July 2008

I realize that the blog has not received attention for more than a year. It is time to resume the writings, since I have some breathing time this summer.

This has been a fascinating year. My appreciation for dance and theatre reached a new level. One interesting experience was that of Madame Butterfly. I photographed three productions of this opera in a year. Both the Austin Lyric Opera and Fort worth Opera Festival presented the work this season. Stanton Welch has also adapted this work into a full length Ballet for the Australian Ballet. The Houston Ballet presented the work and toured it in 2007-2008.

While I enjoy Opera, it is the least favorite theatrical genre of mine. Professional performances can by stunning visually, with elaborate costumes, moving music, but the pacing and acting leave me dissatisfied in most cases. So operas can be hit or miss with me.

Madam Butterfly is somewhat in the middle. I like the convincing tragic story line and believable characters. The music in certain sections (especially the choral sections) is haunting and catchy. In other sections it seems a little too long. The pacing in this opera is strange. In all versions (opera and dance), the wedding night scene seemed a little too long to me. The transition to Act II seems very sudden. The gap between Act II and III - is it sufficient to call it three acts?
Images from the Operas can be viewed at insightphotography.smugmug.com/Theater - and the Ballet version (with a studio rehearsal) is at insightphotography.smugmug.com/Dance.

Fort Worth Opera, Butterfly's arrival

In both opera productions, I had difficulty losing myself in the character of Madam Butterfly. It is not the age or the physical dimensions of the lead females that is the problem. A good actor can draw me into their character, immaterial of how they look. The mannerisms and facial expressions of the leads seem to be more that of a mature person, and not giddy lovesick teenagers (yes even a retrained Japanese one). Between the two sets, I liked the design used by the Lyric Opera much better, even though it was past its prime. The manner in which movement was used, gave a much better sense of space. The multilevel set contributed a great deal. In contrast, the FW Festival's set was very claustrophobic and did not provide the freedom needed to convey the different moods.

Austin Lyric Opera,Butterfly's arrival

Lyric Opera's lighting was a little blah, but The FWOF fared better. Costume design was good in both cases. But overall, neither singer-actresses made a deep impression on me. As for the music/interpretations it was difficult to focus of the subtleties since I was focused on photographing the performance. The three versions seem to have different interpretations at the end, involving Sorrow Child. The fW version had the child blindfolded in the front while Butterfly committed the self mutilation. It seemed a little overdone for my taste. In the Ballet, the child is offstage during the suicide. But it has made me curious as to what the original version was and how it mutated.

Mr. Welch's version was my favorite - not just because it was dance, but also because of the adaptation and production values. I got to photograph it once, and made a point to see it (without my camera) when it was presented at the Miller Outdoor Theater in Houston.

The set was the simplest of the three productions. A lovely backdrop of the mountains/hills, a simple Japanese home front, and the dominating alter (with the American Flag, Cross, and Samurai sword) after the wedding. The costumes were the least authentic - since this was a dance, but Peter Farmer's pastel color palette and choice of materials had a nice polish. Since the music was instrumental, the actions on stage had to communicate the whole story.
Amy Fote of the Houston Ballet, Opening moment

Mr. Welch has a knack for openings (in his full length ballets), and Butterfly does not disappoint. The opening is stunning, with Butterfly bathed in a golden sepia glow, wings flapping silently behind her, drawing us into her story. Equally lovely is Butterfly's first entrance with her entourage. A nice surprise is the shadow transition (humming section) between Act II and III.

A lot of the group choreography was a little too layered for me, and difficult to appreciate, with so much going one. Where there were few characters on stage, I could focus and appreciate the choreography/expressions more. The wedding PDD was exceptional. The mime and story-telling was very organic, and not stylized, which I prefer. I felt sad for people who did not have the prime orchestra seats. The facial expressions contribute a great deal, and it is pity to miss it. Amy Fote is one of my favorite HB principles I like for expressions, and she drew me in with her acting.