‘sensitive and moving portrayal across a tableau of heartbreaking beauty which touched me deeply’
Director and Producer Ellen Kent’s production embraces the emotion at the heart of this opera whilst balancing it alongside the fluttering moments of innocence, joy, and naïve humour that are often missed, resulting in a sensitive and moving portrayal across a tableau of heartbreaking beauty which touched me deeply.
Marriage broker Goro (Ruslan Pacatovici) shows US naval lieutenant Pinkerton (Oleksii Srebnytskyi) around the home he will share with his bride-to-be in Nagasaki, although American Consul Sharpless (Iurie Gisca) warns him of the tragic consequences that may follow. The Butterfly duly lands in the form of young Japanese girl Cio-Cio-San (Elena Dee) supported by maid Suzuki (Yelyzaveta Bielous), and they are married by the Commissioner (Vitalii Cebotari). Her love makes her willing to sacrifice everything which sees her disowned by her uncle, a Bonze (Hovhannes Nersesyan).
Three years on and Cio-Cio-San and Suzuki are almost destitute as they await Pinkerton’s return. Shunning suggestions that she should follow local custom to divorce him and marry Prince Yamadori (Cebotari) instead, her hopes are raised by the arrival of Sharpless with a letter although he chooses not to reveal its full contents when she introduces him to her son by Pinkerton, Sorrow (Ella Chiu). The sound of a cannon from the harbour heralds the arrival of Pinkerton’s ship but after she emerges from a long night’s vigil, it is not him she discovers in the garden the next morning but another woman (Anastasia Blokha): are Butterfly’s hopes to finally be fulfilled, or will tragedy ensue as the price of her honour?
Kent is renowned for her traditional approach and attention to detail, which is reflected in the wonderful set overseen by Stage Director Victor Donos, with staging framed by a flower-laden garden – complete with running water features – and foliage with a Hokusai-inspired backdrop to a paper house complete with sliding doors and lanterns. The colourful palette of red and pink blossom is equally matched by the traditional kimonos and robes that establish us firmly in 19th Century Nagasaki.
Valeriu Cucarschi’s lighting design delightfully captures the change of season and time whilst the clever use of silhouette provided a powerful visual medium at key moments, whilst conductor Vasyl Vasylenko was able to tease moments of fun and hope from the Orchestra of the Opera International, Kyiv as well as tenderness, with their sensitive rendition of ‘Coro a bocca chiusa (Humming Chorus)’ an absolute joy.
Sung in its original Italian with English surtitles provided by Mariia Maliuta, talented Chorus Mistress Kateryna Kondratenko-Savienkova oversaw some delightfully choreographed routines which were supplemented with students from Stagecoach Theatre Arts Salford.
Kent’s achievements are further enhanced through her use of a long-standing and established cast whose principals have worked with her extensively over the years and whose resultant strong chemistry adds to the powerful, emotional, and heartbreaking scenes, with excellent command of the stage and set.
Srebnytskyi performed strongly with his portrayal of a petulant, self-interested man driven by obsession reinforced by an impressive vocal and the right balance of arrogance and disdain behind the four-part love duet with Dee that so delightfully concludes Act I.
Gisca’s strong week at the Manchester Opera House continues with his impressive vocal complemented by a strong acting performance, sympathetically capturing the frustrations of a well-meaning but ultimately toothless official and I particularly enjoyed his ‘Io so che alle sue pene’ with Andreaysan and Bielous in Act III.
Bielous delivered one of her most complete performances with her sensitive portrayal of Suzuki, and the resulting dynamic between her and Dee was particularly enjoyable. A special mention for Cebotari and Pacatovici who continue to be the unsung heroes of this company as they add such an important layer with their little flourishes and touches of realism throughout that ensure a rounded production.
The final word as always deservedly goes to Dee who continues to mesmerise with another moving performance that sees her exquisite acting and attention to detail more than matched by her beautiful vocal. Her delightful rendition of ‘un bel do vedremo’ reinforced her reputation as a leading Butterfly in a performance that brought tears to many an eye: bravo!
Madama Butterfly is one of three productions touring throughout the UK and Ireland with full details available at www.ellenkent.com.
Review Date: 26th March 2026
Star Rating: FIVE