by usia review

Madama Butterfly – Giacomo Puccini

Madama Butterfly is one of the most famous and most frequently performed operas in the world. Its presentation as the opening title of the 2023–2024 season at the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos (TNSC) in Lisbon therefore constituted a major cultural event.

The production featured Zarina Abaeva in the role of Cio-Cio-San on October 4, 6, 8, and 10, and Elisa Cho on October 12 and 14.

The tragic story of Butterfly is rooted in historical reality: temporary marriages that took place in Japan in the late 19th century, particularly in Nagasaki around 1885. These contracts—often lasting only one month—were customary until the foreign husband left the country. Puccini’s opera premiered in Milan in 1904 and reached Lisbon in 1908.

Synopsis and Performance

Act I

The opera opens with the arrival of Lieutenant B.F. Pinkerton, an officer of the U.S. Navy, portrayed by Portuguese tenor Carlos Cardoso. He sang with secure high notes and dramatic intent, though we would have welcomed a more lyrical approach, with a rounder timbre and greater sweetness of tone—qualities essential to balance Pinkerton’s vocal line with Puccini’s melodic sensuality.

Goro, the marriage broker, was convincingly portrayed by Marco Alves dos Santos, who demonstrated solid stage presence and theatrical experience. Goro facilitates the contractual marriage and profits from it unscrupulously.

The American consul Sharpless, sung by baritone Stefan Astakhov, appeared somewhat vocally immature for the role. The voice lacked musical refinement and expressive nuance, which weakened Sharpless’s moral authority—a crucial dramatic element in the opera.

The wedding ceremony is violently interrupted by Uncle Bonzo, a Buddhist priest, magnificently sung by Christian Luján, whose imposing and resonant voice made a powerful impact. Bonzo curses Butterfly for renouncing her ancestral religion.

The act concludes with the love duet between Butterfly and Pinkerton. In a chilling symbolic moment, Butterfly explains how butterflies are pinned so they cannot escape—a tragic premonition of her own fate.

Act II

Three years have passed with no word from Pinkerton. Butterfly sings the famous aria “Un bel dì vedremo”, expressing unwavering faith in his return. Puccini here reaches a pinnacle of lyrical expression, and the aria remains one of the most beloved in the soprano repertoire.

Butterfly’s maid Suzuki, sung by mezzo-soprano Cátia Moreso, stood out with a dark, dramatic, and deeply expressive voice. Her lament conveys the sorrow, isolation, and looming tragedy surrounding her mistress.

When Sharpless visits, Butterfly reveals her son—Pinkerton’s child—while a distant gun salute announces the arrival of an American ship, confirming her hopes.

Act III

Butterfly, Suzuki, and the child spend the night waiting at the pier until dawn. Pinkerton returns but lacks the courage to face Butterfly. He sings the poignant aria “Addio, fiorito asil”, acknowledging his guilt.

A woman appears in the garden: Pinkerton’s American wife, who wishes to adopt the child. In the final moments, Zarina Abaeva delivered her strongest vocal performance, finding optimal acoustic placement and projecting with greater dramatic intensity.

Considerations

The staging by Iacopo Spirei respected the historical and cultural context of the work—an increasingly rare virtue in contemporary opera productions. Particularly noteworthy was the rejection of modernized or distorted reinterpretations often seen today.

However, the final image—depicting an elderly, white-haired, obese Butterfly watching television and lacking the strength to commit ritual suicide—was deeply problematic. This concept undermined Puccini’s tragic vision and stripped the ending of its moral and emotional catharsis.

The orchestra, under the direction of Maestro António Pirolli, played with power, intensity, and stylistic authority. Nonetheless, once again it must be noted that excessive orchestral volume occasionally covered the singers—an issue that should be addressed in future performances.

The audience responded with enthusiastic standing ovations, confirming that Madama Butterfly continues to move and devastate listeners more than a century after its creation.

Puccini’s Butterfly remains a timeless tragedy of innocence betrayed, love misunderstood, and cultural collision—one that, when respected musically and dramatically, never fails to leave a profound emotional mark.

A Teatro Nacional de São Carlos Opera

#MADAMABUTTERFLY @TNSC

Thanks to: TNSC, André Quendera, Raquel Maló Almeida