BY MICHAEL HAMMELMANN
Opera Australia
‘Madama Butterfly’ by Puccini
State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, 6 May 2015.
With boundless energy and breath-taking imagery, Opera Australia’s ‘Madama Butterfly’ thrives in all aspects of production. Set in Nagasaki, Japan and based on John Luther Long’s short story of the same title, Puccini’s opera tells the story of US Navy Lieutenant B F Pinkerton (played by James Egglestone) who marries a geisha wife named Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio- San, played by Hiromi Omura) under a 999 year contract which is subject to monthly renewal. Three years pass and Madama Butterfly waits patiently for her husband’s homecoming, however Sharpless (United States Consul, played by Michael Honeyman) is unsuccessful in telling her that Pinkerton has married another woman – an American named Kate – and may never return. Butterfly shares her own news that she has a son, adamant that as soon as Pinkerton knows of this he will return. However, Butterfly is eventually greeted with the harsh reality that Pinkerton has married another woman and is therefore presented with the opportunity to die with honour or go back to her former life.
Peter England and Russell Cohen’s sets were imaginative and visually stunning, which seemed to mesmerize the audience into conceiving the idea of this ‘new world’. In the first moments of the show, the audience appeared in awe of the innovation of the depiction of a traditional Japanese-style house. The set included representations of paper doors which were able to ascend and descend, as well as the unique feature of water which surrounded the performance space. Furthermore, the whole stage was utilized with great success and featured the use of the back of the stage which opened up to portray images of the stars and moon. Captivating sights included a scene with Madama Butterfly’s uncle, the bonze – confronting, but without taking it too far. The production was further highlighted by the immaculate costume design, which complemented the story line well.
Egglestone captured Pinkerton’s naivety and later remorsefulness towards Madama Butterfly. His voice remained strong throughout the performance with soaring high notes and an equally powerful lower register, which combined ever so well with the resonating sounds of Sharpless and the poise and delivery of Madama Butterfly’s character. Egglestone’s voice mixed well with Orchestra Victoria, who maintained exuberant energy and intensity from beginning to end while blending well with the cast.
Omura was brilliant in her depiction of Madama Butterfly, and through her strong acting abilities she was able to express the youthful essence and hopefulness required of the character. Omura’s magnificent voice was a key feature of the evening; it contained energy and intention as well as a solid presence. Vocally, the highlight of the evening was Madama Butterfly’s aria ‘Un bel di, Vedremo’, one of the most well-known soprano arias in the opera world. She provided the technique and stamina required, every word she sang was infused with passion and felt throughout the venue. At the end of the aria she was greeted by thunderous and well-deserved applauds from the audience.
Opera Australia’s Madama Butterfly is powerful, emotion packed, and at times confronting. Its extremely talented cast displayed the true magic of a Puccini opera – without going overboard.
Image supplied. Credit: Branco Gaica.
