Puccini’s Madama Butterfly tells the story of Cio-Cio-San (Elena Dee), a young Japanese woman who marries the American naval officer Pinkerton (Oleksii Srebnytskyi) and gives herself entirely to the hope of a happy future with him. What begins as a story of love and devotion gradually becomes a tragedy of abandonment, illusion, and emotional destruction. More than anything, this opera shows the worst thing that can happen to a woman. Madama Butterfly is not simply left behind, but she has to experience the feeling that the man she loves return only to reveal that he no longer wants her.
Ellen Kent’s production of Madama Butterfly is visually beautiful and musically strong, even if it does not fully succeed dramatically. As usual in Kent’s productions, the decorations by Victor Donos are colourful and vibrant, and the costumes are bright and beautiful, creating a rich stage picture.
The actors performed very well throughout, and the chorus was magical, although there was not enough of it to leave a strong impression. Elena Dee’s soprano, Yelizaveta Bielous’s mezzo-soprano, and Vitalii Cebotari’s baritone were highly enjoyable and, thanks to the orchestra of the Opera International Kyiv, conducted by Vasyl Vasilenko, the production itself offers a good opportunity to appreciate Puccini’s music.
At the same time, the plot can feel quite boring, especially because this production does not offer a brand-new reading of the story. What may have felt novel and striking when the story was first written does not always seem as relevant or compelling today, and Kent’s staging does little to reinterpret it for a contemporary audience. In her interview with us, Kent told us that she wants her operas to be beautiful, not necessarily to educate, but that might be the problem.
Another weakness of the production is its lack of emotional intensity. No doubt that it is difficult to fully express emotion while performing opera but there was not enough body language or movements to make the sorrow and devastation fully felt. Some parts also seem too long and tedious, particularly the extended declarations of love at the end of Act I and Butterfly’s long wait in Act II.
The transition between the scenes in Act II is especially challenging, as nothing happens on stage for several minutes, and the performance loses its momentum. And yet, despite these flaws, the opera still has a remarkable emotional grip. Throughout the whole performance, you continue to believe that a miracle might happen. Just as Madama Butterfly remains the only person who truly believes Pinkerton will come back to her, even when everyone tells her to give up, I sat in the audience hoping with her until the very end, even though I knew the whole story.
Overall, this production is a good way to spend an evening if you want simply to enjoy operatic singing and Puccini’s music in a visually attractive setting. However, if you are tired after a long day, or looking for something more entertaining and emotionally captivating, it may feel too slow and too tedious to fully satisfy.
Ellen Kent’s Farewell Opera Tour tours the UK until May 13.
JADAR 