Product Details

• Actors: Yasuko Hayashi, Hack-Nam Kim, Anna Caterina Antonacci, Peter Dvorsky (II), Giorgio Zancanaro
• Directors: Derek Bailey
• Format: Classical, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC
• Language: Italian (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), Italian (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Image Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: December 11, 2001
• Run Time: 142 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005R5HG
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #178,449 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Puccini - Madama Butterfly / Maazel, Hayashi, Kim, Dvorsky, Teatro Alla Scala" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Production and Singing, But My Least Favorite, February 8, 2003

By 

Peter Serchuk "vinyl master" (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Puccini - Madama Butterfly / Maazel, Hayashi, Kim, Dvorsky, Teatro Alla Scala (DVD)

I think my title says it all. I like the authentic Japanese feel of the production, and the singing is mostly very good. But I consider this the weakest of the "Madama Butterfly" film versions, because I just don't like Yasuko Hayashi as Butterfly. Sure, she's actually Japanese, and her voice is near perfect for the role, but Butterfly is a role that requires good acting, and I think Hayashi falls short in that department. If you think Japaneseness (is that a real word?) is the most important thing in a "Madama Butterfly," get this one, but if you want a good dramatic performance with a convincing actress in the title role, I reccomend either the Ponnelle film with Mirella Freni, or the Mitterand film with Ying Huang.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Puccini goes Kabuki, March 29, 2005

By 

eureka treasures (Washington DC area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Puccini - Madama Butterfly / Maazel, Hayashi, Kim, Dvorsky, Teatro Alla Scala (DVD)

It's easy to come to this opera with a lot of expectations and if you are looking for a conventional approach this somewhat low-keyed version may not appeal to you. But if you are in the mood for something different then this stylish and skillful production could be just your cup of tea. The show has been directed attentively in oriental style. The stylized movement and the dramaturgy, costumes and settings all reflect an eastern approach and give the opera a rare sense of authenticity. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom here and you might actually think you were in Japan for a few hours. All the power and glory of Puccini's masterpiece are here in abundance. There are no doubt more melodramatic versions but I found this one to be far easier to swallow dramatically than ... say, the filmed Karajan (Ponnelle)--- which struck me as false through and through. I thought Hayashi Yasuko's ability to convey a range of emotions in her aria Un Bel Di was very impressive. The sense of hope, despair, doubt she was able to convey at the same time was just heart-breaking. The ending, too, is quite effective as the stage turns bright red in a sea of blood. A very oriental effect-- and a mighty powerful way to end this striking production.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Asian Butterfly, October 14, 2007

By 

Giles Bernard J. Hall "Brgilesbernard" (Tasmania; Australia) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Puccini - Madama Butterfly / Maazel, Hayashi, Kim, Dvorsky, Teatro Alla Scala (DVD)

Here we have yet another Asian Madama Butterfly, with Yasuko Hayashi in the title role and Hak-Nam Kim as Suzuki. Peter Dvorsky's Pinkerton is a little brash, but then he is no prince charming. Giorgio Zancanaro is superb as Sharpless, this man has one of the best baritone voices on the planet. This production from La Scala is of the traditional Kabuki theatre style of Japan. Who better to stage an opera set in Japan, than the Japanese. For those who are not familiar with Kabuki, the basic rules are thus: Any persons dressed in black are NOT actually there. Your minds eye is not meant to see them as they work the sets etc. In other words they are the visible- invisible mechanics of the production. Hard for us Westerners to comprehend, but that is what it is. I actually feel sorry for the child. With all the man or woman handling he has to put up with and to be sung at fondled and squeezed, I'm surprised he made it though the opera, but he behaved exceptionally well and deserves a mention.
The Kabuki style finale is about the most breath-taking I have ever witnessed. Entering in a pure white kimono and seating herself on a pure white mat with a supernumerary at each corner, in black (so they are not there) and using the fan to symbolize the sword to stab herself with. As she stabs herself, she slowly opens the fan revealing a blood-red fan giving the elusion of blood spreading across the white kimono and as this is happening the four supernumeraries are slowing pulling the corners of the white mat towards themselves slowly revealing a blood red matt underneath, symbolizing the flow of blood. A very effective and quite a dramatic way to conclude such a wonderful opera. I have had this version on Video for many years now and I am pleased it made it onto DVD. I hope you get as much enjoyment as I have from this production.