I hold a lot of affection for Madama Butterfly. With Puccini, I do put Tosca and La Boheme above it, but Madama Butterfly is also up there as one of Puccini's finest with its poignant story and some of his most beautiful music. This production from Opera Australia is not the best production available on DVD perhaps- I prefer La Scala's, Kabaivanska's, Moffo's and Freni's- but apart from Cio Cio San's mechanically done entrance and make-up that made the performers look like anglo-saxons rather than Japanese it is a very good performance. The production is a mix of traditional and minimalist and both elements still look very attractive and stylish. The lighting really fits the mood of the story and of Cio Cio San's character, and the stage directing apart from the entrance is affecting, the final scene particularly. The orchestra play beautifully, with the poetry, lyricism and pathos of the score captured well, while Patrick Summers' conducting is solid and the chorus carefully blended. Cheryl Barker would refine her interpretation of Cio Cio San 6 years later for the Netherlands Opera, but she shows some vocal maturity from her Mimi. Her performance here is deeply felt and sung commandingly and musically. Great support is also to be found in handsome Jay Hunter Morris, who has a strong voice used with subtlety and plays a cad of a character very convincingly, Douglas McNicol, whose Sharpless is nuanced and authoritative, and the sympathetic Suzuki of Ingrid Silverus. Graeme McFarlane makes for an oily Goro. All in all, very good. 8/10 Bethany Cox
