By Nathanael Cooper
Puccini's Madame Butterfly is one of the most performed and most celebrated operas in the world.
Written in 1903, the opera charts the story of a Japanese geisha who falls in love and marries an American soldier only to be abandoned before she discovers she is pregnant and falls on hard times.
Director Michael Grandage has shown a deft touch in his recreation of Madam Butterfly.
Puccini's score is almost flimic in nature and is a popular favourite in the repertoire of most opera companies.
And I had never really understood why.
Puccini's Madame Butterfly demands a lot of its lead actors.
It is a beautiful opera with a sensational finale but I have never really understood what about it so expertly captured the audience's affection.
That was until I saw Michael Grandage's extraordinary production, skilfully recreated in the Lyric Theatre by Opera Queensland.
Grandage is, without doubt, one of the cleverest directors in the world.
When he takes an older piece, he treats it gently and lovingly, honouring the tradition while equally giving it a freshness and modernity.
The Opera Queensland production of Madama Butterfly.
This skill is evident in Madama Butterfly where he has gently caressed the piece in such a way that it doesn't feel like it was first staged 112 years ago, but staged here for the first time.
Combined with the elegant design from Christopher Oram, which is both simple and sophisticated while also looking incredibly grand, the piece is stunning to watch.
Opera Queensland has assembled a magnificent cast for this production, which is no easy sing for any of the leads.
Bradley Daley's Pinkerton is oafish and charming in equal measures and his injection of humour helps make the scoundrel believable.
Jonathan Summers' all-too-brief appearances on stage are a highlight and Andrew Collis's Bonze is a triumph.
As dedicated maid Suziki, Hayley Sugars is in fine voice and delivers an incredibly believable performance. It is a thankless role but Sugars shines.
But this show is all about Madama Butterfly herself and South Korean singer Hyeseoung Kwon is utterly magnificent as Cio-Cio-San.
Her voice is utterly astonishing and she tackles the challenging score with ease and grace.
Her exquisite tone is a joy to listen to and her powerful performance is a masterclass in good opera acting.
Unfortunately for the singers, the show is stolen by the smallest character, Cio-Cio-San's son Sorrow, played on opening night by Toby Bennion.
His worldless appearance in Act Two is an absolute highlight and completely steals the show.
This was a magnificent production and instilled a fresh love in me for the piece, but one area did let it down significantly.
Several times during the performance the orchestra drowned out the singers and it is something that needs to be rectified immediately for this production to be shine to its fullest.
Madam Butterfly plays at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC, until May 19.