Puccini’s early twentieth century opera MADAMA BUTTERFLY offers soloists and audience much of what they relish in the genre. The main characters are complex, with savage twists and turns in their emotional journeys. The music serves the drama well as the compact storyline hurtles towards its terrible conclusion.
The design and dramatic realisation of this Opera Australia production makes for a spellbinding night of theatre. The commitment of the cast to convey timeless feelings, struggles and the unique beauty of Puccini’s score ensures this example of opera is always fresh and relevant for 2015.
Conductor Anthony Legge brings the score to life with clarity and focus in moments of conversation, atmosphere or large arias alike. The brass entries with fragments of the US national anthem penetrate hauntingly.
In the lead role of Cio-Cio-San, or ‘Butterfly’, Alexia Voulgaridou is a gift to every scene and atmosphere she is part of. Her cleverly varied vocal timbres reflect all the contrasting predicaments occurring for her character on the stage’s timber island. In her marital house surrounded by a sky overflowing with hopeful stars she paints a Cio-Cio-San with incredibly varied energies, exploiting a wide range of gestures and expression. Voulgaridou lets the famous aria ‘Un bel di vedremo’ emerge subtly from conversation with her servant Suzuki. It then grows and tells its story of hope encouraging real edge-of-the-seat listening in us.
In this moment, and in all others, Sian Pendry is a formidable Suzuki. Her support and not so subservient observation of events is a strongly performed trajectory. Vocally she also brings much contrast to new sections of the story, always rendered with loaded movements.
In the role of the Naval officer Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton, James Egglestone is in fine voice and well characterised. Egglestone enters as a true lieutenant-well-met in the uniqueness of Asia. His moments with new bride Butterfly against a backdrop of stars contrast with their delirious romance.
Such scenes emphasise the portrayal of pure emotion regardless of politics that this production succeeds in conveying. Pinkerton’s support and U.S contact in Japan, Sharpless, is presented with the U.S Consul character’s earthly wisdom. The role is well-sung and realised with integrity by Michael Honeyman.
Heartbreakingly dramatic is Cio-Cio-San’s renouncement for betraying her background, led by her uncle, the strikingly costumed Bonze (Jud Arthur). This scene leaves her spiritually alone, abandoned by her husband and at the mercy of the marriage broker Goro (in effective caricature and Western garb as played by Graeme Macfarlane).
Excellent costume design inspired by traditional outfitting can be seen when Prince Yamadori enters dramatically as one of the possible suitors for Butterfly.
From the sleek design suggesting the meeting of East and West to the fresh performances and staging throughout, this production contains pure beauty and much detail to attract us to the operatic classic.
Its colourful portrayal of themes such as the consequence of choice will engage both newcomers to this work and those who know it well. MADAMA BUTTERFLY is playing the Dame Joan Sutherland theatre, Sydney Opera House until 28th February.
For more about Opera Australia’s Madama Butterfly, visit http://opera.org.au