Puccini’s Madama Butterfly at the Roal & Derngate Review
Puccini’s Madama Butterfly
Royal & Derngate, Northampton
12 March 2015
Reviewed by Joanne Francklow
Alyona Kistenyova (Madam Butterfly) offers a breath-taking and powerful performance in this production of Madama Butterfly. With a voice that kept me caught in emotion and left me with a tear in my eye, and my mum with tears streaming down her cheeks, I can certainly say we were completely captured by the story and this performance as a whole.
Puccini’s music, played beautifully by the orchestra, added to the emotions in each scene and encouraged the understandings of happiness, heartbreak and tragedy.
The story is set in Japan and is about a 15 years old Geisha girl (Cio Cio San, better known as Butterfly), who falls in love with and marries an American navy officer (Lieutenant Pinkerton). Pinkerton is an arrogant sort who thinks of his new bride as a beautiful companion ‘for now’. He believes his marriage in Japan is more of an arrangement and one he can easily terminate. He does not regard her as being the woman he would spend the rest of his life with, which is a huge contrast to the devoted Butterfly who turned her back on her family and faith to be with and honour the man she married. Soon after they are married, Pinkerton sets sail with his ship promising Butterfly he would return the following year. However, it is three years later when Butterfly sees his ship has returned. When they are finally reunited Butterfly learns he has no intention of being with her again and he is in fact now married (under proper law) to an American. When Butterfly learns of the news she is utterly heartbroken resulting in tragic consequences.
The opera offers beautiful scenes, amazing costumes, enchanting music and powerful performances that grasp your emotions. The cast all had exceptional voices, however, while Giorgi Meladze (Lieutenant Pinkerton) certainly had a wonderful voice, I did find his presence on stage seemed more awkward walking about singing rather than convincing acting.
This is the first real opera I have seen and it is an opera I will always remember. I’m glad I got to share this experience with my mum and my 90 year old granddad who came with me. We all thoroughly enjoyed it and I’m very glad we got to share this experience together.
I would definitely recommend Madama Butterfly as ‘one to see’ and I look forward to when the next Puccini Opera comes to town. A great night out, just don’t forget the tissues!
The Derngate has fairly recently been modernized offering lots of comfortable seating areas and bars. Being in the town centre there are lots of restaurants nearby to go for a pre theatre meal if you choose. Parking near the theatre can sometimes be an issue as spaces close to the theatre do fill up fast. I would recommend you get there early if possible so you can easily find a space. Also be sure to check wherever you park, that there are no night time parking fees as some car parks still charge evening rates.
Rating: 4.5/5
Royal & Derngate, Guildhall Road, Northampton, NN1 1DP | 01604 624811
