Seattle Opera's visually poetic and refined Madama Butterfly peeks back at Puccini's own first version of the opera, which was arguably more openly critical of the devastation wrought by imperialism.
The evening was dominated by Anna Netrebko, who reprised the role of Tatiana with fresh insights and vocal charisma. Robin Ticciati led the Met Orchestra to probe a new depth of the score.
Laurent Pelly exploits the satirical side of Rimsky-Korsakov's The Golden Cockerel at La Monnaie in a darkly humorous but colourfully performed production.
Houston Grand Opera’s season-opening production of the fiery opera does it right, from lighting to set to singing, and the end result is a stunning beginning to its season.
Warlokowski's staging of Eugene Onegin for the Bayerische Staatsoper works from a bold premise: Onegin is gay. Strong musical and dramatic performances keep the concept coherent and interesting, but it ultimately doesn't convince.
Christof Loy's modern-dress production of Donizetti's Roberto Devereux for the Bayerische Staatsoper is deliciously, darkly ironic. A dream cast handles the dramatic and musical challenges well, though the voice of the star sounds worn for this star vehicle.
For over a century, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly has been one of the most famous and widely staged operas in the world. The secret of this undying popularity lies in the complex and contradictive nature of the main heroine. Audiences always look for new vocal and dramatic interpretations of the character and keep their expectations high for the leading soprano.
