Pulling the heart strings: Madam Butterfly returns to ENO

By Dominic Lowe, 28 February 2020

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“there’s no doubt that this was Romaniw’s night”

Reviewed at The London Coliseum, London on 26 February 2020

Puccini, Madama Butterfly

English National Opera

Martyn Brabbins, Conductor

Anthony Minghella, Director

Michael Levine, Set Designer

Han Feng, Costume Designer

Natalya Romaniw, Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly)

Dimitri Pittas, Pinkerton

Roderick Williams, Sharpless

Stephanie Windsor-Lewis, Suzuki

Alasdair Elliott, Goro

Keel Watson, The Bonze

Njabulo Madlala, Prince Yamadori

Katie Stevenson, Kate Pinkerton

Carolyn Choa, Choreography

Glen Sheppard, Revival Director

Peter Mumford, Director

Blind Summit Theatre, Puppeteer

English National Opera Chorus

English National Opera Orchestra

ENO’s Mahagonny: biting, bleak, brilliantly executed satire

David Karlin, 16th February

Never has Brecht and Weill’s satire on the inhumanity of man to man been render with such utter darkness; Simon O’Neill heads up a superb cast.

*****

Taken for a ride: an energetic revival of Così fan tutte at ENO

Dominic Lowe, 6th February

English National Opera's revival of Phelim McDermott’s popular production is a blend of spectacle with some first-class singing, with Lucy Crowe emphasising her Mozartian credentials.

****1

Cocteau-esque camp: Alden’s Partenope returns to ENO

Mark Valencia, 20th November

Christopher Alden’s Olivier Award-winning production of Handel’s Partenope returns to the Coliseum, but it's the singing that earns the plaudits.

****1

Dead Man Walking at English National Opera: a superb execution

David Karlin, 1st November

Anneliese Miskimmon's ENO production of Jake Heggie and Terence McNally's tale of crime, repentance, compassion and redemption compels from start to finish.

*****

Comedy falls flat in ENO's season opening Cinderella

Mark Valencia, 27th September

Julia Burbach and her designer, Herbert Murauer, are defeated by the wide canyons of the Coliseum stage in their modern-dress Cinderella.

**111

ENO gives Thea Musgrave's Mary, Queen of Scots a worthy performance

Nick Boston, 15th February

Musgrave's powerful depiction of a powerful woman at the mercy of male manipulation receives a strong staging from at ENO.

****1

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Dominic Lowe

Dominic Lowe recently completed a degree in Classics, and one of his great interests is the reception of Greece and Rome in opera. A regular opera-goer since his very early teens, he is particularly keen on the hidden operatic gems of the 19th century. He is largely based in the South of England.