Tright here is constant debate about methods to stage Madama Butterfly within the twenty first century – and even whether or not to stage all of it. Covent Backyard’s programme ebook for this ninth revival of Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier’s simple and uncluttered 2003 manufacturing goes by way of these uncomfortable problems with race, gender and politics at size. However, as Kunio Hara’s essay admits, the fact stays that audiences maintain coming again to Madama Butterfly due to the emotional reality of the human voice in Puccini’s music.
And that’s emphatically true on this revival. Performances of Madama Butterfly don’t essentially stand or fall by the efficiency of the title function. There’s an excessive amount of else of musical and operatic curiosity in Puccini’s darkish masterpiece for that. However Asmik Grigorian (who shares the function of Cio-Cio-San with Hrachuhí Bassénz on this run) is past query the standout attraction right here.
Bodily and vocally, Grigorian inhabits the half to a level one doesn’t usually expertise. This Cio-Cio-San makes an extended and horribly plausible journey from innocence to devastation. Grigorian’s vary of vocal color and weight, equal to nearly all the various calls for that Puccini makes of her, is the chief glory. I’ve generally felt that the operatic world was asking an excessive amount of from Grigorian. Right here, nevertheless, she delivers one thing particular, in a efficiency that’s proper up there together with her Tatyana in Barrie Kosky’s 2016 Berlin manufacturing of Eugene Onegin.
The remaining solid, who may also share lots of the roles all through the run, are much less exceptional. Joshua Guerrero returns as Pinkerton, having first sung the function of Cio-Cio-San’s seducer at Covent Backyard two years again. He’s vocally fashionable however relatively unengaging, both as a lover or as a wretch. The orchestra, laborious pushed by Kevin John Edusei within the pit, overwhelms him at instances.
Lauri Vasar does the correct issues because the consul Sharpless, although with out a lot that’s memorable. Ya-Chung Huang as Goro, the wedding dealer, and Josef Jeongmeen Ahn because the suitor Yamadori are characterful. Veena Akama-Makia sings Kate Pinkerton’s few strains arrestingly. However better of the remaining is undoubtedly Hongni Wu’s Suzuki, who brings a mezzo of wealthy mellow dignity to her essential function.
