I will preface this entry by saying that I have an unwarranted but fairly strong aversion to Puccini's music.  I went to New York City Opera's production of Madama Butterfly feeling apprehensive about the experience.  I wondered how I would be able to sit through three hours of Puccini when I could hardly listen to three arias in a row at home.  I was pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying almost every minute of Madama Butterfly.  I will not chalk this up to the music -- my Puccini aversion is still alive and well -- but the incredible singing and the striking lighting and sets made it all seem worthwhile.

 

I was not particularly blown away by the first scene.  I think this is because, having never seen this opera live before, I found the affectation of Japanese mannerisms and customs to be slightly awkward and very strange.  I found myself wondering if the opera would make any sense at all if it was set in another time period, or a different country.  I later decided that no, it absolutely would not, but it was an interesting thought all the same.  The love scene at the end of the first act captivated me; the floating orchestral and vocal music with the white costumes against the indigo sets were so incredibly striking, both aurally and visually.

 

Madama Butterfly is one of New York City Opera's most popular and most praised productions; this could explain why I noticed so many tourists in the lobby at intermission.  It was fairly exciting to see people from so many different countries at one performance in New York.

 

The second act began as enticingly as the first act ended.  Madama Butterfly's big aria, "Un Bel Di" was sung superbly and acted so delicately that it really blew the audience away.  The applause lasted a good while longer than any other ovations I can remember at New York City Opera.

 

The visuals in the second act were what really made this show special for me.  I was shocked by how effectively they used lighting, props and the set to convey the different emotions that Butterfly was feeling.  From the shower of rose petals on the ivory sheet during the excitement of the flower duet, to the red sun that lit up the stage when Butterfly stood waiting in vain for Pinkerton; and finally, the simplicity and slight disarray of the set when Madama Butterfly finally decides to take her own life.