The score of “Madama Butterfly,” like its narrative, is a world of cultural intersections - the pentatonic runs associated with Eastern musical conventions laid across the contrapuntal voice leading of the Western classical tradition. The Atlanta Opera’s orchestra was in fine form, with conductor Timothy Myers turning in a straightforward performance that captured the bombastic nature of the score while never clashing with the singers. Nevertheless, Terranova’s interpretation does allow for sharper tugs on the heartstrings in the opera’s final moments. To play the man as overly likable is to undercut the patriarchal trappings that belie his darker nature. “Madama Butterfly” is a story deeply rooted in the conventions of the classic Greek tragedies and tells the story of two lovers whose genuine affection is undercut by the Achilles’ heels in their respective natures - Butterfly’s innocent naivete and Pinkerton’s occidental arrogance. While his captivating vocal performance was certainly exemplary from a technical standpoint, there was, nevertheless, a sweetness to his read on the character - even in the moments leading up to the revelation of his betrayal - which seemed to make Pinkerton entirely too likable. Her experience is readily apparent - she takes on the role as if wearing a warm glove and her effortless command of the part’s dynamic vocal range would sound like an afterthought were she not so filled with ravaged agony in the performance’s final moments.īy contrast, Gianluca Terranova’s interpretation of Lieutenant Pinkerton seemed almost meek by comparison. Sato is a veteran of the role, having already performed the opera at Teatro Regio di Parma, Teatro dell’Opera di Firenze, the Trapani Festival and the Seattle Opera. Yasko Sato carries the title role with tremendous grace and sincerity, giving a heartbreaking look into the inner world of a young woman whose hopes and dreams are cruelly destroyed. The romance on display requires a delicate balance between Butterfly’s innocence and the suspicious intentions of Pinkerton. “Madama Butterfly” features a colorful cast of characters, but hinges on the chemistry between Butterfly (aka Cio-Cio San) and her suitor, Lieutenant Pinkerton. The visual trappings, while extraordinary, are only a footnote to the performers themselves. Costume designers Allen Charles Klein and Kathleen Trott clearly went to great lengths to recreate the fashions of the time. That simplicity, much like the architecture that inspired it, served as a gently textured canvas upon which the variegated costuming could radiate. The tatami floors and shoji doors created a large open space for the action while still conveying the intimacy of home and creature comforts. Here the minimalist, squared-off design of the period’s architecture served as a boon to the presentation. The first and most commendable accomplishment of that goal came in the form of Erhard Rom’s set design, which captured the look of a traditional Japanese home in the harbor town of Nagasaki.
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