REVIEW: Madam Butterfly

Welsh National Opera

Mayflower Theatre.

SOMEONE somewhere at this very moment is surely writing an opera based on a boorish, self-loving, wealthy American who disparages other cultures and treats women as objects.

But while we wait for Trump the Opera we can recognise that Puccini got there first with his portrayal of the unlikeable Lieutenant Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton in his telling of the tragic story of Madam Butterfly.

Pinkerton, played by Paul Charles Clarke in this version running at Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre, is such a disreputable character that despite a rousing performance he can still expect to receive boos amid the applause at curtain down. No doubt Clarke is used to it, his wry smile to the audience, many on their feet to recognise what is a stunning production, indicated he understood his character’s lack of appeal.

The opera is not, however, truly about the failings of a US naval officer nor the clash of Japanese and American cultures – Puccini in fact based his story on a real-life relationship where the villainous husband was French. The opera is primarily about its central character, Madam Butterfly herself.

Here the multi-award winning star Karah Son is Cio-Cio-San, Madam Butterfly. Her performance is simply quite stunning throughout. Puccini’s masterpiece, the heartbreaking Un Bel Di Vedremo (One Beautiful Day) is the aria that every soprano dreams of singing and Son delivers it with a passion that brings tears to the eyes.

As Butterfly and her faithful maid Suzuki – performed by the wonderful Rebecca Afonwy-Jones – wait through the night in vain for Pinkerton to return to his wife and Japanese home, there was a stillness in the audience that mirrored the glorious hopelessness of Puccini’s heart-wrenching score.

As with most modern opera productions, those who do not know the story can follow the plot on an over-head LED presentation. However, far better, I felt, to concentrate on the sublime performances than each line of the plot.

If there was one word of criticism it was the strength at times of the otherwise wonderful WNO Orchestra which overwhelmed the performers on a very few occasions.

Through his work Puccini skewered the human heart and soul. What he would have made of the modern world we can only guess at.

Madam Butterfly is performed again at the Mayflower this Saturday, May 29.

Ian Murray.