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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not Your Grandmother's 'Butterfly', 12 Dec 2005
This 'Madama Butterfly' was a 2003 production at the Netherlands Opera and was staged in his inimitable style by Robert Wilson, who achieved fame many years ago with his and Philip Glass's 'Einstein on the Beech.' The style he adopts for this production is extremely stylized, hieratic. At times it looks almost Egyptian with stylized hand gestures and slow almost Noh-like gestures. Wilson, in an interview that is an extra on the first disc of this 2DVD set, says that he chose this style because he feels that cluttered, busy productions of opera interfere with the music. (He mentions Zeffirelli in this context.) And I must say that after seeing this production I would have to agree with him. Because there is so little going on onstage one can indeed pay deeper attention to the music qua music. This is not to say that the stage action is boring. Indeed, it is not; it is mesmerizing, I found. But very often what is going on onstage has little, seemingly, to do with what is going on in the narrative of the opera. Sets are extremely simple -- low vistas, with ever-changing lighting on the flat background. The only prop is a stylized chair that is moved on and off the stage as needed. Costumes are almost Greek in their simplicity. But no production of any opera is worth anything if the musical presentation is weak. Thank goodness, that is not the case here. This is a strong cast without a single weak link, even though I had only heard of one of the singers ever before (Richard Stilwell as Sharpless). Cheryl Barker, the Butterfly, is a strikingly handsome woman who has an equally commanding voice. She is a good actress and although she talks in the extra documentary about how hard it was to learn Wilson's stage directions, particularly the stylized gestures that were sometimes against the music, she gives a convincing performance. Martin Thompson, a tenor with a big yet lyrical voice, is a fine Pinkerton; and you just love to hate him for being such an ugly American. Catherine Keen's velvety contralto was put to good use in her portrayal of Suzuki. Stilwell, whom I saw many years ago as Billy Budd, has aged well and still has a vibrant baritone, somewhat heavier than it once was. He makes an admirable Sharpless both musically and dramatically. Special mention must be made of Peter Blanchet as Goro. He is not just the funny little marriage broker, but comes across as a cynical villain. Edo de Waart, the venerable Dutch conductor, says in the documentary that this is his first time ever to conduct a Puccini opera. You wouldn't know it; he paces the score expertly and draws lovely playing from the Netherlands Philharmonic in the pit, although there are a few raucous moments in some of the more dramatic brass-laden passages. Wilson's lighting design is marvelous, seamless, and beautifully planned. Sound is in plain vanilla stereo but is clear and true. This is not a version of Butterfly for a traditionalist, nor should it be one's only DVD version. But it is powerful dramatically and musically satisfying. TT=169 minutes; LPCM Stereo; Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch; Extras: Illustrated synopsis, cast gallery, Introduction to the opera featuring Wilson, de Waart and members of the cast Scott Morrison
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