The Regina Opera Company opened its 57th season with Puccini’s Madama Butterfly on Saturday, November 7th, to thunderous applause in the auditorium of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy, at 5902 6th Avenue.
Madama Butterfly follows the story of a young, orphaned geisha from Nagasaki, named Cio-Cio-San (Jihye Seo), whose name, when translated to English, is Butterfly. She is betrothed to U.S. Navy Lieutenant Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton (Christopher Trapani), and despite their differences, they marry. Sadly, Pinkerton soon leaves for America, unaware that he fathered a child. Though he eventually returns to Japan, he brings along a “proper” wife, unaware of the tragic event he set in place.
Butterfly and Pinkerton are the two central characters of Madama Butterfly, and their actors’ portrayals demonstrate why people remain in love with the opera. Throughout the story, Pinkerton makes a big deal of himself; however, he is a coward who cannot commit to his own wife. Nonetheless, Trapani’s performance makes Pinkerton pathetic enough that one can sympathize with him.
However, the real star was Seo whose powerful soprano voice drew all the attention, and with it, she convinced the audience that Butterfly was truly happy and hopeful despite all the evidence to the contrary. Her strength comes from her commitment to Pinkerton, though sadly it is all for naught.
“Everyone thinks that this role is sad, but, actually, she is very hopeful — waiting for her husband to come back. Even when her servant is crying and everyone else is too, she keeps saying, ‘No, he’s going to come back. He’s going to come back,’” Seo told the Canarsie Courier. “I wasn’t thinking about a very sad mood until Act III, which is a totally different world because she is finally facing reality. So that was my approach — up until Act II, she’s just very happy.”
Upcoming performances will be held on November 14th and 15th at 3 p.m.
For more information on the Regina Opera Company, visit reginaopera.org or call (718) 259-2772.
