After 33 years spent delighting audiences, Ellen Kent’s Farewell Opera Tour production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly featured a suitably impressive Opera International Kyiv from Ukraine. Perth Theatre and Concert Hall is also a lovely venue with great acoustics, but the balcony is somewhat vertiginous, as it is very steeply banked. Said Hall, although not quite a sell-out, was very full when the show visited this April 28th, which definitely added to the atmosphere, as did some very beautiful gowns worn by audience members.
A night at the opera in Perth can still be what it used to be: lovely.
The one downside of the Concert Hall for me is that there is no pit and therefore the orchestra sits just in front of the stage, with musicians at the back of the orchestra having their heads above the front of the stage. It is a bit distracting, to say nothing of being a bit disconcerting. That said, the Opera Orchestra was excellent and, as I believe is common for this orchestra, mainly comprised younger members, whose performance I highly commend. Vasyl Vasylenko’s conducting was unobtrusive but effective.
The one downside of the Concert Hall for me is that there is no pit and therefore the orchestra sits just in front of the stage…
So, orchestra right in front of the stage and surtitles high above – the opera is sung in Italian, with English surtitles – might suggest too much of a distraction from the stage itself, but the set design is beautiful and wonderfully brought to life, with a traditional Japanese paper house, complete with sliding doors, fountains which played throughout and an abundance of flowers, so it would take a lot to distract from that. The costumes are gorgeous and include some authentic wedding kimonos, which are just stunning.
Elena Dee makes a mesmerising Butterfly
But it is the singing which tops even all of that glorious visual splendour. Korean soprano Elena Dee (Cio-Cio San) was mesmerising and totally believable as a fifteen-year-old love-struck teenager. Notable too was mezzo-soprano Yelyzaveta Bielous, whose Suzuki was beautifully understated and sensitive. Oleksii Srebnytski had the dubious honour of playing B F Pinkerton – inevitably booed at the final curtain call. His singing is impeccable, the wig not quite so much, as commented on by audience members around me.
That aside, his performance as a man besotted by a beautiful young girl was really convincing, as was his dilemma when having to choose between his Japanese concubine and his American wife. I found the appearance of Madama Butterfly’s child a little distracting, as he was ostensibly far too old for a baby conceived three years ago and therefore only about two years old. I know you can’t have a two-year-old on stage, but other productions have used a puppet, which I think I might have preferred.
A classic take on a classic opera
Not surprisingly, with its storyline, Madama Butterfly has been criticised not just for its misogynistic, racist storyline about sexual abuse, but also for cultural misappropriation. There’s a lot that could be said about all of that, but, for the moment, taking it for what it is – a dreadfully tragic story – it must be said that this is a very traditional take, beautifully staged, with gorgeous costumes and brilliantly sung.
But it is the singing which tops even all of that glorious visual splendour. Korean soprano Elena Dee (Cio-Cio San) was mesmerising and totally believable as a fifteen-year-old love-struck teenager.
The lighting is also subtle, but effective, casting an evening glow over the scene at times and silhouetting some of the more intimate scenes inside the paper house. True, for all of Puccini’s melodious gifts, it might feel a little slow to a modern, younger audience – frankly, not a great deal happens while we wait three years with Cio-Cio San for her lover to return — but if you don’t feel overwhelming pity for her or appreciate the beauty of the singing, then I’d be amazed.
The pinnacle for me, however, was the cast singing the Ukrainian National Anthem together at the curtain call. I’ve only encountered this once before, and it brought me to tears on both occasions. Molodets!
Featured Image: Madama Butterfly_Prod – Ellen Kent
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