A very human drama: Madama Butterfly at The Royal Opera

Asmik Grigorian (Cio-Cio-San) and Joshua Guerrero (Pinkerton)

Asmik Grigorian (Cio-Cio-San), Ya-Chung Huang (Goro) and Josef Jeongmeen Ahn (Prince Yamadori)

Hongni Wu (Suzuki), Asmik Grigorian (Cio-Cio-San) and Lauri Vasar (Sharpless)

Hongni Wu (Suzuki) and Asmik Grigorian (Cio-Cio-San)

By David Karlin, 15 March 2024

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“cast, conductor and orchestra were delivering the full throttle, blistering tragic experience”

Reviewed at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 14 March 2024

Puccini, Madama Butterfly

The Royal Opera

Kevin John Edusei, Conductor

Moshe Leiser, Director

Christian Fenouillat, Set Designer

Agostino Cavalca, Costume Designer

Christophe Forey, Lighting Designer

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden

Royal Opera Chorus

Patrice Caurier, Director

Asmik Grigorian, Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly)

Joshua Guerrero, Pinkerton

Lauri Vasar, Sharpless

Hongni Wu, Suzuki

Jeremy White, The Bonze

Ya-Chung Huang, Goro

Josef Jeongmeen Ahn, Prince Yamadori

Veena Akama-Makia, Kate Pinkerton

The Turn of the Screw at RBO Linbury: Darkness and denial

Eleanor Knight, 26th March

Natalie Abrahami’s mesmerising new production of Britten’s ghostly tale of sexual abuse is very dark indeed.

*****

A riveting Rigoletto revival at the Royal Opera House

Dominic Lowe, 25th March

Sir Mark Elder celebrates 50 years at Covent Garden by returning to his first opera there in 1976 – Verdi's Rigoletto – in a revival of Oliver Mears' excellent 2021 production.

****1

Siegfried at the RBO: Kosky and Pappano surprise and delight

David Karlin, 17th March

A revelatory orchestral performance and a cast led by Andreas Schager, Christopher Maltman and Elisabeth Strid make this a Siegfried for the record books.

*****

Terfel’s craggy Boris Godunov returns to Covent Garden

Mark Pullinger, 29th January

The second revival of Richard Jones' staging of Mussorgsky's original 1869 version of Boris Godunov once again stars the Welsh knight.

****1

Ermonela Jaho returns in triumph to The Royal Opera’s Traviata

Mark Valencia, 8th January

Richard Eyre’s 32-year-old production is rarely out of The Royal Opera’s repertoire for more than a few months at a time, but this particular revival proves very special.

*****

Turandot drowned in an orchestral tsunami at The Royal Opera

David Karlin, 15th December

Andrei Șerban’s 40 year old take on Puccini's tale of the ice princess largely stands the test of time, but Netrebko and Eyvazov are short of their best form.

***11

More reviews...

David Karlin

David is a co-founder of Bachtrack. He is a musical omnivore interested in almost all types of music, but with a particular love of Italian opera. You can contact him from this link.

The tragic arc of a very human drama: Madama Butterfly returns to The Royal Opera