Madama Butterfly Archives - North West End UK

16May

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

REVIEWS

Madama Butterfly – Metropolitan Opera

Paula Williams’ revival of Anthony Minghella’s original production is full of good intentions but too many gimmicks get in the way of Puccini’s devastating tragedy about a young geisha who falls in love with an American naval officer. Marriage broker Goro (Tony Stevenson) shows US naval lieutenant Pinkerton (Jonathan Tetelman) around the home he will share with his bride-to-be in Nagasaki, although American Consul Sharpless (Lucas Meachem) warns him of the tragic consequences that may follow. The Butterfly duly lands in the form of young Japanese girl Cio-Cio-San (Asmik Grigorian) supported by maid Suzuki (Elizabeth DeShong), and they are married by the Commissioner (Paul Corona). Her love makes her willing to sacrifice everything which sees her disowned by her uncle, a Bonze (Robert Po...

27Mar

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

REVIEWS

Madama Butterfly – Royal Opera House

Director Daisy Evans’ revival is spirited but like Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier’s original production, the butterfly never flies as freely as the accompanying music in Puccini’s devastating tragedy about a young geisha who falls in love with an American naval officer. Marriage broker Goro (Ya-Chung Huang) shows US naval lieutenant Pinkerton (Joshua Guerrero) around the home he will share with his bride-to-be in Nagasaki, although American Consul Sharpless (Lauri Vasar) warns him of the tragic consequences that may follow. The Butterfly duly lands in the form of young Japanese girl Cio-Cio-San (Asmik Grigorian) supported by maid Suzuki (Hongni Wu), and they are married by the Commissioner (Romanas Kudriašovas). Her love makes her willing to sacrifice everything which sees her disowne...

Madama Butterfly – Opera House, Manchester

13Jan

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Madama Butterfly – Opera House, Manchester

The heartbreaking beauty of this opera is perfectly presented by Director and Producer Ellen Kent in this sensitive and moving portrayal which captures passing moments of innocence and naïve humour but whose final scene touched me deeply. Marriage broker Goro (Yevhenii Vaskiv) shows US naval lieutenant Pinkerton (Giorgi Meladze) around the home he will share with his bride-to-be in Nagasaki, although American Consul Sharpless (Iurie Gisca) warns him of the tragic consequences that may follow. The Butterfly duly lands in the form of young Japanese girl Cio-Cio-San (Elena Dee) supported by maid Suzuki (Natalia Matveeva), and they are married by the Commissioner (Vitalii Cebotari). Her love makes her willing to sacrifice everything which sees her disowned by her uncle, a Bonze (Valeriu Coj...

13Feb

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Madama Butterfly – Edinburgh Playhouse

Three weeks into a five-month tour of the UK, Director Ellen Kent brings the Ukrainian Opera and Ballet Theatre, Keiv, to Edinburgh Playhouse with a triple bill of La Bohème, Madama Butterfly and Aida, playing on consecutive nights. This is quite an undertaking for any company, but Ellen Kent who is celebrating thirty years of bringing opera and ballet to the UK was never likely to take the easy option. And if this powerful rendition of Puccini’s masterpiece, Madama Butterfly, does not move you, the finale featuring a passionately sung Ukrainian National Anthem, together with ubiquitous blue and yellow flag, surely will. Madama Butterfly is perhaps the best known of Italian composer, Giacomo Puccini’s 12 Opera output. The story is set in 1904, when the Russo Japanese war is taking place...

Madama Butterfly – Manchester Opera House

27Jan

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

Madama Butterfly – Manchester Opera House

What a privilege to be able to see one of Puccini’s most iconic operas, in one of auditoriums built for such a performance – at the Opera House in Manchester. I was so delighted to see this (even if it was on a school night!) and as it was a packed house so were a lot of people. The set was stunning, with the Japanese pagoda and trees across the stage and as the curtain rose we were taken to a mountain top village in Nagasaki, where life was simple, traditions obeyed and love was strong. Lieutenant Pinkerton of the American Navy, awaits his bride to be, the 15 year old naïve Cio-Cio-San, and is shown around his mountain top home by the marriage broker Goro. The American is joined by the American Consul Sharpless, who has adept knowledge of Japanese traditions and knowing that t...

10Apr

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Madama Butterfly – Opera House, Manchester

Madama Butterfly is a staple of the operatic repertoire, so it is hard to believe that the original two-act version was so poorly received at its premiere in 1904 at La Scala in Milan. Puccini rewrote it in three acts to great success before reverting to the two-act formula that we see performed today. Marriage broker Goro (Ruslan Pacatovici) shows US naval lieutenant Pinkerton (Vitalii Liskovetskyi) round the home he will share with his bride-to-be in Nagasaki, although American Consul Sharpless (Vladimir Dragos) warns him of the tragic consequences that may follow. The Butterfly duly lands in the form of young Japanese girl Cio-Cio-San (Elena Dee) supported by maid Suzuki (Irina Sproglis), and they are married by the Commissioner (Vitalii Cebotari). Her love makes her willing to sacri...

Ellen Kent: Madama Butterfly – Floral Pavilion

31Mar

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Ellen Kent: Madama Butterfly – Floral Pavilion

Puccini may have been a philanderer and scoundrel, with a Hitchcock-like tendency to put his heroines through merry hell, but my goodness, he could write an aria. Madama Butterfly, one of the most widely performed operas in the world, boasts its fair share, and is deemed to be one of the most accessible to audiences. Set in one location - a hillside house in Nagasaki, Japan - we follow Cio-Cio-San, nicknamed ‘Butterfly’, the young bride of an American naval officer, Lieutenant Pinkerton, as her romantic ideals are tested to their limits when he seemingly abandons her, yet she still waits hopefully for his return. The sense of tragedy is embedded from the get-go, as we know as an audience that Pinkerton has no intention of coming back, seeing the match as a short-lived one until he can f...

27Sep

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

London

Madama Butterfly – Royal Opera House

A staple of the operatic repertoire around the world, this was my third Madama Butterfly this year although in contrast to the first two live productions, this was a televised performance of ROH’s 2017 offering, directed by Moishe Leiser and Patrice Caurier. We open with marriage broker Goro (Carlo Bosi) showing US naval lieutenant Pinkerton (Marcelo Puente) round the home he will share with his Butterfly bride-to-be. Pinkerton is obsessed about possessing her even if he crushes her fragile wings, whilst American Consul Sharpless (Scott Hendricks) warns him of the tragic consequences his game could have. The Butterfly duly lands in the form of young Japanese girl Cio-Cio-San (Ermonela Jaho) supported by maid Suzuki (Elizabeth DeShong), and they are married by the Commissioner (Gyula Nag...