Seoul: Renowned soprano Sumi Jo has signed an exclusive recording deal with SM Entertainment and will release an album marking the 40th anniversary of her international debut, the agency said Tuesday. Jo will join the K-pop agency's classical and jazz label, SM Classics, as its first exclusive recording artist, which will support her digital music production and upcoming releases.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the special anniversary album, titled "Continuum," is scheduled for release next month. The project will feature 11 tracks that encompass the singer's past, present, and future repertoire. An exact date for the release has not yet been disclosed. "The album brings together high-difficulty coloratura arias I have never recorded before, along with new works by contemporary composers," Jo said in a press release. "I aim to break down the boundaries between the legacy of classical music and modern sensibilities, and to continue challenging myself with new music rather than staying on familiar paths."

The 63-year-old will begin a nationwide tour next month and is set to host the second Sumi Jo International Singing Competition in France in July. She made her international debut in 1986 at the Teatro Verdi in Trieste, Italy, performing in the opera "Rigoletto," and has since established herself as one of the world's leading sopranos.