Customer Reviews

Puccini - Madama Butterfly / Fiorenza Cedolins, Marcello Giordani, Juan Pons, Francesca Franci, Carlo Bosi, Daniel Oren, Verona Opera

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A previous reviewer dissed this production because of Zeffirelli's conception. I must respectfully disagree with him. Zeffirelli is a known quantity -- he tends to mount productions that are traditional but just a bit over the top. Considering that this is Italian opera, I don't see anything wrong with that. (I still love his Met 'Bohème' no matter what others say.) As for the sets, which of course were designed by Zeffirelli, they are not really over the top, although they are lush and absolutely gorgeous to look at.

What makes a 'Butterfly' for me (aside from musical considerations, about which more below) the most important thing is that I believe the action. And in this production I do. Granted neither Cedolins as Butterfly or Giordani as Pinkerton is a youngster. But each of them is a good enough actor to make us believe them. Cedolins is the show, of course, as anyone portraying Butterfly must be. She is a very believable actress and I will admit that I forgot that she was a 40ish Italian soprano; she made me enter into the world of a young and credulous Japanese child-bride. Her Act II and III are heart-breaking. Pinkerton's remorse in Act III is believable (even if he is still an 'ugly American.') Outstanding is the venerable Juan Pons as Sharpless.

Musically, this 'Butterfly' is at or near the top rank. The Israeli conductor Daniel Oren leads an exciting performance. His orchestra is outstanding, the pacing is precise and apt, and Oren is emotionally and musically in sync with his singers. Cedolins is not necessarily an ideal Butterfly musically in that she cannot quite convey the ineffable tenderness and rapture required of this quintessentially lyrico-spinto role and her 'Un bel dì' is slightly disappointing on that score. Butterfly, of course, is a horribly difficult role because, like Violetta, it almost requires two different voice types in one singer. As for Giordani's Pinkerton, it is quite impressive. Giordani is strangely little-known but he really does have a marvelous Italianate tenor and this part fits him like a glove. Granted, it is strange to see little blond Trouble as the child of two Italian brunet(te)s -- Cedolins and Giordani -- but verisimilitude be damned: the child is winsome and a good little actor, too. (It was strange to read the English subtitle that has him named 'Pain' rather than the more traditional 'Trouble', but no matter.) Juan Pons is both sympathetic and musically magnificent as Sharpless. Francesca Franci's Suzuki is good but not outstanding. The rest of the secondary characters are more than acceptable. (I did wonder why Goro was wearing a kimono made out of what looks for all the world like Burberry plaid!)

As far as the stage action, costumes and set I have absolutely no complaints. Indeed, I was more than a little impressed by them. Seeing this after seeing Robert Wilson's kabuki-inspired 'Butterfly' was like coming home after a trip to a strange (read: weird) land.

TT:142 mins; Subtitles: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish; Sound: (excellent!) Dolby 5.1, DTS 5.1, LPCM Stereo.

Scott Morrison

I too have been searching for a good Butterfly, and this is my 3rd try. And this IS it. The soprano was spectacular. She's Puccini, not bel canto, but this is Puccini. Yes it does begin on the side of a hill that opens to Butterfly's home. That home is NOT grandiose, it is simple. The tenor had a beautiful voice too. Sharpless did a marvelous acting job. The direction was perfect. The harpies were a perfect touch and did not at all detract from the traditional staging. The colors and music were absolutely beautiful. One Fine Day took my breath away; she sang it perfectly. The opening hill and the harpies are the only unconventional touches I noticed, the only signs of a nontraditional director's hand with the possible scenes of frenzy from Butterfly toward the end. That too was good. She IS in a frenzy, frantic. And as for Pinkerton's being too old, have you ever seen a production of Butterfly with a 15 year old girl? I loved it. I applauded the soprano (none of these names is familiar to me). I've seen an Oriental Butterfly (East meets West, Italian opera doesn't mix with Japanese artifice), and I've seen the mimed movie version with Freni and Domingo (which I thought was ridiculous), all in my search for a GOOD production of one of my favorite operas. I kept wondering why no one ever made one, they make as written films of other operas. And finally as for Zeffirelli, as in Boheme, Pagliacci and Cavaleria (the only others of his I've seen, and I own them), his touch was gifted and perfect. At last and many wasted dollars later, I have my Madama Butterfly. That soprano's singing was out of this world.

Although almost all operas are made to be seen in person, Madama Butterfly is a show I think one HAS to see in person in order to fully take in its effect. A DVD could never do this show justice.

This DVD is no different, but I feel did a very good job in putting up a great show. My biggest criticism (as others have put here) is an over-abundance of elegance. Suzuki is a poor girl, there is no way she would be living her lifestyle that they portrayed.

The stage though was beautiful. Gorgeous and detailed set, and equally beautiful costumes. I was surprised considering how this performance was done, that the sound was so pure. This is not a particular favorite opera of mine, but the performers were wonderful in both acting and singing.

This DVD has certainly provoked some strong negative feelings and opinions, some of which just seem crabby and unfair to me. While it's not perfect (always room for improvement!), this video recording of Madama Butterfly live at the Arena di Verona is well worth viewing, if not owning.

Fiorenza Cedolins is fantastic as Cio-Cio-San. She manages the treacherous role of Puccini's tragic heroine with grace and aplomb, both vocally and dramatically. She sings with delicacy (lovely high pianissimos) and great power when needed, never seeming to strain or work very hard (no ugly facial contortions like some singers). Her performance is believable and touching, and she is the most memorable of the cast.

Marcello Giordani also gives a great performance. Pinkerton, of course, is the less sympathetic of these lovers, so he is harder to like, but Giordani has a beautiful voice and acts his part well. His self-described bel canto style applied to this verismo work creates gorgeous results and he is a pleasure to listen to.

In the pit, this production is in the masterful hands of Daniel Oren, who carries this show with great sensitivity. Every tempo and dynamic seems perfectly matched to the actions and emotions on the stage.

Now for the minor quibbles. Emphasis on "minor," because none of these in any way ruins this fine production:
1. Act I is a bit over-peopled for my taste. Another reviewer described "swarms" of people, and it is true. If all of those supernumeraries added something important to the drama, then that would be fine, but they don't.
2. Whatever was used to lighten Marcello Giordani's hair makes it look green under the stage lights. Yes, green. It's weird enough to be distracting, which is so unfortunate, because his singing is beautiful.
3. The mysterious dancers during the humming chorus and the finale are odd. I'm convinced that the panoramic view in the arena was probably more effective, but on video with so many close-ups, these "angels of death" (or whatever they are supposed to be) detract from the story.
4. Mina Blum as Kate Pinkerton is simply awful. Her voice sounds rough and she looks more suitable as a wife to the aged Sharpless of Juan Pons than Pinkerton. Fortunately, her part is very small and quickly forgettable (well, almost).

I almost did not buy this DVD because of the mixed reviews, but I am very glad I did. I tend to cycle through opera DVDs, but I think this one may be a keeper. Recommended.

After Fiorenza Cedolins' entrance as Butterfly in which she floats top notes to die for, one member of the audience yells out "Brava, Fiorenza" so everyone can hear. This really sums up my response to this performance. Callas, Scotto, and Price were all great Butterflys, none greater than Callas in my book. And in this DVD, Cedolins takes her place with the greats. For those who commented on her weight, it is apparent that they never saw Tebaldi or Price in the role. I'll take a little weight with a voice like this any day. In fact, when the Met opened their season with Butterfly not too long ago, they gave us a soprano without the extra pounds but without the needed voice as well.
If Cedolins were the only performer to assess here, I would simply rate this with five stars, but, although both are very good indeed, Giordani and Pons are four-star singers and actors for me, though I like both of them very much. And as been repeatedly pointed out by others, Mina Blum as Kate Pinkerton is simply horrible.
As for Zeffirelli's productions, you either like them or you don't. Critics hate them. The public goes ecstatic over them. I am one who appreciates what the great man does, even if he goes over the top from time to time.
I would highly recommend this performance for a great Butterfly and an enjoyable evening.

I love Butterfly and I love Fiorenza Cedolins, particularly in her renditions
of Norma and Don Carlo where her presence is truly regal. But she is not right
for Butterfly and this should not have been attempted. Too mature and too heavy.
It's important to know when to let certain roles go. Much the same can be said for Giordani; not a convincing Pinkerton.

Having watched Cedolins' triumphant Norma on DVD recently, I could not wait to see her Butterfly. It turns out to be a disappointment. This opera revolves around one character: Cio Cio San. She makes or breaks the performance. Cedolins tries, but is uncomfortable in this role. The performance is hardly in the league of Tebaldi-Campora, or Moffo-Bergonzi, or Callas-di Stefano. B.F.Pinkerton is a pseudo irrelevance to be loathed. He is a contemptible chap, whose only contribution to society is to sing that beautiful duet with Cio Cio San. Marcello Giordani can pass as a grandfather attempting to molest a teenager. It is hard to be convinced that he is a male slut, about to betray our beloved Cio Cio San. He is too old for that. As Sharpless, Juan Pons performs credibly, but regardless how well he carries his weight, he cannot change the outcome of the ball game.

It was Puccini's intention that Cio Cio San is a 15-year old Japanese girl living in poverty. In this DVD she lives in a palatial mountain hideout, guarded by movable mountain gates - thanks to the generosity of Franco Zefferelli. The technical aspects of this DVD are superb: beautiful colors, excellent audio, and good audio-visual synchronization. In spite of that, this DVD is 3.5 star.

The best DVD for Butterfly stars Anna Moffo, available on Amazon. Her performance was passionate, and she captured every detail on the daintiness and pain of an innocent Japanese girl, vocally and emotionally. It was a heart-wrenching performance. I don't mind the B&W. This performance was done in Italy and it catapulted her as an overnight sensation in 1956. All Italy fell madly in love with her. This DVD shows why. Her youth and beauty did not hurt. She was probably 23 or 24. In the next breath, I was privileged to see the great Maria Callas perform Butterfly live in Chicago around mid-1950's. Her compatriots were Giuseppe di Stefano, and Tullio Serafin. What a combo! I hated BFP, but di Stefano was so superb that I rushed out the next day to get the complete opera with Callas and di Stefano on 33 rpm. The pleasure of witnessing Callas perform live is 30% ears, and 70% eyes. She was absolutely magnetic. She was Cio Cio San. I recognize that I am slowly becoming that extinct species who had the privilege of seeing Callas perform live. One remembers Callas forever.

I've been waiting and waiting for the perfectly sung and staged Butterfly to appear on DVD. This is not it. The opera begins on a huge rock (or is it a cliff?) swarming with people. Suddenly the rock splits open and reveals Butterfly's house or shall we say small palace, which she must have purchsed from the Turandot Real Estate Company. More people swarming all over the place. If you've guessed this is a Franco Zeffirelli production, you are correct. He turns Butterfly's wedding into the triumphal scene from AIDA. Franco never thinks small! And the singing? If you can imagine Ethel Merman as an opera singer, soprano Florenca Cedolibns will not disappoint you in the title roll. When Pinkerton makes his first appearance I thought it was the consol general. Marcello Giordani is not a young navel officer. He's much too old for the part and looked like he would need Viagra to meet all of Butterfly's expectations and passion. His singing isn't bad but he's physically miscast. Conductor Daniel Oren moves things along and the sound is fantastic. The color is also especially rich and vivid. In my opinion Butterfly is not an arena-type opera. This work is so fragile and tender it lends itself to the intimacy of an opera house. I wouldn't say don't buy this, but be aware it's blown out of all proportions vocally and production wise. There might be people out there who like it this way but I'm not one of them.

New trends in opera staging ask not only for good singers but also for good actors and reliable presence of these singers on stage. This 2004 production of Madama Butterfly in the Arena di Verona is opposite to all these new concepts. This is perhaps Zeffirelli's pathetic swan song as an opera stage director. Fiorenza Cedolins is not a bad singer but she is extremely fat for the role of the delicate Butterfly. She is not a good actress either. With the exceptions of Juan Pons, who fits well to his role of Sharpless, and the cute child who plays the role of Butterfly's son, the rest of the cast is completely disgusting to say the less, particularly the singer who plays the small role of Pinkerton's american wife in the last act. The staging is extremely kitsch opposite to the simplicity that characterizes the japanese concept of aesthetics. Why do they have chinese dragons and buddhist figurines in a shintoist Japanese home? Although the costum designs were made by a japanese national they seem to be a bad westernization of what should be japanese clothing. The awkward dancing of a sort of "japanese cavewomen" during the delicate and beautiful choir at the end of the second act is quite distracting. Is not necessary any extra frill to "enhance" the beauty of that music, simplicity should be the key word here and Zeffirelli seems to forget that. This production of Madama Butterfly is completely tasteless to the point of interfering negatively with the glory of Puccini's great music.