Madama Butterfly
Opera Australia has opened its Melbourne season with one of the company’s best-loved productions, Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly – in this case the revival of Moffatt Oxenbould’s 1997 production of the famed tragic story of Cio-Cio-San (cio translates to butterfly) and her American husband. Soprano Hiromi Omura dominated the night, and was superb in her role of Butterfly . Besides possessing a beautiful and silken voice, Omura also successfully projects a naiveté and demureness of a young girl in love, as well as that of a woman consumed by total despair at the understanding that her husband intends not to return to her. Tenor James Egglestone portrays her husband, Pinkerton , as lustful, selfish and even arrogant, but he also conveys a somewhat regretful concern for Butterfly as well. Just when you thought you could hate him, you almost feel sorry for him. Mezzo-soprano, Sian...