Puccini: Madama Butterfly

Puppets? What puppets?
Since I generally prefer traditional productions, I was somewhat skeptical as I sat down to watch and hear Anthony Minghella's production of the most performed opera in the Unites States, and perhaps the world - Madama Butterfly. Adding to my concern and curiosity was the advertised use of puppetry in this Metropolitan Opera HD series event. Let me come right to the point in this critique: this opera pulls you in! I was totally mesmerized and after three beautiful hours, felt like I should feel after hearing and viewing an opera. My reaction is not surprising when I review the different facets of this production:
(1) THE SETS: yes, they are minimalist, but, when you think about it, this is one opera which doesn't really need elaborate sets; most of the drama occurs inside a Japanese house, which does indeed make use of sliding screens. The use of these screens in this production was actually quite clever and did reinforce the notion that the setting is Japan.
(2)...

A melting pot of traditional theaters and a mixed bag of voices.
Anthony Minghella's new staging of Madama Butterfly is a fascinating mix of traditional theater from both Europe and Japan. This new production seems to have finally been released on DVD due to its online popularity and requests. This is the third production of a Madama Butterfly I've seen (I'm still pretty new to opera), and currently stands at my favorite.

The role of Butterfly is rather infamous; it's one of the most difficult roles both on a physical and psychological level (even the great Leontyne Price said she found the tragic role almost too painful to continue). The physical element requires a much more mature voice and powerful voice, thus nearly all people who play the role will have to be older than a 16-year-old girl. Racette may not be 16, but her body language, costume and makeup certainly make her look young, naive, and innocent. Though she doesn't look Japanese, this is definitely not the first opera I've seen in which a particular ethnicity is not matched...

Minghella's Marvelous Met Butterfly
When I first read about Minghella's production I had serious doubts, but everyone I knew (well, almost) who saw it in London, then here, had nothing but raves. I still had doubts going in, but was instantly won over by every element of it. The lighting, costumes, unit set and the never less than startling use of color is breathtaking.

Racette's Butterfly is one of the finest I've encountered and here she is positively shattering. (Special kudos go to her for rescuing this performance at the last minute, coming in from Washington, DC where she was in final rehearsals for "Peter Grimes.") Yes, she can flat a little, or start a note less than dead center of pitch, but in this performance there is almost none of that. Several moments are, in fact, so vocally perfect I find myself completely overwhelmed; most notably "Che tua madre" and the end of her great narration before the Cherry Blossom duet. In the latter Racette holds the final note for near eternity, the voice...

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