Madama Butterfly

Although only eight years’ old, Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser’s traditional staging of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly was returning to The Royal Opera for the fourth time. The director-duo were on hand to supervise this revival and it showed in the detailed performances that virtually the entire cast gave. Christian Fenouillat’s sets just about stay the right side of saccharine, but the noisy blinds whose whirring often drowns the music need returning to IKEA as soon as possible. Let’s hope he still has the receipt.

At Saturday’s first night things took a while to warm up. Act One was good but mainly hampered by James Valenti’s over-parted Pinkerton. True, he looked every inch the American naval officer (he is after all American) but his dry, pinched singing became something of an endurance as the night wore on. He failed to project the voice and top notes were constrained, resulting in an overall sound that was far from pleasant. Given his lacklustre showing in last season’s La Traviata his re-engagement seems baffling. Were the boos at his curtain call pantomime boos or not?

Anthony Michaels-Moore was a properly disturbed Sharpless, rightly horrified at Pinkerton’s delight at marrying a fifteen-year-old and his total disregard for Japanese etiquette and customs, and he sang with warmth throughout the evening.

After the interval, everyone relaxed more into their roles. Andris Nelsons, who had conducted a hard-driven first act, took his foot off the pedal and whilst the playing had been good, it now became impassioned. Helene Schneiderman was an all-knowing Suzuki, unable to stop the unfurling tragedy. Her body language spoke volumes as she was fully aware that Pinkerton was not going to return – but how could she tell Butterfly this? All the supporting roles were well taken, and as the marriage-broker (pimp) Goro, Robin Leggate gave a vivid performance of what will be his last appearances with the company: his performance on 16 July will be his 909th with The Royal Opera.

The crowning glory of this performance was Latvian soprano Kristine Opolais’ magnetic assumption of the title role. This was her first appearance with The Royal Opera, and I can’t remember such a sensational debut. Drafted in at a relatively late stage due to Patricia Racette being indisposed, she gave the performance of a lifetime. Maybe nerves got the better of her to start with, but she settled into the role and sang gloriously throughout the evening – her ‘Un bel di vedremo’ had poise, passion and a sense of fragility and she really lived the role. Utterly heartbreaking on hearing that Pinkerton had deserted her, and in her farewell to her child, for me she was the most complete Cio-Cio-San I’ve ever seen. She was rightly rewarded with a thunderous ovation. A star is born? Without a doubt.

Kristine Opolais sings the title role for three more performances on 29 June, 2 and 4 July – and you can catch the performance on 4 July for free as it is being broadcast on the BP Summer Big Screens across the country. Miss this at your peril. Liping Zhang sings Cio-Cio-San on July 8, 12 and 15 and Amarilli Nizza on 16 July.

All in all a great evening, made utterly unforgettable by Kristine Opolais’ majestic, riveting, superbly acted and magnificently sung Cio-Cio-San.

– David J Parker