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| Karah Son and ladies chorus in "Madama Butterfly" |
Conducted by Massimo Zanetti – Directed by Graeme
Murphy
Production designed by Michael Scott-Mitchell –
Costumes designed by Jennifer Irwin
Video and Projections designed by Sean Nieuwenhuis
Joan Sutherland Theatre 28th July to August 10th
2019.
Reviewed by Bill Stephens
.
Graeme Murphy’s amazing re-imagining of Puccini’s
“Madama Butterfly” is as much a feast for the eye as it is for the ear. His
stunning use of LED screens and video projections, together with Michael
Scott-Mitchell’s shiny revolving metal and Perspex setting and Jennifer Irwin’s
amazing costumes, transports the viewer into a mesmerizing, surreal world,
in which the audience can experiences the character’s thoughts and emotions as
well as listen to their voices and watch their actions.
In this world, when Cio- Cio-San sings “Un bel di
verdremo” (One Fine Day), her words flutter around her. When she and Pinkerton
express their love for each other, their passion is represented by floating images
of semi-nude dancers. A dream sequence illustrating
Cio-Cio-San’s state of mind as she waits for Pinkerton’s return is bravely performed
by Cio-Cio-San and dancer Teagan Lowe on a precariously high raked stage.
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| Teagan Lowe (suspended) and Aandeka Gorrotxategi (Pinkerton) in the opening moments of "Madama Butterfly". |
The opera commences dramatically with a stunning
tableau in which a scarlet bound butterfly figure plunges to the stage into the
arms of a distraught Pinkerton - a portent of the events to follow.
It’s obvious from the beginning that Pinkerton,
dashingly portrayed on opening night by handsome Spanish tenor, Andeka
Gorrotxategi, had no intention of a lasting marriage with Butterfly and was
simply taking advantage of the Japanese law which allowed husbands to walk away
from their marriage. However Cio-Cio-San
(Korean soprano, Karah Son), appeared complicit, happy to denounce her family
and her religion to enter into a marriage-at-first-sight arrangement with
Pinkerton to escape her life as a geisha and achieve her dream of living in
America.
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| The wedding of Cio-Cio-San - Artists of Opera Australia |
The marriage ceremony, during which she denounces her
family, is stunningly staged in a fantasia of black and white stripes.
Following which Cio-Cio-San, unnerved by her family’s response to her
denunciation, but advised by Pinkerton “not to cry over croaking frogs” retires
with Pinkerton for an erotically staged night of passion.
Pinkerton returns to America, having promised
Cio-Cio-San that he would return for her. However after the passage of three
years, during which, unbeknownst to Pinkerton, she has borne him a son,
Cio-Cio-San refuses to believe any suggestion that Pinkerton may have abandoned
her.
Having rejected offers of marriage by the wealthy
Yamadori (Christopher Hillier), Cio-Cio-San finds herself in straitened
circumstances but refuses to give up her dream of a new life in America for her
and her son. Supported by her loyal servant Suzuki (in this production given a
rather aggressive interpretation by Sian Sharp) becomes obsessed with waiting
for Pinkerton’s return.
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| Karah Son sings "On Fine Day" |
Pinkerton in the meantime has asked his friend
Sharpless (Michael Honeyman), to inform Cio-Cio-San of his marriage and that he
is bringing his new wife to meet her. However when Sharpless learns of the
child, he is unable to bring himself to give Cio-Cio-San Pinkerton’s message,
leaving Cio-Cio-San to make the discovery of Pinkerton’s marriage herself.
Knowing that
she could never willingly give up her son, Cio-Cio-San decides that the only
way to insure his happy life in America is to kill herself, and does so, centre
stage and shockingly, just as Pinkerton arrives.
As with his previous productions for Opera Australia, Murphy
calls on his well-honed choreographic skills to create a succession of
mesmerizing theatrical sequences while carefully focusing attention on those
details of the storyline which offer new insights and possibilities.
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| Andeka Gorrotxategi (Pinkerton) - Karah Son (Cio-Cio-San) |
In Karah Son he has a perfect Cio-Cio-San – a superbly
accomplished singer willing to take the risks involved in moving away from
accepted interpretations, and with enough confidence in her acting skills to immerse
herself totally in the music and production to create a deeply moving
performance.
Surrounding her is a fine cast of experienced singers,
each responding to the heightened reality of Murphy’s vision to create characters
that sear themselves into the psyche while paying homage to Puccini’s sublime
music superbly performed by Opera Australia Orchestra under the direction of
Maestro Massimo Zanetti.
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| Karah Son as Cio-Cio- San |
Graeme Murphy and his team of creatives have made imaginative
use of the latest technology to create an extraordinary production which
illuminates and celebrates the genius of Giacomo Puccini by transporting its audience
into a new dimension.
This review appears in Australian Arts Review. www.artsreview.com.au