There is only a short time left to book tickets for as low as $79 to see Sydney Opera’s Madama Butterfly. The stunning performance takes place at Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House and runs for approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes, including one interval, so buckle up for a magnificent ride!
Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly is a production by choreographer-director Graeme Murphy and revived by Shane Placentino and the story follows a former geisha (Butterfly) who marries an American Navy officer (Pinkerton) and their tragic love story.
In Act I, we are introduced to Pinkerton and his soon to be bride, Butterfly. Pinkerton is deployed in Japan and looking for a little female companionship (if ya know what I mean). Pinkerton, however, has the notion that what happens in Japan, stays in Japan while Butterfly is young and in love and a hopeless romantic who cannot wait to marry her American Naval officer. She converts her religion to marry her American man and her uncle storms in and says she has dishonoured them. Meanwhile, Pinkerton is excited to get the ball rolling and “enjoy” his new wife.
In Act II, we jump three years into the future (love a good time hop) and Pinkerton is away in America and left shortly after consummating their marriage (again what happens in Japan…) Butterfly believes her husband (the love of her life) is going to return to her.
This is when things start to get emotional so grab your tissues. The famous music from the opera unfolds and the heartbreaking, ‘Un bel di vedremo’ (‘One Beautiful Day’) is performed with so much emotion which foreshadows the ultimately harrowing end and the opera’s tragic conclusion. This Aria is truly heartbreaking and I’ll admit I shed a tear. The sheer grandeur of the performance and the aching in Butterfly’s voice will pierce you right in the heart.
For those that aren’t familiar with this Aria, as we know from above, Butterfly is longing and waiting for her American husband to return. She is singing to her maid (Suzuki) and unveils the story of how they will one day be reunited and her beloved will come back to her (which her maid is trying to convince her won’t happen, because HELLO!). The tragedy is that she still has hope that her love will come back to her but she is unaware of the fact that those around her do not believe that he will and deep down maybe neither does she? Scratch that – she completely believes he will, and maybe that is a lesson to us all when it comes to young love and the hope we carry with it.
All of a sudden, we meet Butterfly’s son. Yup, you read that right, son. He’s as cute as a button and has blue eyes (I wonder where he gets it from, maybe HIS DAD?). Among all the drama, the young actor who plays their son was actually cute as a button and hilariously waved to the audience (I believe to his real parents watching in the crowd) during one of the tense moments of the opera which gained a chuckle from the audience and a little bit of comedic relief!
Act III! I don’t want to ruin the ending for you, because, really, you need to go see this opera. However, a naval ship is seen in the harbour and Butterfly is ecstatic because her Pinkerton has returned. Yeah, yikes. Prepare for the heartbreak that ensues.
First performed to audiences in 1904 this opera was actually not a fan favourite (why? shocking!) but after Puccini took on the harsh criticism he made a few changes and to this day it remains one of the most performed (and loved) operas.
The opera was full of emotion and beautiful operatic performances with brilliant costume design. Jennifer Irwin’s costumes evoke a flare of oriental fashion missed in with twentieth century colonialism against the backdrop of the mesmerising digital images, projections graphics and very patriotic American flags.
Directed by Australian dance legend Graeme Murphy, this production is one of the first to use 12 moving LED high definition panels that move and spin in and out of the space with sprawling animations that fit the story and opera perfectly and at times, I won’t lie were very intense if you’re sitting up close, so don’t fret if your seats are a little further back because any seat is the best seat in the house.
Book your tickets here, and experience the magnificence and tragedy Madama Butterfly has to offer Sydney audiences for yourself. This stunning production is nearly over and you will regret missing such a thrilling digital and live performance.
Please Note: This production contains sexual references, themes of sexual abuse and suicide.
The production runs from June 29 to July 30.
Photo Credit: Keith Saunders