Madama Butterfly at the San Diego Opera (9 May 2009): A Cultural Clash of Operatic Proportion

Saturday night saw the opening of Puccini's Madama Butterfly at the San Diego Civic Theater in downtown. It was a spectacular success that earned every decibel of the roaring applause erupted from the audience that expected a lot and was still blown away by what was delivered on the stage.

Written in 1904, Puccini's operatic take on David Belasco's play of the same name is a timeless tale of love stressed beyond its breaking point by cultural differences and social expectations. The young American navy Lt. Pinkerton, with the aid of the Consul Sharpless, enters into an arranged marriage with down-on-her-luck geisha Cio-Cio-san (madama Butterfly) without much thought of commitment in his mind while she naively hangs on to his every word. For three years she endures the humiliation of rejection by her own relatives for having adopted her husband's religion, faithfully awaiting the return of Pinkerton while raising their young son alone with the help of her maid, Susuki. Having defiantly turned down marriage proposals by wealthy Prince Yamadori, Butterfly's spirit is overjoyed when she sights Pinkerton's ship, the USS Abraham Lincoln, sailing into port... none too soon considering the perilous financial condition she is in. Her lover returns, but not alone and with a different plan for their future. If you want to know how it all ends, believe me, this opera performed by this cast at the San Diego Opera is well worth the ticket price to go and see for yourself!

This production uses Francesca Zambello's gorgeous staging that is a mesmerizing mix between traditional and conceptual styles. It is quite easy to understand and has some really visually stunning moments. The direction by Garnett Bruce was effective if not glitch-free (there were some moments, like immediately after the marriage license was signed, when the cast keep congratulating or saying good bye to each other over and over to pass the time rather than meaningfully. And Joseph Hu's first scene as Goro was a bit over-acted). Once the principal characters took over the stage from the middle of the first act on, though, it was high drama all the way on in.

It is worth paying $200 for a good seat to this run of Madama Butterfly just to experience Patricia Racette as the title role. She is the very name that will appear on just about everyone's wish list for this exhausting part. And if I expected much from her when I walked into the auditorium, by the time we get to the love duet that ends the first act it was clear that I hadn't expected enough. The woman is a walking fire hazard with a powerful voice that projects sweet teenage innocence just as well as it does maternal horror. This is a Butterfly that can compel sympathy even from the iciest of sociopaths, a multi-dimensional character who is so invested in her own belief in her lover's fidelity and yet so palpably vulnerable (and even spunkily funny at moments) that one can't help but shudder at the thought of her inevitable disappointment.

It also helps that her Pinkerton is portrayed by Carlo Ventre not as an incurably selfish cad but a young buck who should have learned restraint and cultural sensibility before he was allowed within 50 feet of any woman of child-bearing age. The tenor was occasionally in danger of being covered by the orchestra on opening night (especially during the first act), but his lyrical voice and singing matched very well with Racette's during the love duet. I think he did quite well, though the audience's cheering during his curtain sounded suspiciously like booing... which would be quite odd unless it was done jokingly because his character had wronged the spectacular Racette's Butterfly.

Malcolm MacKenzie and Suzanna Guzman were splendid in their supporting roles of Sharpless and Susuki. It is a given that Sharpless is the nice (and unfortunately helpless) guy of the story, but MacKenzie still manages to suggest more than just one side of the character (having a strong voice sure doesn't hurt either). And since there is really no way anyone can out-act a Butterfly of the caliber we have here, Suzanna Guzman's ability to contrast the younger character with her sure-handed stillness makes her an ideal sidekick to the tragic heroine.

The San Diego Opera Chorus was flawless on opening night, especially in the famous Act II humming chorus and the San Diego Symphony under Maestro Edoardo Müller filled the Civic Theater with vivid multi-cultural tonal picture. Perhaps the orchestral volume could be reined back a bit to avoid covering Ventre or forcing Racette to sing louder than she needed to, but that is really a minor complaint considering how well everything went on opening night.

So! If you are in San Diego area and haven't filled up your evening schedule for May 12, 15, 17 (matinee), and 20, do come down to the Civic Theater in downtown and catch a performance of this show. Actually, even if you aren't in San Diego area... do try to come down anyway! Unlike Peter Grimes, Madama Butterfly is a romantic period opera that, aside from being satisfyingly dramatic, is also full of gorgeous melodies. It takes no musical sophistication other than the ability to enjoy great music and acting to enjoy this show.

A Butterfly of this caliber doesn't come around all that often and Patricia Racette is one of those rare opera singers you will cry yourself to sleep every night forever after if you end up never having heard her perform live. Ian Campbell saved the best for last this season, and the best is really out of this world!

More info about the show is available at www.sdopera.com

*Smorg received a press pass to this performance.