Puccini, Madama Butterfly: Soloists, Orchestra and Chorus Teatro Real, Conductor: Plácido Domingo, Teatro Real de Madrid, 17/18.7. 2007 (JMI)

Production by the Teatro Real, premiered April 2002:

Director: Mario Gas
Sets: Ezio Frigerio
Costumes: Franca Squarciapino
Lighting: Vinicio Cheli

Casts:

Cio Cio San: Cristina Gallardo-Domas/Micaela Carosi
Pinkerton: Carl Tanner/Roberto Aronica
Sharpless: Vladimir Stoyanov/Ángel Ódena
Suzuki: Marina Rodríguez-Cusí /Itxaro Mentxaka
 

The Teatro Real has been offering non-subscription performances of operas from the main repertoire at popular prices for the past year or so.  This initiative is praiseworthy, since it allows a larger public to  see major operas with well-known titles and good casts cheaply without having to commit themselves to a whole season.

This production had its premiere at the Teatro Real in April 2002 with stage direction by  Mario Gas and a world famous team of collaborators: Ezio Frigerio, Franca Squarciapino and Vinicio Cheli. The production consists of filming a black and white movie in the 40s, with their cameras, placards, floodlights, make-up girls etc, etc. It is an original concept and naturally has its pros and cons. Among the  pros is the preparation of movie shooting before the opera actually starts and the continuous projection of live images (black and white) on the screen above the stage, which allows a very close follow up of the interpretation. Among disadvantages, the loss of some intimacy should be mentioned, since the action surrounded by so many cameras and people. It is an novel  vision however and the audience clearly love it. It includes the recreation of Butterfly’s Dream, with a brief appearance of Pinkerton, embracing both Cio Cio San and their son. More distracting and therefore less interesting are the almost continuous and gratuitous turning of the movie stage in a kind of a “merry go round”. Cio Cio San's house is framed by a series of columns which could in truth be recycled as Dalila’s mansion or Idomeneo’s palace. A good perspective of the sea is continuously  present at the back of the stage, except at the beginning of Act II when we see  red neon lights instead for a short while. Costumes are very suited to the idea of the movie filming with kimonos always in black, grey and white to which the only exception is the red kimono that Butterfly  wears for her wedding and suicide. The lighting is particularly good and has a real   impact on the drama.

Musical Direction was the responsibility of Plácido Domingo, surely an authentic miracle in the world of opera. Passed the age of official retirement for common mortals, he continues with an amazing range of activities. As singer, conductor, theatre manager, he has become a  real Renaissance Man of the theatre and it's not impossible to imagine him him singing and conducting at the same time Although his ability as a conductor is still not quite comparable to his singing, I have to concede that Mr. Domingo has improved greatly  and these days his appearance in the pit  is already a guarantee of quality, at least in operas  from the main repertoire. His reading was very sound, getting a good performance from Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid, and was in  fact superior to some performances we have heard directed by other more recognized maestros. Within this more than reliable reading however, it would be reasonable to ask for  greater  control of the stage action (he's too dependent on the score at the moment), for more life in the love duet in the first act and less volume at certain points.

There were two different casts with two outstanding sopranos. The great protagonist of the first cast was the Chilean  Cristina Gallardo-Domas, making her Teatro Real debut in this performance. She obtained a very well deserved triumph and confirmed she is one of the great Cio Cio Sans these days. The first act seemed rather uncomfortable for her but she made the famous entrance with ability and without brilliance. From “Un bel dí vedremo” onwards though, the Chilean soprano became the  absolute power on the stage, possessed of a very beautiful voice, singing with an infinity of shades and able to overcome the volume of the orchestra with ease, The public stopped  the orchestra after the intense arioso that ends the duet  with Sharpless, so great was the conviction, quality and emotion of her interpretation. She has decided apparently to drop the role from her repertoire, which is hardly good news.

The Italian Micaela Carosi, also making  her debut in the theatre, was the Butterfly in the second cast. Hers is one of the more outstanding Verdian voices at present, although her suitability for Puccini in general and Butterfly in particular raises some reasonable doubts. A great Cio Cio San needs not only a voice of great beauty and stamina, but she also has to move the audience to the point of tears. From my point of view the fragility of the character and its great vulnerability is a fundamental part of its interpretation and it was exactly in these aspects that Carosi's performance was not wholly convincing since her  physical  size (not volume) does not help to make her believable. The first act created problems for her - more than usual - whereas afterwards she was much more comfortable  although never completely scaling the necessary barriers of emotion. In summary, she's a good Butterfly vocally, but I do not believe that Butterfly  is a good choice for her. She is an outstanding Verdian soprano more than a Puccini heroine.

The American tenor Carl Tanner was a deficient Pinkerton. The voice is potentially an important one, but has many unresolved problems just now, the most important of which is that his vocal projection leaves much to be desired. “Addio fiorito asil” was too poor to be acceptable. In America it is apparently very normal for Pinkerton to be booed at the end of this opera and perhaps somebody told Carl Tanner the pious lie that this custom has been transferred to Europe. He should not believe this story. There was no boo at all for to Roberto Aronica, but a rapturous reception at the end of the opera. He has a truly beautiful voice, perfectly projected and was absolutely convincing as Pinkerton.

Vladimir Stoyanov was a good, if not great, Sharpless with a beautiful voice, although rather small, and showing with his usual problem of projection in the high notes while Ángel Ódena was a more routine consul. Marina Rodríguez-Cusí was an excellent Suzuki both as singer and actress and should be singing more. Itxaro Mentxaka was also  decent, if rather light for the role.

Cristina Gallardo Domas received a standing ovation with bravos that put the structure of the theatre in danger. Hers was a well deserved triumph. Aronica, Carosi, Stoyanov, Rodríguez-Cusí and Plácido (what a huge paradox in his name!) shared in  her triumph though at a lower level. Carl Tanner received boos mixed with polite applause.

The program notes included a curious story about the characters, worthy of a  libretto  for Butterfly Part II. Pinkerton and Kate return to San Diego, later divorce and Paul Butterfly (the name chosen for the child on his way to the USA) goes to school without the support of his “mother” Kate, who loses care of him. Sharpless retires and marries Suzuki, keeping in touch with Paul. Pinkerton is ultimately discovered dead (hara-kiri with the Mikado’s sword)  and Paul writes back  joyfully to Sharpless.

José M. Irurzun

Back to the Top     Back to the Index Page