Latest news with #MadamaButterfly
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Madama Butterfly, Grange Park Opera, review: surprisingly lethargic and directionless
For its first new production of the season, Grange Park Opera has chosen Puccini's ever-popular but problematical Madama Butterfly. John Doyle's penny-plain staging in his own designs tells straightforwardly the story of the young Japanese girl Cio-Cio-San (Madam Butterfly), used and then betrayed by Pinkerton, the visiting American navy lieutenant. It provides a worthy frame for South Korean soprano Hye-Youn Lee's searing portrayal of the title role. But too much of the rest is surprisingly lethargic and directionless. It is becoming difficult these days to take Puccini 's drama on the tragic terms he envisaged it, as the figure of Butterfly, exploited and naïve, feels ever more uncomfortable as an operatic heroine today. But no cultural doubts cloud Doyle's narrative, set on an open stage with just three ornamental chests with roller blinds that rise and fall somewhat aimlessly behind them. (There are not even the necessary doors: visitors have to knock on the chests.) The affable Pinkerton, a rather strained tenor Luis Gomes, is not brutal here, as he leaves promising to return, just overtaken by convention and weakness. No-one today would expect a Butterfly of 15, the age clearly specified in the text – many more mature sopranos have sung the role, and the vocal demands of the part are tremendous. Hye-Youn Lee meets them ardently, totally, perhaps missing the innocence of the earlier scenes, but flowering with passion in her love duet with Pinkerton at the end of act one, and then with self-deluding hope in her aria Un bel di, trusting in Pinkerton's return. This is an international-level portrayal of the role. Butterfly's maid Suzuki, finely portrayed with awkward, strenuous devotion by Kitty Whately, senses from the beginning that disaster is in the air as Butterfly and Pinkerton get together. She hovers over the scene and attempts to mediate the denouement when Pinkerton arrives back in town with his new American wife (the sharply-etched Rosa Sparks). The hapless US consul Sharpless (Ross Ramgobin) is not much help, though he attempts to warn Butterfly, while the interfering Goro (the veteran Adrian Thompson) and Cio-Cio-San's uncle Bonze (Jihoon Kim) here seem irrelevant to the central narrative. This opera went through several rewrites on the way to its current form, and the excision of a scene in the local Consulate in Act Two made for a lengthy final act entirely dominated by Butterfly herself. The atmospheric 'humming chorus' and long orchestral interlude of the night watch, as Butterfly waits for Pinkerton's return, is exquisitely scored, but here absolutely nothing happens. This might work were the music more firmly driven, but while the playing of the Gascoigne Orchestra is just about adequate, there is no momentum. Conductor Stephen Barlow gives his singers plenty of time to breathe and phrase, and thus provides support, yet there is a fatal lack of impetus in the forward movement of the score, its evocation of Japanese music under-characterised. The orchestral playing is one area where Grange Park Opera, now facing its biggest challenge with a forthcoming Wagner Ring cycle starting next year, needs attention.
The Citizen
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
VIDEO: Sibongile steals the opera show
Sibongile Mthiyane is considered the latest versatile and talented artist to bless the West Rand community with her brilliant vocals. • Also read: WATCH: Feeling the rhythm with Zanele Born and raised in Tshepisong, her journey in music began at the tender age of seven, when she was introduced to classical music at Margaret Gwele Primary School. She continued to nurture her passion for music throughout her school years, participating in the South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod competitions until she completed her matric at Wiseman Cele Secondary School. Sibongile's professional career took off in 2015 when she worked with Big Wig Opera's chorus in three productions: L'elisir d'amore, La Bohème, and Madama Butterfly. She then went on to collaborate with Gauteng Opera's chorus in La Bohème. Her talent has also taken her beyond South Africa's borders, participating in an elegy by Gabrielle Goliath in Germany and performing at the Spiel Arts Festival in Sweden in 2019 alongside Khayakazi Madla and Phenyo Modiane. Some of her notable performances include a concert at the Golden Gate Highlands National Park alongside Yolanda Nyembezi and the Gauteng Opera Chorus. In 2019, she was part of the Durban Opera Potpourri as a mezzo-soprano and presented the National Choir Festival live stream alongside Bongani Drama. In addition to her classical background, Sibongile has explored other creative avenues. She released an EP titled Ungowami with Yustinez ZA in 2022, marking a new chapter in her music career as an Afro-beat artist. With a multifaceted talent portfolio, Sibongile is also a skilled makeup artist, presenter, and newsreader. Through her journey, Sibongile has demonstrated her versatility, passion and dedication to the arts, making her a rising star in various fields. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
NYT Connections Hints for May 15, 2025: Full answers, category clues, and a smart guide to stay ahead of others
For puzzle enthusiasts grappling with the latest instalment of The New York Times ' word game, 'Connections,' Thursday's edition (Puzzle #704) offers a blend of deceptive simplicity and intellectual misdirection. If you're seeking clarity on the NYT Connections hints May 15 , help has arrived — along with answers, for those who've decided to surrender after a few missteps. As always, the aim remains the same: sort 16 words into four groups of four, each linked by a hidden relationship. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like He is in so much pain due to liver disease, please help! Donate For Health Donate Now Undo However, the connections are rarely obvious, and the puzzle's creators delight in embedding red herrings that mislead even seasoned solvers. Game Mechanics: A Brief Overview The "Connections" format demands the identification of four thematic categories from a grid of 16 words. Players must group the words according to shared concepts — whether linguistic, cultural, or abstract. Live Events Words are deliberately chosen to suggest multiple plausible categories, increasing the challenge. The difficulty levels are colour-coded: Yellow: Most straightforward Green: Slightly trickier Blue: Moderate complexity Purple: Most challenging Players are permitted up to four errors; beyond that, the game reveals the correct groupings. NYT Connections Hints May 15: Decoding the Categories For Thursday's game, solvers were encouraged to focus on subtle linguistic and thematic cues. Without giving away the entire solution just yet, here are hints to nudge you in the right direction, as mentioned in a report by Parade magazine: Philosophical footing – Phrases that explain why someone believes or does something. Winter white – Different forms in which snow may appear. Operatic echoes – The final word in several well-known opera titles. Shared prefix – Each phrase can be preceded by the word 'Real.' These clues were carefully worded to provide assistance without compromising the challenge. However, many players stumbled on the opera category, which leaned heavily on cultural knowledge. Complete Solution to Today's Puzzle (#704) If you've exhausted all your guesses or simply wish to confirm your instincts, here are the groupings for the May 15 puzzle: RATIONALE: BASIS, FOUNDATION, GROUNDS, REASON TYPES OF SNOW: CRUST, ICE, POWDER, SLUSH OPERA TITLE ENDINGS: BESS, BUTTERFLY, FLUTE, SEVILLE REAL ______: DEAL, ESTATE, MADRID, WORLD The opera category proved especially elusive, as many did not immediately associate Butterfly with Madama Butterfly or Bess with Porgy and Bess . The Magic Flute and The Barber of Seville completed the list. FAQs How do Connections work in the NYT? Connections is a word puzzle that tasks players with identifying hidden themes among a set of words. Presented with 16 words, players must group them into sets of four that share a common link. What are the difficulty levels in NYT Connections? Each game features four tiers of difficulty, with each group of four words falling into one category. Yellow is the simplest, followed by green, then blue, and finally purple — the most challenging, which the New York Times playfully calls 'tricky.'
The Province
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Province
Review: Vancouver Opera's Madama Butterfly puts a spin on Puccini's perennial favourite
Yasko Sato and Robert Watson in Madama Butterfly. Photo by Emily Cooper Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. Vancouver Opera ends its 65th season with Puccini's perennial favourite Madama Butterfly, in an extended run of five partially double-cast performances. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors The show opened Saturday evening in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre to a full and enthusiastic house — no surprise, given Butterfly's enduring popularity and appeal. But this isn't exactly Butterfly as seen in previous mountings of the work. Director Mo Zhou has made some telling changes to the mise-en-scènes, moving the setting from turn of the century Japan to the aftermath of the Second World War and the years of the American Occupation. This isn't Regieoper, in which an overriding directorial conceit becomes the justification for all manners of intervention. The slight shift in setting is an honest attempt at getting at the emotional heart of the story, a way of reclaiming the power and poignancy of a tale now slightly shopworn with constant repetition. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It works. Zhou changes neither words nor music. True, costumes (from Kentucky Opera, Virginia Opera and Florentine Opera) are updated, but the setting (from Portland Opera) is traditional, attractive and effective, a case of having your cake and eating it too. Her most telling addition is a 'here are the facts' series of projections during the extended instrumental introduction to Act 3. During the run there will be two Cho-Cho-Sans and two Pinkertons: Karen Chia-Ling Ho and Adam Luther will sing the lead roles in two matinee performances. Opening night and subsequent evenings see Yasko Sato and Robert Watson as the leads. Watson is an effective Pinkerton: all brash adventurer in Act 1, snivelling coward in Act 3. His voice is attractive, and his sense of Italian style commendable. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Yasko Sata has a big, dramatic sound. On opening night, her delivery was occasionally uneven, but she owns the part, delivering the role with passion and intensity, just what director Zhou clearly wanted for the part. Casting for the subsidiary roles was especially strong. The Suzuki, Cho-Cho-San's trusted maid/companion, was beautifully sung by Nozomi Kato; Julius Ahn was effectively loathsome as Goro, the so-called Marriage Broker; and Brett Polegato, a VSO stalwart, was especially fine as Sharpless, the American consul, an honest, even sympathetic man in a dishonest position. The extended interplay among Kato, Sata and Polegato made for an unusually rich and nuanced second act, which can often seem like operatic flyover country between the evocative opening and melodramatic denouement. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Much of the success of director Zhou's vision is rooted in her deep understanding of Puccini's music; her ideas stem from the score and are rooted by musical content, even when there has been a slight but significant change in context. Stage action is meaningful but never busy; some of the most memorable vignettes are still and calm, like the superb moments that frame the famous humming chorus: two anxious but silent women, a restless child wanting sleep; that's all. And it's heartbreaking. While the music drives Zhou's concept, it's conductor Jacques Lacombe and the Vancouver Opera Orchestra that make her vision and Puccini's sure-footed music resound purposefully. Puccini is a master of broad, lush melodies, sugary moments and explosive climaxes. Get the balance wrong, and the effect is compromised. Lacombe never lets superficial prettiness and exotic effects get in the way of the big picture; this is Italian verismo, raw, intense and inexorable. Performances continue May 1-8, 7:30 p.m.; May 4, 2 p.m. Read More Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks National Local News Federal Election
Vancouver Sun
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
Review: Vancouver Opera's Madama Butterfly puts a spin on Puccini's perennial favourite
Article content Vancouver Opera ends its 65th season with Puccini's perennial favourite Madama Butterfly, in an extended run of five partially double-cast performances. Article content The show opened Saturday evening in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre to a full and enthusiastic house — no surprise, given Butterfly's enduring popularity and appeal. Article content But this isn't exactly Butterfly as seen in previous mountings of the work. Article content Article content Director Mo Zhou has made some telling changes to the mise-en-scènes, moving the setting from turn of the century Japan to the aftermath of the Second World War and the years of the American Occupation. This isn't Regieoper, in which an overriding directorial conceit becomes the justification for all manners of intervention. Article content Article content The slight shift in setting is an honest attempt at getting at the emotional heart of the story, a way of reclaiming the power and poignancy of a tale now slightly shopworn with constant repetition. Article content It works. Article content Zhou changes neither words nor music. True, costumes (from Kentucky Opera, Virginia Opera and Florentine Opera) are updated, but the setting (from Portland Opera) is traditional, attractive and effective, a case of having your cake and eating it too. Her most telling addition is a 'here are the facts' series of projections during the extended instrumental introduction to Act 3. Article content Article content During the run there will be two Cho-Cho-Sans and two Pinkertons: Karen Chia-Ling Ho and Adam Luther will sing the lead roles in two matinee performances. Opening night and subsequent evenings see Yasko Sato and Robert Watson as the leads. Article content Article content Watson is an effective Pinkerton: all brash adventurer in Act 1, snivelling coward in Act 3. His voice is attractive, and his sense of Italian style commendable. Article content Yasko Sata has a big, dramatic sound. On opening night, her delivery was occasionally uneven, but she owns the part, delivering the role with passion and intensity, just what director Zhou clearly wanted for the part. Article content The Suzuki, Cho-Cho-San's trusted maid/companion, was beautifully sung by Nozomi Kato; Julius Ahn was effectively loathsome as Goro, the so-called Marriage Broker; and Brett Polegato, a VSO stalwart, was especially fine as Sharpless, the American consul, an honest, even sympathetic man in a dishonest position. The extended interplay among Kato, Sata and Polegato made for an unusually rich and nuanced second act, which can often seem like operatic flyover country between the evocative opening and melodramatic denouement.
