Powerful cast drives Lyric's latest version of 'Madama Butterfly'
It's always welcome to see an old friend again, in this case Lyric Opera of Chicago's Harold Prince/Clarke Dunham production of Giacomo Puccini's "Madama Butterfly."
This highly lauded production, inspired by traditional Japanese theater, was unveiled here in 1982 and is back for its fifth revival. Overall, the Lyric has presented "Madama Butterfly" 14 times, none more historic than the first time, in 1955, when the legendary Maria Callas sang the only performances of the title role in her career. Other notable Cio-Cio-Sans at the Lyric have included Renata Tebaldi, Leontyne Price, Anna Tomowa-Sintow and Catherine Malfitano.
You can add American soprano Patricia Racette to that glorious list, as evidenced by Saturday's opening of the opera's 11-performance run. Racette currently owns this role, this season having added New York's Metropolitan Opera to a list of opera houses where she's performed it. They include San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Pittsburgh and overseas engagements in Munich, Germany, and Florence, Italy.
Everyone attending a "Butterfly" performance comes to hear "Un bel di, vedrimo," Cio-Cio-San's great aria of longing and hope. Racette's meltingly beautiful voice is ideal for this, the centerpiece music for Puccini's geisha heroine, whose mood swings throughout the opera between hope and despair over ever again seeing her American husband, Navy Lt. B.F. Pinkerton, played with great élan by American tenor Frank Lopardo. The Butterfly-Pinkerton duet that climaxes Act 1, "Viene la sera," contains some of the finest music Puccini ever wrote, and Racette and Lopardo sweep all before them in their pledge of love.
Of course, Pinkerton soon sails back to America, making him one of the top antiheroes in opera. Yet, Lopardo's character gets a chance for remorse two years later upon his return to Japan, with his new American wife in tow. Pinkerton's farewell aria, "Addio fiorito asil," is sung in his geisha wife's absence not knowing that minutes later he will be crying out to the mortally wounded Butterfly in the opera's final moments.
American mezzo-soprano Katharine Goeldner makes an impressive Lyric Opera debut as Suzuki, Butterfly's maid. The two female leads are perfectly matched in the famous "Flower Duet."
The supporting roles are also strongly cast, with Canadian baritone James Westman a wonderful U.S. consul Sharpless, American tenor David Cangelosi adding to his long list of Lyric Opera character roles with the marriage broker Goro; and Illinois-born bass-baritone Paul Corona as Butterfly's Buddhist uncle, The Bonze.
Donald Nally's Lyric Opera Chorus shines in costume in Act 1, then offers a beautiful "Humming Chorus" from offstage in Act 2. As usual, Sir Andrew Davis rules on the podium, demonstrating why Puccini cherished this opera above all his others.
At a glance
Opera in two acts by Giacomo Puccini, with libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica. Vincent Liotta, stage director; original production by Harold Prince. Clarke Dunham, set designer; Florence Klotz, costume designer; Donald Nally, chorus master; Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis.
Starring
Patricia Racette as Cio-Cio-San (Butterfly)
Frank Lopardo as Lt. B.F. Pinkerton
Katharine Goeldner as Suzuki
James Westman as Sharpless
David Cangelosi as Goro
Paul Corona as The Bonze
With Craig Irvin, Daniel Billings, Corey Krider and Amber Wagner
<p class="factboxheadblack">"Madama Butterfly"</p> <p class="News"><b>Where:</b> Ardis Krainik Theatre, Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive.</p> <p class="News"><b>When: </b>Additional performances at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17, 20, Jan. 6, 9, 12, 15 and 24; 2 p.m. Jan. 18, 21 and 29 </p> <p class="News"><b>Tickets:</b> Call (312) 332-2244, Ext. 5600, or visit lyricopera.org, for availability and reservations; major credit cards accepted.</p>