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Madame Butterfly

Renowned actor and director John Bell crosses into the world of opera with a beautiful take on this classic tale of love and loss.

Photo by Jeff Busby

Event Details

Event Type:

Opera/Operetta

Editorial Review

2 Aug 2008
Griffith Regional Theatre
1 Neville Pl, Griffith

John Bell's re-working of Puccini's 1904 classic marks his first collaboration with Opera Australia and also the most comprehensive tour the company has even undertaken. "I am very glad to be staging this wonderful work for Oz Opera... it is a simple domestic tragedy about relatively humble people. Hopefully we will be able to demonstrate the truth of the adage that small is beautiful."

Madame Butterfly tells the story of Cio-Cio-San, a beautiful 15-year-old geisha, and Pinkerton, a lieutenant from the US navy. After the two quickly fall in love and get married, Pinkerton abandons his bride and returns to America, leaving Cio-Cio-San in Nagasaki longing for his return.

Bell's production sees the story set against a backdrop of post-war Japan in 1946, utilizing the contrasts of old and new and East and West to startling visual affect. Puccini's score, performed by an 11-piece orchestra conducted by Simon Kenway and Christopher van Tuinen lends some aural vibrancy to the production while the performances from Jane Parkin and Elisa Wilson as Cio-Cio-San and David Corcoran and Jason Wasley as Pinkerton are remarkable.

Conrad Richters