Madame Butterfly by Puccini, Vin 22 Apr. 2022, De la (2022/2022), Regizat de către Jiří Heřman, Dirijor Andriy Yurkevych, Jiří Štrunc, Státní Opera Praha (The State Opera), Prague, Czech Republic

The opera is named after the renowned short story Madame Butterfly by the American lawyer and author John Luther Long, which served as the basis for a drama by the New York impresario and playwright David Belasco, which in turn directly inspired Puccini to compose his celebrated opera. In Madama Butterfly, Puccini eschewed intricate action and boisterous dramatic events, opting instead for an intimate story and highlighting the psychology of the characters, fleshing out by his music the tiniest details, oscillations and extreme emotional surges. The contrast between the Japanese and “Western” mentality is also aptly rendered by means of many a time surprisingly modified quotations of the US national anthem, as well as a forcible depiction of the local colour of Japan. This facet is captured in Jiří Heřman’s production, which authentically represents the Japanese culture and its traditional customs. The stage director tells the well-known story in a non-traditional way – through the eyes of Cio-Cio San’s grown-up son, who traces his past in Nagasaki. NOTE: Tobacco products are featured in the performance.