Read what our audiences have to say about Madam Butterfly
Review by Bren Groom
Watched the performance of Madam Butterfly last night and my friend and I were very disappointed, having seen it before in a provincial theatre and thoroughly enjoyed it we had hankies at the ready for what we expected to be even better, having paid for what were very good seats in the stalls. We felt that the person playing the role of Madam Butterfly was too mature she did not give the role the air of a young innocent guilible sole that we felt she should be. The puppet was very clever but we could not feel the emotion of the relationship because it was a doll. We left feeling very flat. The singers were very good and the orchestra. The opera is lovely it does not need changing!
Review by Douglas Robertson
What a stunning production. The lighting, the staging, the puppets, the costumes all make this a perfect platform to allow the singing to tear your heart in two. And it does. The singing was all of a high quality, particularly Judith Howarth; although occasionally the entries were a little quiet and a little more animation/acting would enhance the staging.
The orchestra was exceptional, best I have heard for some time, and always enhanced and never distracted from the action.
There are only two points that one would wish to make. First, and it is a perennial difficulty in the staging of Buttefly is making the the age of Butterfly believable. The libretto is so explicit. The maturity of voice is rarely there in a performer that is an age for the lines and can be believed i n. I have to say that by the last two scenes the age was irrelevant as the staging and the singing took hold but in the early part I found it hard not to allow the delicate and youthful part of the libretto to jar a little with the presence on stage. Much would have been compensated for by a little more attention to detail in movements with stronger Japanese elegance e.g. shorter steps, smooth kneeling, choreographed arm movements etc - as Butterfly would have been taught. Also using the get of jail free card by using the power of Geisha make-up (as in the advert)to assist the translation would have aided the suspending of belief which is often required. I only pick this point as it can be addressed and corrected without changing the lead. As can the second point. For the most part the choreography was beautiful and timed well. Just occasionally and unfortunately on the first major entrance of the chorus the movement up the steps was uneven with several of the chorus out of step with the others as they rise throught he gap at the back of the stage. These entrances are so dramatic that attention to such meticulous detail is commanded from the overall quality of the production.
I would go again tomorrow if I could!
Review by Judy MacLennan
I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed last Saturday's performance of Madame Butterfly. I had wanted to see the Anthony Mingella staging in 2005 but missed it. It was fantstic staging especially the sweeping scarves, the marionettes (with handlers) the lantern and bird effects and the way the stage was designed curving up with the screen at the back. I have seen Madame butterfly several times and this was memorable.
Singing was great especially Judith... singing the title role... she has so much singing to do and never wavered. Oh and Ed and orchestra were enthusiastic animated and wonderful. Well done
Review by Ian Paternoster
On Saturday the 20th of June I went to my third opera at the ENO, Madame Butterfly. I thoroughly enjoyed the colourful and spectacular performance. I especially loved that it was in English and contrary to what I overheard by me from another member of the audience that would have prefferred it in the original language. The reason I come to the ENO is that I can understand the opera and follow the story. Thankyou for the wonderful performance, and even though the ending was well known, your rendition still produce a tear to the eye.
Review by Rachel Holland
I saw this production last Friday and was really impressed. The staging and costumes were very dramatic and imaginative. The use of the shadowy puppeteers was very effective. Using Butterfly's obi to suggest her blood in the suicide scene was very evocative and really brought home the gruesome nature of the ending. All of the performances were excellent but especially Butterfly. Brilliant!
Review by Trish Wickstead
Having moved away from London I have not visited the ENO for many years. I came with my partner and a close friend (the latter a fan of Covent Garden)recently to a performance of Madam Butterfly. We all three just wanted to say what a fantastic evening we had. The production was sublime in every way- wonderful singing, especially Butterfly and Suzuki, beautiful costumes, stunning set and lighting and a really imaginative choreography and use of puppets. Our friend said "Covent Garden could not have done this!" Thank you we had a long and very happy journey back westwards and will be back for more!
Review by Jean Avery
This production of Madama Butterfly is one I shall never forget. Apart from the beautiful music, so cleverly interpreted by the conductor, the characterisation was superb. At last a Madam Butterly that made sense! The setting, with its silent beginning during which hardly anyone dared to cough,its clever use of lighting, made my spine tingle, and the brilliant interweaving of opposing Japanese and American cultures made the whole ghastly tragedy so easy to understand.
Review by Marion Weber
I attended the performance of Mme. Butterfly on 20.June09. What a great production and choreography. Mme Butterfly did sing and act very well. Mr. Pickerton had a voice but wasn't the classic "flamboyant" American naval officer, it was more like the accountant out of 'the office', a young girl wouldn't fall for. I am sure with a bit of "encouragement" this could be improved. The ENO orchestra is highly professional but at times overpowering. Great for a band-stand, however, in opera the orchestra needs to be controlled,to allow the voices to be above them - a true challenge for a conductor. The puppet-child was absolutely brilliantly played and puppets are a feature in Japanese culture, which made the play more authentic. Not just the performance also the aucience creates an atmosphere in an opera house. Last night's audience was a lovely relaxed "crowd" who just simply enjoyed opera. One more word. As a career the operatic world is not only highly demanding but could become very wearing - all the best wishes for the ill-fallen singer last night (Bryan Hymel) and a speedy recovery back to the stage with an appreciative audience.
Review by Michael Migliore
Puccini might be turning over in his grave after ENO's abysmal production of Madam Butterfly. Thank god the Metropolitan Opera chooses to present Anthony Minghella's truly beautiful production in better circumstances than ENO chooses to. The set was minimalist, and consisted of a slanted stage with several moveable and traditional Japanese paper walls. Color was used to great advantage in the production, with stunning visual effects on the staging and the singers. Although some things in the production were above the standard of "mediocre," the majority of aspects concerning the singers, orchestra, conducting and most of all, the disgusting translation of David Parry was horrifying. I fail to see how something as beautiful as "Vogliatemi Bene, Un Bene Piccolino" could possibly translate into "make love to me gent ly." Simply horrifying. Beginning with the foundation of the music, the orchestra, one must comment truthfully how well prepared they were. Puccini's lush orchestration and wonderfully melodic lines were often given great prominence, however at an audible cost. Often, the orchestra was simply too loud, and it was especially apparent when the tenor, Bryan Hymel, could not be heard, hay fever not withstanding. One would speculate that a conductor who has won so much critical acclaim as Edward Gardner might have had the intelligence to scale back the volume of the orchestra in order to facilitate the audiences ability to hear the singers.
If Mr. Gardner had known the difference between piano and fortissimo, we might have been able to hear all the singers, even the extraordinary ones more clearly. The greatest redeeming factor of this production would have to be the impressive Judith Howarth, who as Cio-Cio San was emotionally stimulating and vocally po werful, save when she was not fighting off Mr. Gardner's bombastic orchestra. As Suzuki, Christine Rice must receive credit for her vivacious portrayal that was emotionally right on, taking the audience by the heartstrings.
One would have to question the inclusion of the ancient and stimulating art of banraku, the classic Japanese puppet theater. Perhaps it would have been more appropriate if the juxtaposition of Eastern and Western idioms was made to be a significant point in the production, but I felt as though the emphasis rested the presentation of sexual tensions and ambiguity inherent in the situation between American and Japanese cultures of the Nineteenth Century. Support for this analysis relies on the fact that David Parry's lackluster translation was used and, additionally, the emotional impact of this verismo masterpiece was stunted when the important character of "Sorrow" was introduced with some sort of flair characteristic of Rodgers and Hammerstein. As the opera ended, the puppet was brought back out, and jumped into the now exposed soprano's arms, thus completely ruining what little emotional impact Mrs. Howarth had worked and sung for against the odds. One hopes that when the production returns to the Metropolitan Opera, these fundamental mistakes might be examined, and at best, corrected.
