MADAME BUTTERFLY

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 821, 21 May 1910, Page 3

MADAME BUTTERFLY

PUCCINI'S OPERA IN WELLINGTON. iNOTABLE PERFORMANCE OF A GREAT WORK. "Madame Butterfly," a tragic opera in three acts, by Giacoino Puccini. Cast: Madam Butterfly „ Bd Sorel r.,, ~ Amy Oastk'B Kate Pinkerton Florence Quinn i- ii. Pinkerton ...„ Frederick Blarney topless - Arthur Crane Oo.'o •■••■ Edwin Wynu ft™ 06 , liniadori Kutuß FcreuEon &ai-Oo»niißsione r omo DarVaU oS;» r v Oho Oho San's Mother A Lillian Barrincton "J* AuM . Lizzie JaSS ""uMo U " .ZZZZZZ v!lta?. B iKS£ To Giaeomo Puccini, the , composer °t - ilallame . Butterfly," produced by J. C. Williamson's Grand Opera Company at the Opera House on Thursday evening, tho world owes much for a tragical creation in music, in the appealing, force and vivid colouring of which exists no trace of traditional influence; to Mdlle. Bel Sorel, who, as Olio Cho San, gave a performance of. exquisite beauty and power, tribute is duo; and to Mr. Williamson, who made this rich treat possible for New Zealand, thauks are due. That Puccini's opera triumphed on Thursday evening is more a matter of surprise than most pcoplo (even those who are well read in operatic literature) would imagine, as Puccini represents a school in Italian opera altogether new and strange to New Zealand—as distinct in design and construction from the operas of Verdi and Rossini and their contemporaries, as are the plays of Pinero in comparison with those of Johanna LailJie. Tho majority of those present had to .grapple with a new order in opera, one without lyrical form, in nuich conversation of an ordinary character is vocalised to tho accompaniment of an orchestration that is amazingly photographic in the understanding it conveys with such startling strength and fidelity. At times, before. the story deepens, one can b? excused from fancying that such high effort is spent on apparent trivialities, such as when Pinkerton sings questioningly: "Whisky?" and Sharpless .replies in song: Yes, mix me another." .

The Story. Viewing coldly the story of "Madame Butterfly" (which is based on a Belasco play) it strikes one as curious that such a comparative inconsequentially should have inspired the genius of Puccini, which thought is endorsed by the contemplation of his daring unconvcntionality in selecting yet another Belasco drama, "The Girl of tho Golden \\est," as the subject for his nest opera. It engenders the thought that no .has appointed himself the task of idealising in opera the mediocre in drania. This he has unquestionably succeeded in doing in the case of "Madame Butterfly," which stands transfigured as a musical epic of poignant human grief and tragic pathos. Briefly, the episode—it is little elseis the marriage a la Japanese of Lieutenant Pinkerton, of the American gunboat Abraham Lincoln, to Cho Cho San (Butterfly). Pinkertou, a young officer, thinks little of his love , affair after his vessel sails from the land of the chrysanthemum, and when he returns_ to Nagasaki, three years later, with his American wife, no one is more surprised than he to find that Cho Cho San has been a true, faithful wife and mother, and that there is nothing in the whole world for hor but his love. The incident approaches the climax when Sharpless, tho American Consul, comes to break the news of Pinkerton's marriage to Butterfly, and fears to do so, knowing it will rend her heart. After the Consul takes his leave, having only,given a hint of that .which others have openly spoken of to Butterfly, cannon is heard firing in the bay below. Suzuki (Butterfly's servant) raises a telescope' and ascertains that tho guns announce tho arrival of a war-vessel flying tho Stars and Stripes. Butterfly, all excitement, seizes the telescope, and descries tlie name of Pinkerton's ship— ~

"Abraham Lincoln! 1 knew they were all liars I liars I liars! But I knew it always; ' ■ • Just.l who love him. Now do you see the folly of doubting He's coming I he's coining!" AH is excitement. Flowers are blithely strewn about the- room. Suzuki titivates Butterfly and the baby, and, as night gently enfolds the scene, the shosi are closed, and the expectant Butterfly, Suzuki, and the baby tear holes in paper walls through which they can watch for Pinkerton's coming. The time slowly passos as the orchestra, and a hummed chorus pictures the sharp pain of suspense of the watchers. First the baby—"Little Trouble"—falls asleep; then Suzuki sinks to rest, tired out. Butterfly alone remains at her post, rigid and motionless, and en this picture the curtain slowly falls. The Tragedy, When it is raised on the third act the positions-are the same. The pale moonlight whichhas illumined the room gives place to the faint light of early dawn, and a far-away ohorus of sailors in the bay, below is heard. The grey light takes a rosy tint, which grows stronger and stronger until the full day breaks golden on the pathetic little group. Butterfly rouses herself and touches Suzuki, who awakes with a start. Then she takes tho baby away up tho stairs. Pinkerton and the Consul arrivo a little later, enjoin silence on Suzuki, who tells them of Butterfly's sad vigil. A fashionably-dressed lady is seen on tho terrace through the open shosi—Pinkerton's wife. Suzuki etarts at the sight, sharply questions, and is told tho whole truth. They wish to care for tho baby's future —will Suzuki explain to Cho Clio San? Heart-broken she consents, but must bo left alone. Pinkertan distraught, and unable to face Butterfly, ruslies from the room as he hears Butterfly coming, leaving Sharpless and his wife in the room. Butterfly hears voices, .and bursting radiant into the room looks everywhere for Pinkertou and encounters Sharplese and tlien Mrs. Pinkerton. Here ensues a scene of exquisite pathos. All hesitate at her questioning, until, enraged at Suzuki's silence, Clio Cho San hurls her to tho ground. She then approaches Pinkerton's wife, who suggests the truth and asks to be allowed to 'tend tho child. Butterfly is paralysed with grief. Then, as though in a trance, she says that if Pinkerton will come in half an hour he may take tho child.

After tho Consul and Mrs. Pinkerton depart, Butterfly complains to Suzuki— "Too much light shines outside, and too much laughing spring." The faithful servant draws tho blinds and is then ordered from the room. When alono Butterfly approaches the household shrinn' and takes up a dagger which ropOses against an image of Buddha, softly reading the words inscribed on its hilt —"Death with honour i.i better than lifo with dishonour." Sho points it at' her throat, but throws it away as Suznki pushes the- child through the door. She seizes it, hugs . it passionately, scats it on a cushion, ajid gives it tiny American flags and a doll to play with. Then after binding its eyes, sho seizes the dagger, retires behind a screen, and emerges tottering and bloodstained. Sho gropes her way to tho child and falls dead beside it, just as Sharpkss and Pinkerton enter—too late. The Music. The thrilling music which tells tho sterv is beautiful beyond measure. While it suggests in the first act tho

soft croonings and melodious gurglings of love revealed, it suggests with startling vividness tho poignancy of griof paramount, and plumbs the depths of human anguish. It is an interweaving of many themes, each of which takes its natural allotted place in the score as the situations change. Tho lovo theme, which dominates the whole opera, arises in what is probably ono of tho most beautiful love scenes in tho scope of grand opera. On Thursday the orchestra was a little too loud for the singers during that one scone, or it may have been that it was placed too nearly on a level with the singers, but that was almost- a matter of indifference, as it appeared that tho voice was not intended to bo the dominating factor, as in old-time grand opera, but rather another instrument to perfect an effect. Tho Pinkorton themo is based on the "Star-Spangled Banner" anthem, and tho old "Miya-Sama" themo (used so effectively in the "Mikado" by Sullivan) is grunted out by the bassoons in suggestion of tho Japanese. Then what ambrosial music accompanies the flower-strewing song— "Ah, let the scented balm of spring shed her sweetness here. . . . Let us sow fair April hero." Yet through it all trickles that which foretells the coming blow —a shiver of drear winter in the spring. The haunting hold of the terrifying music of the third act will bo difficult to dispel, and cannot be adequately described in more words. The Orchestra. To depict this transcendently beautiful music, Signor Hazon has an orchestra such as has never before been heard in opera in Wellington. Its work is truly colossal. There is no rest for anyone—all are needed on the palate when Puccini paints hie pictures, and so uniformly excellent is tho work that it would be invidious to particularise, but the. leading of Mr. Ernest Toy cannot bo passed unnoticed. Ho seemed able to get the precise tone needed in certain tremulously pathetic passages. Tho master hand of Signor Hazon was over all, dominating the whole work with his enthusiasm and spirituality. The Singers. Mdlle. Bel Sorel ae Cho Cho San— and vocally tho role is the opera— achieved a distinct triumph. Her voice is refreshingly clear and mobile, and she uses it with.an art that is ncw ; to New Zealajidors. Soaring in her limpid top register,- she is able to taper the note to a whisper, concluding with a heart-breaking sob which goes right to the heart. Full of French prettinesses, Mdlle. Sorel most perfectly suggests the tender little child-wife charmingly in the first act, and tho note of tragedy percolating the mkldlo act (through which she sings almost without a break) is deftly suggested by her power in tone-colouring. Her tragic intensity towards the end' places hor as a dramatic actress of rare strength and individuality, and gives a taste of what wo miss in this part of tho world, where grand opera is almost a.n accident.

Mr. Frederick Blarney, who played Pinkerton; lias a pleasant tenor voice of lyrical quality, which he uses effectively when chances, which are rare, occur. He was. at "his best in the scene in which lie hid good-bye to Butterfly and her pretty homo in the last act. Mr. Arthur Crane was acceptable as Sharpless. A notably good performance was that of Miss Rosina Buckmann as Suzuki, both from acting and vocal points of view. Mr. Ormo Darvall was splendidly dramatic as The Bonze (Butterfly's uncle), and the subtle Goro was well' placed with Mr. Edwin Wynn,, Miss Florence Quinn sang tho part of Kate Pinkerton very nicely, and Mr. Cliffor<l O'Keofo was satisfactory as the Imperial Commissioner. The opera is beautifully mounted, and tho two scenes —a Japanese garden and an interior overlooking tho blue waters of Nagasaki Harbour —are trinmphs of scenic art. "Madame Butterfly" will be performed again- this evening, with Miss Amy Castles as Cho Clio San, Mr. John Zorga as Pinkerton, and Signor Z.inelli as the Consul.'