A Sneak Peek At Butterfly
Sydney’s star-gazers could be forgiven for an element of confusion over the next couple of weeks as not one but two moons and two suns float over Sydney harbour.
The two gleaming orbs are part of Handa on Sydney Harbour’s 2014 production of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly which opens of Friday March 21st and runs every evening till April 11th.
With final rehearsals underway, SoundsLikeSydney had a sneak peek at what is to come. Sydney harbour is particularly suited to this tale with maritime elements and maximum use is made of Sydney’s dramatic harbour setting.
The cast, drawn from around the world is led by Japanese-French soprano Hiromi Omura as Cio-Cio San, who sang the role so powerfully in the opera theatre last year. She alternates with South Korean – Australian soprano Hyesoung Kwon. Russian tenor Georgy Vasiliev and Spaniard Andeka Gorrobxategi share the role of Pinkerton with Anna Yun and Victoria Lambourn as Suzuki and Michael Honeyman and Barry Ryan alternating as Sharpless.
The Barcelona based creative team La Fura dels Baus which created the cutting edge production of Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera performed by Opera Australia in 2013 has lead the artistic aspects of the production with direction by Alex Ollé, set design by Alfons Flores and costumes by Lluc Castells.
We can’t say too much at the moment, but what we can declare is that the setting is magical, the production is inventive and meticulous in detail; the kimonos are exquisite and the singing is outstanding!
Shamistha de Soysa for SoundsLikeSydney©
