Madama Butterfly, an opera set in Nagasaki, Japan, in the 1890s, by Giacomo Puccini, now at the War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, through November 27, 2010.
Madama Butterfly, a young Geisha, took her wedding vow more seriously than Lt. B.F. Pinkerton. She thought it would last forever. He never thought it was real. She deceived herself despite warnings of Pinkerton’s motives. “’I must pursue her even though I damage her wings," Pinkerton had said.” But Butterfly wasn’t that innocent. She was a Geisha, after all. And she waited for Pinkerton to return. She hoped, prayed, and devoted to her son, Trouble. She refused to accept the grim reality that the philandering Lieutenant had abandoned her. Finally, the USS Lincoln was sighted. Butterfly was ecstatic and scattered blossoms all over the house to welcome Lt. Pinkerton. But he returned with a wife. Butterfly was heartbroken, and she committed suicide.
This most tragic love story of all time had all the elements for an enjoyable night at the opera. The artfully tasteful setting was perfect: the house was adorned with climbing wisteria; stage crews clad in black, rotated the house from season to season; and the night scenes awash with sparkling stars . . . except a lackluster soprano Svetla Vasseliva as Madama Butterfly, in Act I. What a bummer!
My take during opening night: the tension was rather slow in the making, and the passion was strained, even with Stefano Secco’s lusty and passionate voice as Lt. B.F. Pinkerton. I had misgivings in Act I. But in Act II, Ms Vasseliva successfully redeemed herself. And the cast, as if suddenly awakened from a drunken stupor, came to life, and carried on through the end of the performance. So BRAVO!
I love great operas, especially when in the end, the characters redeem themselves.
Noble Hughes,
Contributor of Sophisticated Ladies, Arts and Culture.
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