Sachie Ueshima as Cio-Cio-San and Jonathan Burton as Lt. Pinkerton. Photo by David Pearson Photography.
Under the baton of conductor Adam Turner, Virginia Opera and Richmond Symphony Orchestra gifted Northern Virginia with a dazzling and heartfelt production of Giacomo Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” that featured sumptuous costumes, unforgettable acting, and world-class singing.
…a dazzling and heartfelt production…sumptuous costumes, unforgettable acting, and world-class singing.
The family fortune lost and her father dead by suicide, fifteen-year-old Madama Butterfly, also known as Cio-Cio-San (Soprano, Karen Chia-ling Ho) is forced to become a Geisha to survive. American Naval officer, Lieutenant Benjamin Pinkerton (Tenor, Jonathan Burton), callously exploits Cio-Cio-San’s youth and vulnerability by marrying her with every intention of discarding her when he returns to the United States. Cio-Cio-San believes that Pinkerton truly loves her, and so she is willing to do anything to please him—even suffer society’s shunning. This is just the beginning of what Butterfly’s naive devotion to a scoundrel will cost her.
The opera’s most popular aria, “Un bel di vedremo” (“One Fine Day”) showcased Chia-ling-Ho’s (Butterfly) glorious soprano and dramatic prowess, and the beloved honeymoon duet “Viene la sera” (“Evening Comes”) was movingly sung by Chia-ling Ho and Burton, whose clear and powerful tenor was a highlight of the evening. In fact, Burton was so adept at bringing the thoughtless Pinkerton to life, that the audience had a difficult time separating the artist from the character during the curtain call, responding with boos when cheering was in order. Other notable performances included Mezzo-Soprano Kristen Choi as Butterfly’s devoted maid, Tenor Zhengyi Bai as Goro, the wiley marriage broker, and Baritone Grant Youngblood as Sharpless, the U.S. Consul to Nagasaki. The young Alana Kypros very effectively portrayed Butterfly’s son, Sorrow, with innocence and child-like guile.
Scenic Designer Wallace Coberg’s set played an essential role in the unfolding of this well-told story. Set in post-WWII Japan, the action took place in front of a traditional Japanese home that featured sliding shoji doors, as well as a framed photograph of Dwight D. Eisenhower and an American flag—serving to emphasize Butterfly’s complete devotion to her American husband. Strains of “The Star-Spangled Banner” weave in and out of the score, signaling that an element of American arrogance has played a role in the story’s tragic outcome.
Costume Designer Ruoxuan Li’s attention to detail was evident in the Japanese characters’ elegant kimonos. The American characters appeared in Western attire, including military uniforms, formal suits, and for Pinkerton’s blonde, American wife, a suit and matching hat typical of the era. The stark contrast magnified the power imbalance between the occupying forces and the people of a recently defeated nation.
Founded in 1974, Virginia Opera has a proud history of providing the Commonwealth with a broad repertoire featuring some of opera’s most illustrious young talent, and this production of “Madama Butterfly” was no exception. As a practical matter, the George Mason Center for the Arts offers free parking (an unheard of luxury at D.C.-based theatres) as well as unparalleled convenience for opera lovers who reside in the Northern Virginia suburbs.
Running Time: Approximately two hours and 45 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.
“Madama Butterfly” was performed March 16-17, 2024 at the George Mason University Center for the Arts, 4373 Mason Pond Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030. For information about the Virginia Opera, go online. For information about upcoming events at the Center for the Arts, click here.
