don;t have to wait for the lacking of talent or education because people born different, not every body born with talent like you and can sing like you,,, they wish..but they can not.. they have to be reborn again and they might still can't get like you again...Sethisak, I am in the High post of Government too and I am supporting you.. See you soon. CHEERS!
Bravo to Mr. Sethisak. I have known him for many years and support his high ideals.
Cambodian artists today work to restore their great traditions AND to belong in the cultural world. To excel at foreign styles like opera adds richness to the local scene - and takes nothing away. It also builds bridges of pride, as foreigners enjoying that Khmer excellence will think positively about Cambodia itself.
As one of many development projects, Canada's CAMBODIA SUPPORT GROUP has sponsored a young tenor. Hy Kimchanthavouth is studying opera now in Canada. He will join Mr. Sethisak's path some day, helping people around the world to think of more than Killing Fields when they think of Cambodia.
Good luck to you always, Mr. Khuon Sethisak!
Arne Sahlen, Country Director
Cambodia Support Group
Hi all,
I read all of your comments about Sethisak and his opera singing. All of your comments are very interesting. Some of you support Sethisak, but some of you don't. Some of you compare Sethisak to Sin Si Samuth, but some of you don't. I personally don't think that we can compare Sethisak to any singers. I don't even think that we can compare him to Luciano Pavarotti. In short, you can't compare one singer to another singer. Especially comparing Sethisak to Sin Si Samuth is like comparing an apple to orange. Apples and oranges are fruit. But, they are different fruit. Likewise, Sethisak and Sin Si Samuth are singers. But, they sing different songs. They use different styles and techniques in their singings. Luciano Pavarotti and Sethisak are opera singers. But, they are from different world. Furthermore, I like Sethisak as a non-Western opera singer.
Dear all friends,
Thanks to you all for your comments. Well, I need of course lots of comments bad or good doesn't matter because we people artists can not of course give satisfaction to all audiences, even Pavarotti have lots of dislike of his voice, but the main thing is that we are ourselves know what we are doing and know who we are... I can sing everything, but I chose opera because I love it and lots of people in the world love that too, so finaly I can talk with more in comments in the world. And I want more cambodian get the same benefit from what I have got, I think you would love it some day and the world will appreciate you as you appreciate the world.
Please post more comments as I personally like the critical very much because it has teaching me and my life always from the start.
WELCOME TO THE OPERA WORLD!!
Love you all my friends,
Sethisak
Some error with my english, but no time to correct, please accept my apology.
See you al in my up comming concert, please also check my website www.sethisak.com if I posted the new events lately.
Love from Sethisak
Cambodia has so many talented singers. The youth can be inspired by Khoun Sethisak to hone their ability to sing ….and who knows they will bring Cambodia to the international limelight someday. Perform more and sing to your people. Let’s support and nurture the Cambodian voice singing western songs… the opera way.
Dear friends and supporters,
Thanks so much for everything and I have found a person who has been going consequently with me on this KI Media.. He is a Cambodian American who has been trying to sing and copy Sin Sisamuth songs and style wit his tiny and light voice... He is just jealous of me for what I can do with my skill and he has no skill to do anything that I can do for the country. He is just trying to raise money for poor people in Cambodia with his organization, that's what he does, but I don't think that he and his organization gives that uch to the poor, but instead he pays and stays at the 5 stars hotel and all travel expenses..usewith the money he raises.. Now it's time for him to go abraod and raise money for the poor (that's what he says), but not he need to buy land and build a huge villa... Good luck to him... And please be as Khmer, ok! I am trying to build up the Cambodian image on the intenational society...
CHEERS,
Sethisak
I think you have good voice but however the way you sing is not so good. You can stream out every loadly but there is no feeling in that voice ( not romantic voice).
Talking about comparing your voice with SIN SISAMUTH, i think i cannot compare with him even 1/10 because your voice cannot rich to the heart of the audience. Good singer is not mean the one who can stream out but no feeling. So, for me your voice is just normal and i listen to khmer basak that you sang, it is like another khmer artis basak singer in cambodia.
Please don't compare your voice to SIN SISAMUTH.It is different style of singing. I found that your voice is good but only voice is not enough to become a good singer. There are alot of khmer singer have good voice but the way to put the feeling of romantic to the voice is hard to do. If we compare to SIN SISAMUTH, i found that your voice is no feeling of love....But SIN SISAMUTH's voice is very powerful of love that can rich to the heart's of khmer audience.Also after we listen to SIN SISAMUTH's song we want to listen again and again....but your voice just want to know for one time and finish. For me I can say your voice is just normal.
Hello people, who told you that my voice have no feeling? maybe you don't have the international language to understand it and you have no international knowledge to be able to listen to my voice... and you have no IDEA about Opera at all... People come from many counties to listen to my concerts,,, and sometime they couldn't because I don't sing that much....
My voice is my voice... Sin Sisamuth is different... his generation was different... Why you still compare me with Sin Sisamuth? I also admire him.... but we are different... I am an opera singer sing for the world not only for Khmer... I think you need more education about the culture of the world then you might understand just have at least an idea about the world and culture around the world... Hope your children will not be like you... because you have to little knowledge of the world, ok... please educate yourself more and hope for your children won't become like you, otherwise our country will not growing up to the high respectation of the world. We need our contry to be on the top as our ancestors did, ok!!
P.S. Just to let you know that my audiences are from around the world, not just Cambodians, ok!! for cambodians I just want our country to be respected from the world, ok!! not want you to listen to my voice, my heart and feeling is out there for more people that have high education in the open world.
Good luck
Sethisak
I do like singing but i yet find my self familiar with a professional singer. Honestly i an very fond of singing opera but i just got no idea where in Phnom Penh i can study this admirable song. Can u please guide to where i can fill my desire?
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