Opera Scotland

Madam Butterfly 2000Scottish Opera

Read more about the opera Madama Butterfly

Scottish Opera's fourth production of Madama Butterfly was surely the best yet. As in his stagings of Idomeneo and Rosenkavalier, David McVicar just seemed for the most part to allow the piece to speak for itself, with a cast of superb singing actors who simply didn't put a foot wrong. Ian Storey showed Pinkerton to be self-centred and not very bright. Sharpless started as a young all-American college boy who quickly learns to respect Japanese culture, and becomes increasingly appalled by Pinkerton's behaviour. Suzuki and Butterfly gave performances full of subtle touches. Even Goro was shown to develop, becoming more westernised later on.