Don’t blink or you’ll miss the two performances of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly opera which is being performed in a concert setting by Orlando Philharmonic at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center. While two performances of an opera might be all that Orlando’s cultural scene can support right now, that is no excuse for you to pass on the opportunity to buy tickets to this beautiful tragic opera.
The story is thus: “Butterfly, a beautiful young geisha, sacrifices her family, her religion, and ultimately her life for an American naval officer, Lieutenant Pinkerton. He takes her as his bride for convenience, with no intention of bringing her home to America”.
The concert setting places both musicians and performers on stage. Yes, it is sung in Italian, but there are English subtitles. Lovers of Puccini’s music place this tragic opera among his best work, so you might be tempted just close your eyes and absorb the sound. But then you’d miss the costumes, the performances, and the addition of digital backdrops to this concert staging. It’s new for the Orlando Phil this year and I’m looking forward to seeing how it works.
I’ll be attending a special press preview tonight at the dress rehearsal. Tickets for the public are still available on the OrlandoPhil website for Friday, April 5, 2013, 8:00 PM or Sunday, April 7, 2013, 2:00 PM.
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