Giacomo Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" is one of the most beloved and commercially successful operas of all time. Directed by Mariusz Trelinski and conducted by Eugene Kohn, the current performance by the Washington National Opera continues this tradition with their impressive and beautiful version.
The most arresting element of the show is the set design. Boris F. Kudlicka should be commended for his attention to detail in the increasingly opulent sets. From boats that convincingly float across the background to walls of statues that suddenly begin throwing flowers, his work invites the audience to suspend their disbelief and join him in a beautiful Asian fantasy world.
The costume and lighting design further enhance the beauty of the set. Magdalena Teslawska keeps the Americans in clean white garb while bathing Cio-Cio-San in stunning traditional red and blue hues. Joan Sullivan-Genthe really understands that color in lighting should not merely be an afterthought, and her contributions have a tremendous emotional effect on the performance.
But when it comes down to it, the staging is only a showcase for the vocals of the performers. The cast of "Madama Butterfly" does not disappoint.
Chinese soprano Xiu Wei Sun, as Cio-Cio-San, delivers a truly outstanding performance, both vocally and theatrically. She has incredible control over her volume and pitch. Her high notes are never shrill and even her softest notes were masterfully projected out to even the back of the theatre. She perfectly embodies the grace and fragility of her character, but it is her gestures and facial expressions that really make this performance great. No wonder she has based her ascent to the upper operatic echelons on this role.
As Pinkerton, Mexican tenor Arturo Chac¢n-Cruz supports her effortlessly and is the only other performer with the volume to balance Wei Sun. Although his character is pompous and two-faced and ultimately betrays Cio-Cio-San, he is charming and seductive in act one and repentant and grief-stricken in act three. Moreover, he is believable throughout the entire range of emotions.
Chac¢n-Cruz is not the only strong male actor of the evening. Anthony Laciura (Goro) and Luca Salsi (Sharpless) are also superb. Laciura is appropriately clown-like in his playful rendition of the marriage broker and his vocal presentation is strong. Salsi has a beautiful and powerful tenor that makes his position as Pinkerton's conscience realistic. Salsi's performance also adds an interesting layer of sexual tension to his relationship with Cio-Cio-San, with his endearing embraces of the child bride.
The coolest aspect of the opera is the performance of the three actors that play much less annoying Asian "mimes" with no whiteface. Krzysztof Balinski, Michal Ciecka and Tomasz Nerkowski are dancers who remain silent throughout the show, however they contribute a surprising amount to the show with their artistic participation by bringing props, throwing flower petals and slowly haunting the set. Dancer and choreographer Mimi Legat also turns in a creepy and convincing performance as Cio-Cio-San's elderly mother.
In fact, the only stumble of the show is Director Trelinski's decision not to use props during the performance. This might have worked with a more minimalist set; however, it seems a little ridiculous to be miming props when they bothered to create a giant papier-m?ch? devil-head for the Bonze to ride in on. In addition, the scene where Pinkerton and Sharpless repeatedly toast to each other is somewhat confusing. Nonetheless, this is a minor flaw for such a beautiful and otherwise very impressive performance.
Audiences seem to agree. The opera received a standing ovation and several curtain calls. Most of the performance dates are already sold out and the WNO has actually added extra dates to the end of the run to accommodate the demand.
Students interested in seeing the show should check out the big-screen simulcast of "Madama Butterfly" on the National Mall on Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. The performance is free, no tickets are necessary and the 18-foot by 32-foot LED video screen will be located near the U.S. Capitol. Over 13,000 people attended last year's simulcast of "Porgy and Bess," so make sure to get there early for a good seat.
For information on ticket discounts, visit
www.dc-opera.org/experience/generationo.
