“BUTTERFLY” SOARS WITH CORINNE WINTERS AS CIO-CIO-SAN.

Corinne Winters and Adam Smith (Kari Cadel)

 Everything that could go right in this season’s production of Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini did. The only thing not to like about Puccini’s gorgeous yet tragic opera, “Madama Butterfly”, is the way it ends. That aside, The San Diego Opera Company with Canadian Yves Abel conducting (to perfection) the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, and Jose Maria Condemi directing debut, San Diego audiences have lots to brag about. 

The Metropolitan Opera first produced “Madama Butterfly” in 1907. It starred Geraldine Farrar as Cio-Cio San and Enrico Caruso played Pinkerton her American suitor, soon to be fly-by-night husband. 

 In 1900, Puccini saw David Belasco's play 'Madame Butterfly'.  It's based on a short story by John Luther Long which in turn was based  partially on the semi-autobiographical 1887 French novel ‘Madame Chrysanthéme’ by Pierre Loti who wrote about his experiences and service in Nagasaki.

Puccini’s  two act (oft times three) opera is so popular, the music so exquisite, the story so tragic yet enticing that it is one of the more popular operas to don any company’s repertoire. The San Diego Opera has staged this timeless opera so many times it’s hard to keep up.

Stephanie Doche and Corinne Winters

This particular  “Butterfly” soars beyond comparison. With the  winning combinations of American soprano Corinne Winters  as Cio-Cio San, mezzo-soprano Stephanie Doche, her servant, protector and confidant Suzuki, tenor Adam Smith  making his San Diego  debut as Pinkerton, and Korean baritone Kidon Choi  as Sharpless the American consul, bass-baritone Scott Sikon, Cio-Cio San’s uncle the  formidable bass-baritone, this production is by far the most comprehensive, the most evenly staged and the most beautifully sung. From my memory I can count at least five other productions that I have seen, and hands down, Corinne Winters et al. give more authenticity to the overall production  than any of the past five I’ve seen.  

Cio-Cio-San is a fifteen -year old Japanese girl in love with love at the prospect of marrying an American sailor who will take her out of the world of the geisha and make an honest woman of her. Little does she know, Pinkerton's ulterior motives; ‘a girl in every port’. ‘He declares that some -day he will take a real American wife.  The swagger of Pinkerton in the beginning shows the way we treated anyone different and especially those across the seas. 

Promising that he will return, she waits three years for his ship The Abraham Lincoln to return to Nagasaki harbor with him aboard for them to settle down as husband and wife. (Un Bel Di… is a tear- jerker, absolutely gorgeous). In the meantime she goes about her every day tasks mostly praying to Pinkerton’s God and wondering what’s taking so long for her prayers to be answered. 

Her father committed suicide, she has been shamed, is  running out of money and refuses to marry the wealthy Prince Yamadori (a strong Soren Pedersen). By the time she realizes Pinkerton will not be coming back to her she brings out her son, fathered by Pinkerton, an adorable  youngster (Five-year-old )  who on a bad day is called ‘Trouble’ (on a good day Joy) who  introduces him to Sharpless who has the nasty job of telling Butterfly that Pinkerton is married to another.

Addison Smyres Corinne Winters and Kidon Choi

In the two plus hours Winters shows her  maturity from a gushing schoolgirl to a mature woman with responsibilities and tough decisions to make. Throughout, her sumptuous voice rings like a bell. Her movements for a small woman who oft times is holding her youngster, she never wavers; is never hampered and every situation as staged is perfect. Her maturity also comes in her actions and the way she comports herself in difficult times. While never taking anything away from her strong, determined voice, there is softness about her thinking; a resignation of what the future will hold for her and her son. She waits throughout the night while a superb (Coro a bocca chiusa) ‘Humming Chorus’ can be heard in the distance. 

Smith, making his San Diego debut is impressive and sure of himself with a soaring voice as well, and I might mention quite  handsome. Kidon Choi’s Sharpless the American consul comes across as sympathetic toward Butterfly and put out with Pinkerton. Although Pinkerton, later on,  does show some remorse, but too little too late. He knows what Butterfly will have to do to maintain her dignity.

Jon Gunter’s one unit set is highlighted by a series of sliding screens, flower petals adorn the stage.  Alice Bristow’s costumes are gorgeous especially the beautiful kimono Butterfly wears on her wedding day. Last but not least, Thomas Hase’s effective and subtle lighting design shows the time changes from daylight to moonlight to dawn to daylight is perfect as Butterfly waits the night for the Abraham Lincoln to dock. When he does arrive, he has his American wife along (Emily Weinberg) and all she can do is wait and watch and promise to bring 'Trouble' up as theirs knowing Butterfly will make the ultimate sacrifice for herself and her child. 

Bring tissues. 

The only other disappointment is that it played for only two performances. 

See you at the theatre