'Madama Butterfly' hits the mark

The IU Opera Theater's production of "Madama Butterfly" was what everyone expected it to be and much more. Puccini's masterpiece was brought to life by the cast and crew of the School of Music at the Musical Arts Center starting July 28. The last performance will be Saturday. \nThe performance more than fulfilled the expectations of the Bloomington opera audience. It was of a high caliber that people have come to expect from School of Music productions. Theater and music fused into a spectacle of the highest aesthetic sensibilities. \nThe action of "Madama Butterfly" takes place shortly after the turn of the century when Japan is forced out of isolation from the rest of the world. Lieutenant Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton of the U.S. Navy amuses himself with Japanese customs and is determined to indulge in the pleasures of the country he is stationed in. He marries Cio-Cio San (Madame Butterfly), a naive geisha, for amusement. Cio-Cio San thinks that the marriage is binding and gives her heart and soul to Pinkerton. This is the beginning of one of the great romantic tragedies of our times. The story addresses the timeless themes of love and lost love, while thoroughly examining the more recent phenomenon of interracial relationships and the complications involved in such unions. The heart is very delicate when it comes to romantic love, and one must not give it away out of infatuation. This is exactly what Madame Butterfly did and paid the ultimate price. \nAll of this was beautifully expressed and conveyed to the audience by the actors and orchestra, who were all IU students. Scott Six and Rachel Holland were impressive as Pinkerton and Madame Butterfly respectively. The rest of the cast turned in effective performances as well. But one cannot help but notice the slight error in casting here. Six, who plays Pinkerton, is a heavy individual who carries himself rather uneasily on stage. One cannot help but wonder why someone as lovely as Madame Butterfly would fall in love with someone like him. Madame Butterfly is supposed to be a delicate, doll-like individual while Holland, who plays this role, is neither delicate nor does she carry herself like a Japanese geisha. One just has to imagine that Pinkerton is a handsome American navy officer and that Madame Butterfly is a beautiful, delicate Japanese geisha. While this was a casting error, the performances by both these actors were of the highest caliber and must be commended. \nThe conductor, Imre Palló, and stage director Mark Clark did an excellent job in fusing the music and acting into an effective whole. The lighting and stage design was of exceptional quality as is always the case with School of Music productions. These elements effectively heightened the drama and tragedy. \nIt was a performance worth watching, and even those completely ignorant of Western theater and opera could appreciate the expertise with which this masterpiece was being presented. The production might not have been flawless, but it was a fulfilling artistic experience.