Giacomo Puccini’s famous tragic romance ended what had come to be one of the best runs at Manchester Opera House by Ellen Kent directing the Ukrainian Opera and Ballet Theatre. A sold out performance was indicative of the draw that one of Puccini’s most famous operas has in its one-hundred and twentieth year, and possibly a reassurance to Kent, who behind closed doors had seemed unsure of Madama Butterfly having kept it as part of the line up in the last few years, that the great opera should not be going anywhere just yet. Like Carmen, a few tweaks to the cast here and there had done the opera a great service, making it one of the greatest performances over previous years.
The Korean soprano Elena Dee returned as Cio-Cio San, bringing her usual top-class performance as the unfortunate lead. Dee’s stage presence and technical ability was and always will be unmatched, as her voice reached the farthest corners of the opera house with ease along with her acting was enough to bring the audience to tears. Dee was supported by the equally wonderful and emotion-evoking mezzo-soprano Natalia Matveeva as Suzuki, who brought a different quality to the role over previous incarnations of the maid. Tenor Georgi Meladze donned the summer-whites as the foolish and impulsive United States naval officer, B. F. Pinkerton and was on fine form performing against Dee’s Butterfly. Iurie Gisca returned having swapped the torero outfit for a more low-key suit as the American consul, Sharpless.
Set at a dojo overlooking Nagasaki harbour at the turn of the twentieth century, Pinkerton leases the land and property deciding to take the young and innocent Cio-Cio San as his bride. Whilst seeing the venture as a nothing more than a bit of fun, having a ‘girl in port’ so to speak, Cio-Cio San sees it as having met her lifelong partner with an opportunity to start a new life as an American wife, willing to abandon her Japanese traditions much to the displeasure of her uncle, the Bonze (Valeriu Cojocaru). The two are married and spend a night of passion together. Pinkerton leaves with his ship, promising to return. Years pass and Cio-Cio San, having mothered Pinkerton’s child (Ivy Shi) wait along with Suzuki for Pinkerton’s ship to drop anchor in Nagasaki bay once more. Preparing herself for her husband’s arrival, it is revealed to Suzuki by Sharpless and Pinkerton that Pinkerton has matured and taken an American wife. Knowing of the son, Pinkerton wishes to take the child and raise him in the United States with his new wife. What ensues has to be one of operas most tragic and emotional climaxes when Cio-Cio San finds out what is to happen.
As always, the set pieces and costumes are grand and lavish. A dojo adorned with lanterns sitting amongst water features and blossom trees and flowers replaced the amphitheatre set which had featured so prominently in the previous two nights. With Butterfly colour and lighting appear to be as integral to the plot as the music and libretto. Embarrassingly, it has to be admitted that in previous years the costume change for the second act representing the character’s position and mood had been lost on me. Pinkerton’s summer white uniform is replaced by a black uniform, having taken on the role of the villain of the story, likewise Sharpless’ cream suit changes for a black and grey suit. Gisca’s Sharpless is morally conflicted. The lighting slowly dims and brightens aiding scene transitions more smoothly than the fall of the curtain which usually prompts the unknowing audience member to get up for a drink, only to rush back after a few minutes. This use of the backlight casting the silhouettes of Cio-Cio San, her son and Suzuki as the lights grow darker during the “Humming Chorus” is beautifully practical and symbolic of the darkness which Pinkerton brings. This performance of Madama Butterfly has to be Kent’s most beautiful yet, and it was hard for even the most stoic of us to keep a tear rolling down one’s cheek.
Much like the previous night’s performance of Carmen, Butterfly was another example of the perfect mixture. The cast was wonderful, the set was luscious and the orchestra was at its best, benefitting greatly from the timpanist whose thudding blows masquerading as the harbour cannon were felt to the bone. Everything worked so well together, Dee and Meladze’s chemistry with each other and the secondary cast was phenomenally effective. Kent’s direction was faultless, having crafted and molded Madama Butterfly to her own vision whilst keeping that core breadth of view originally realised by Puccini.
Concluding what has been purely magical and enchanting three nights at Manchester Opera House, myself and many others will be counting down the days until Kent and the Ukrainian Opera return with the likes of Matveeva, Gisca, Dee, Meladze and Davit Sumbadze. In what has been an outstanding start to the UK and Irish tour, should this exceptional level of quality and be maintained (which would be stupid to doubt) until the very end, then the 2024 season will most likely go down as one of the greatest in recent years for Ellen Kent.
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