Opera review: Madam Butterfly at English National Opera

3 / 5 stars
Madam Butterfly

FIRST seen in 2005, Anthony Minghella's production of Puccini's Madam Butterfly is now on its sixth revival at ENO and is one of their truly great successes of recent years.

Madam ButterflyYOUTUBE

Anthony Minghella's production of Madam Butterfly is now in its sixth revival

Its design and costumes are stunning and together with other inspired touches beautifully evoke the picture of 19th century Japan meeting the harsh reality of American values which underlies the story.

Madam Butterfly is the name given to Cio-Cio-San, the beautiful 15-year-old taken as a bride by US naval lieutenant Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton, who abandons the poor girl when he sails back to America.

When he returns to Japan three years later, he is shocked to learn that she has had his baby, who is now two years old, the shame being made worse by the fact that he is now married to an American woman. Being opera, it all ends in tears and ritual suicide, but not before we have heard some of Puccini's most graceful and emotional music. 

His voice still lacks somewhat in emotional versatility

Besides Minghella's glorious vision, there is much to praise in the present production, but always with some attendant reservations. Richard Armstrong's conducting of the music began with great promise, showing impressive power and urgency in the overture, but once the singers joined in, he seemed to lose his way.

The conductor's attention seemed rooted to the orchestra, who were encouraged to play at too high a volume, leaving the balance upset between singers and music almost throughout the evening. 

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The opera's design and costumes are stunning

Among the singers, Rena Harms as Butterfly acted effectively and displayed a lovely voice, but its lack of emotional colour conveyed more the sort of charm one expects from Mozart than the passion of Puccini. By contrast, Stephanie Windsor-Lewis, as her maid Suzuki, had an excellently strong voice, but there was very little Japanese about her appearance or acting. 

The British tenor David Butt Philip gave an excellent account of himself in the role of the dastardly Pinkerton, even succeeding in making one feel a little sad for the swine, who seemed genuinly upset at the results of his caddish behaviour and total lack of understanding.

ENOENGLISH NATIONAL OPERA

The show is performed at ENO

His voice still lacks somewhat in emotional versatility, but this will surely develop. The best overall performance, however, came from George von Bergen as US consul Sharpless, who accomplished the change from Pinkerton's co-conspirator to his harshest critic in an impressively convincing manner.

Finally, I must mention what has always been the most brilliant and original part of Minghella's vision, which was to give the part of Butterfly's young child to a Japanese puppet, handled with supreme expertise by three puppeteers clad from head to toe in black.

OPeraENGLISH NATIONAL OPERA

The balance between the singers and the music was upset

Every time I have seen this production, the puppetry gets better and more ambitious. On this occasion, the movement and gestures of the young child are more varied than ever and capture the agony of the situation beautifully. 

If you haven't seen this production before, it's a must; if you have seen it, it's still worth going to again, but may be tinged with some disappointment.

Box Office: www.eno.org or 020 7845 9300 (at the ENO until July 7)

500 aretickets available at every performance for £20 or less.

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