THE HANGOVER REPORT – Anthony Minghella’s production of Puccini’s MADAMA BUTTERFLY at the Met remains as striking as ever

Anthony Minghella's production of Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" at The Metropolitan Opera.

Anthony Minghella’s production of Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” at The Metropolitan Opera.

There are a handful of productions at the Met that never fail to leave a deep impression on me, regardless of the quality of the cast. One of those is Anthony Minghella’s striking, elegant production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, this season performed by several casts throughout the fall and spring.

Puccini’s tragic opera about a Japanese bride abandoned by her careless American husband is problematic on many levels, especially in our current #MeToo era. But in Mr. Minghella’s stylish spare, staging – which originated to great acclaim at London’s English National Opera more than a decade ago –  the opera takes on a mythic, timeless quality that transcends the opera’s often grating misogynistic stereotypes.

Tonight, I caught Albanian soprano Ermonela Jaho take on Cio-Cio-San (a.k.a. Madama Butterfly). Although she doesn’t possess the most powerful or beautiful instrument – in fact, she sounded pinched and strained at times – she acted each moment with devastating transparency. As her Pinkerton, Italian tenor Roberto Aronica possesses a penetrating if blunt voice that fits the unlikeable character. Regular maestro Marco Armiliato led the consistently excellent Met Orchestra with a heartfelt reading of Puccini’s much-loved score.

RECOMMENDED

 

MADAMA BUTTERFLY
Opera
The Metropolitan Opera
3 hours, 15 minutes (with two intermissions)
In repertory through March 16

Categories: Music, Opera, Other Music

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