Various DVD Butterflies
have flitted past me. I stick to my
guns that Edo de Waart’s Netherlands
version (with Cheryl Barker as Cio-Cio-San)
sits on the top of the list (review
); Domingo as conductor in an insectile
production tops the curiosity value
list but little else, while Karajan
is Karajan with all that entails
This TDK version is
from the Arena di Verona and as such
is a big affair. The Stage Director,
Franco Zefirelli, pulls no punches.
In using such a large space, it becomes
clear the camera operators are stretched
– in big crowd-scenes camera movement
is sometimes jerky. There are some stunning
effects, though – the sheer colour-coordinational
prettiness of Butterfly’s entrance is
entrancing, a real feast for the eyes.
This is underlined by the absolutely
crystal clear picture. Here you hear
her voice but see, initially, a sea
of kimono. The most appealing part is
the Moon-Weaver, who makes his presence
felt during the Humming Chorus performed
by a black-clad chorus. The least appealing
is the dream-like soft-focus used for
Butterfly at one point.
Cio-Cio-San here is
Fiorenza Cedolins. Her voice is fine,
and frequently more so although her
floated high notes are frequently only
nearly floated. The problem is
that she is about as un-Japanese in
looks as could possibly be – and if
she’s a teenager, I’m a bus stop. Worse,
she is hardly fragile and therefore
the vulnerability of the central character
is compromised. Her best moment possibly
comes at ‘Un bel dì’; huge –
and interruptive – applause follows
this.
Marcello Giordani is
an acceptable Pinkerton; Juan Pons a
good, confident Sharpless - particularly
in Act 2. Striuli makes a commanding
Bonze even though his voice is rather
coloured. Giordani in fact takes time
to warm into the role. He is significantly
more impressive towards the end of Act
1 than at his entrance. The weak link
is Battiato’s Yamadori, loud of voice
but without depth.
Francesca Franci is
a rich voiced Suzuki. Her ‘Povera Butterfly’
in Act 3 is most affecting. The Kate
of Mina Blum is appealingly fresh-voiced.
The recording of the
orchestra is lacking in depth; the portions
around ‘America Forever’ being cases
in point. Towards the end of Act 1 it
becomes absolutely clear that the balance
unnaturally favours the brass. By mid-Act
2 it was driving me crazy.
Lovers of opera-in-the-round
spectaculars will like this. Musically
it is no disaster, it’s just that there
are better around. And beware that orchestral
recording quality.
Colin Clarke
TDK
DVWW-OPMBUT [142:00] 
