Puccini’s Madama Butterfly is east and west love story with betrayal strikes a cord with history and current times. Opera’s are often stories of post histories. A new version of Madama Butterfly is contemporary story of an American naval officer stationed in Nagasaki during the second world war.
This is very much an Asian love tragedy making and Italian opera into an Asian melodrama. Like other legendary love tragedies like Romeo and Juliette, this new rendition of Madama Butterly is certainly an Asian tragedy and betrayal.
Pickering, an American Navel officer seduces Cio- cio -San otherwise known as Madama Butterfly, a Japanese Geisha for his pleasure and promises her love and devotion only to leave her with a promise to return. A son is born out her love for her American lover. She waits year after year for his return. When he finally returns, he brings with him his American wife and asks Cio-cio- San to give her son to his American wife.
Puccini’s compelling music really adds the tension, drama and emotion to the operatic oration that really makes this a powerful melo dramatic production.
The Vancouver Opera chose this production directed by Mo Zhou as to end its 65 season at the Queen Elizabeth Theater. Yasko Sato’s portrayal of Cio-cio-San was spell bounding giving her standing ovation.