New York Classical Review

East found still more ways to meet West in the Metropolitan Opera’s latest iteration of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, which opened Friday night. The performances of Ailyn Pérez as Cio-Cio-San and SeokJong Baek as Pinkerton meshed well with Anthony Minghella’s ultra-visual staging, translating the young geisha’s fantasy world into sliding panels, drifting moon-lanterns, and uncannily lifelike bunraku puppets.

Some observers find all that visual activity distracting, but they seem to be in a minority, as Minghella’s conception approaches its 20th anniversary on the Met stage and near-classic status.

That leaves the singer of the title role with a choice to make: Puccini wrote the part for a dramatic soprano in her prime—and Pérez certainly is that–but the libretto specifies Cio-Cio-San’s age as 15. So, how cute is too cute?

Pérez’s Cio-Cio-San, daughter of a disgraced samurai who committed suicide, was more Orphan Annie than Juliet, looking for the way out of her hard-knock life—a prime prospect for the marriage broker Goro, looking to score a quick fee by matching her to the foreigner with the casual attitude toward marriage.

The dignity of her noble origin, though wounded by many cuts, remained intact throughout the performance, from her first conversation with Pinkerton to her horrific end. That had the effect of freeing her to blossom vocally at will, without “younging down” her voice or manner.

And blossom Pérez did, selectively, at critical points in her characterization, saving the long build and splendid top for the showstopping aria “Un bel dì.”  Focus and stamina were the hallmarks of her performance in a role that is onstage front and center for most of the opera’s two and a half hours.

Though vocally sound and well supported, tenor Baek was not the most seductive of Pinkertons; the brittleness in his voice better suited his banter with Andrzej Filończyk as the American consul Sharpless than his love duet with Cio-Cio-San. His tendency to push crescendos for effect rather than from emotional impulse had the effect, among other things, of causing baritone Filończyk to force vocally to match him.

The Polish baritone, tall and handsome in a well-cut brown suit, was the image of a friendly diplomat from a young nation, with a warm, well-projected voice to match. His discomfiture at being the middleman in a cross-cultural catastrophe was a little broadly played, but moving nonetheless.

The geisha’s maid and vigilant supporter Suzuki was a near-silent, servile presence for much of the opera, until the dramatic turn when the composer unveiled her lyrical gifts and fighting spirit. In her Met debut, soprano Hyona Kim moved at first with perfect unobtrusiveness, then matched glowing tones with Pérez in the Flower Duet and turned up the volume to eleven while rebuking the feckless men.

Tenor Rodell Rosel didn’t overplay the slime factor of the wedding broker Goro, but his actions sang louder than words. Baritone Jeongcheol Cha was vocally and physically imposing as the geisha’s rejected suitor Prince Yamadori. And mezzo-soprano Hannah Jones managed to project dignity and sympathy for Cio-Cio-San in the nearly silent role of Kate, Pinkerton’s American wife.

Conductor Marco Armiliato, who should perhaps be christened Signor Butterfly after leading countless performances of the opera at the Met and elsewhere, came through again with evocative preludes and superb work with woodwinds and strings, whether boosting the singers or backing off and letting them shine.

Tilman Michael’s Met Chorus glowed at key junctures, especially the Humming Chorus before Act III.

Madama Butterfly runs through Jan. 24, and again March 10-28. Carlo Rizzi will conduct the March performances. Performances of March 10, 14, 18, 21 and 27 will feature Sonya Yoncheva as Cio-Cio-San, Adam Smith as Pinkerton, Quinn Kelsey as Sharpless, and Jennifer Johnson Cano as Suzuki. Matthew Polenzani will sing Pinkerton March 11, 14, 19, 23 and 28. Toni Marie Palmertree will sing Cio-Cio-San March 28. metopera.org