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It's All In The Detail - Madama Butterfly in Valencia

Music

By Rahau MihaiPublished 2 years ago 5 min read
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Madame Butterfly by Puccini is a well-known, adored, and very well-liked opera. One could assume there isn't much to witness in terms of fresh viewpoints when such a well-known piece with such a well-developed concept is performed since the genre is rife with femme fatales—for example, Butterfly, Tosca, Manon, Carmen, Luca, Violetta, and Katya—who ultimately succeed. But opera enthusiasts would attest that there most certainly is!

Generally speaking, audiences may be divided into two groups: those who see any departure from their own ideas as the death of civilization and those who see radical interpretation as a welcome challenge to the status quo. However, there is another viewpoint in which directors, via subtle staging adjustments, may entirely alter how we read these sometimes rigidly presented storylines. Emilio Lopez, the director of the latest production in Valencia, was a triumph in this regard. On Sunday, December 19, his 2021 production of Butterfly will be televised on Opera Vision and made accessible through that website for a few weeks. On a number of levels, one of which is revelatory, it succeeds.

Let's begin by defining verismo. That definitely pertained to the way Puccini handled his work, and it suggests that the individuals may not be portrayed as nobles and that the environment shouldn't be opulent. The composer is unlikely to have lived during the Japan of the opera's setting in the middle of the 19th century, therefore if verismo is applicable to Butterfly, it does so primarily on an ideological level. Nevertheless, designers and directors often can't control the opera's capacity for costume drama, which makes it difficult to even recognize verismo in the finished product. To put it another way, everything becomes attractive before it can be believed. And verismo is the one who loses.

Act One begins with Cio-Cio-san explaining how she originated from a low-income family and turned into a geisha due to a lack of opportunities. The Mikado gave her father the ceremonial dagger with the intention that he use it on himself before she used it to end her own life. Therefore, we must presume that Butterfly's family was already in bad standing. Then, she adds insult to injury by renouncing her religious and cultural customs, which uncle Bonze finds repugnant. All of her friends and the community reject her, with the exception of Suzuki, of course. This rejection is often covered up by Puccini's introduction of the wedding night's love scene. The starry night of the couple's pleasure is shown in the Valencia production's background, which formerly featured cherry blossoms, but it does so by melting like celluloid in an overheated projector, suggesting that the once-comforting blooms have been destroyed. The starry night continues throughout acts two and three, but does so as a representation of Butterfly's continuing exile and her insistence—nay, necessity—to live in the past.

Cio-Cio-san often gives the impression of being a shy, conventional Asian lady who has never even tried saying "boo" to some nearby geese. She thus often adopts Pinkerton's naive, single-minded persona despite the fact that, as a geisha, she must have encountered shady sailors in the past. Although her supplicant demeanor may win over audiences, it also deprives her of the personality and uniqueness she undoubtedly possesses—otherwise, she wouldn't have been so steadfast in pursuing her own, personal desires.

She doesn't have many options, and that's the key point. She's in need. A geisha, she is. She completed her work. She accepts Pinkerton's offer of help, albeit naively. But once she's committed, there is no turning back. She aspires to win his approval, but in doing so, she incurs the wrath of her own neighborhood. She must, nevertheless, take the chance.

Emilio Lopez notices that Cio-Cio-san is struggling to make ends meet in Valencia. She and Suzuki dwell among degradation and filth, having been ignored by Pinkerton for three years and yet being ostracized by her own town. Butterfly is not shown in this play in her full, extravagant geisha attire, despite the urge to do so. The libretto by Suzuki attests to this impoverishment. Butterfly's too-often blind trust now seems to be a need, forced by her group as a result of her rejection by and of them. She is unable to return. She is without other choices. Directors often have a tendency to ignore this aspect of verismo in opera.

The big surprise in this Valencia production, however, occurs at the conclusion. Pinkerton is back, but he won't see Butterfly. Because he can no longer handle it, he storms off. But he does desire the kid. Butterfly tells Sharpless and his new American wife to return in 30 minutes to pick up the kid. Pinkerton has not heard her plea, as you can see.

Butterfly, however, has her own plans that entail use the ceremonial weapon that her father used to commit suicide. The components are obvious. When Butterfly commits suicide, Pinkerton's voice may be heard calling back. Or maybe not...

The typical solution is to have Butterfly stab herself during the orchestral tutti, and then for Pinkerton's voice to be audible as she passes away. If Pinkerton is not visible, it may be claimed that he was really evil from the start and that Cio-Cio-san is just making up the voice to fool herself even more. If he does show up, his character is essentially given a pass. Butterfly might have waited, maybe recapturing the awe of the starry night. She had already waited three years, however.

When Cio-Cio-san hears the voice, she sometimes stabs herself. Again, she may be hallucinating the sound, but it's also possible that she is experiencing some kind of self-loathing as a consequence of the rejection. Once again, this strategy internalizes Butterfly's pain.

When she hears Pinkerton's summons, Butterfly turns to face the door to her home in the Valencia performance as the orchestral tutti enters with a blade brandished. She waits for him to show up and acknowledge her before killing herself.

The result is that her suicide is now seen as a defiant act. She is certain that the youngster will get care. Both Pinkerton and her society have rejected her. She has no future and is all alone. She wants to show her disdain, but she is now also certain that he won't possess her. You won't treat me like a piece of property, she reasons. Thus, her character is changed from a victim of tragedy who is gentle and meek to a resolute individualist who is also dead. She has at least defended her own perspective. It's unique and unexpected, which brilliantly demonstrates how sometimes the most drastic changes are accomplished via attention to detail.

classical
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About the Creator

Rahau Mihai

Hi! Come to my profile and you will see really useful things or something to relax you !

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