HGO Presents Madame Butterfly
Un bel dì, vedremo
levarsi un fil di fumo
sull’estremo confin del mare…
Un Bel Di , Act. II of Madame Butterfly
By Brian Bowers
The Italian text above translates to “one beautiful day, we will see a thread of smoke rising at the extreme of the sea” (from the book An Interpretive Guide to Operatic Arias). An excerpt from the gorgeous Italian operatic aria “Un Bel Di” in Act II of Madame Butterfly, this is perhaps one of the most famous arias in the Soprano repertoire. As if from a distance, the clarion voice slowly opens the phrase ‘Un, bel di’ (One Beautiful Day) pianissimo as Cio-Cio-San envisions the lovely day her beloved (Pinkerton, a US Naval Officer) will return. Set in Japan, the three act opera based on the libretto by Luigi Illica is an archetypal concoction of tragedy, betrayal and love (read a more in-depth summary here or here ). Bringing up questions of culture, gender and power, it is one of the most beloved and performed operatic works. This fall the Houston Grand Opera will be presenting the famed drama by Giacomo Puccini at Wortham Center.
Among those participating in HGO’s upcoming production, the cast members Joseph Calleja (Pinkerton), Levi Hernandez (Sharpless) and Lucy Schaufer (Suzuki) will be making their Houston Grand Opera debuts. Creative team members Christopher Oram (Set and Costume), Neil Austin (Lighting) and director Michael Grandage will also be making their debut with HGO this fall as well. Classical music lovers in Houston have always come to expect opera par excellence from HGO and one can be sure this production will be no exception. The show will run from October 22-November 5, 2010. To get more information, click here .
HGO Unveils Tchaikovsky’s “Queen of Spades”
By Brian Bowers
If you are looking for something a little different for entertainment when you head out in Houston, perhaps you should check out The Houston Grand Opera’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades this April. After performing Puccinni’s Tosca this past February, the Houston Grand Opera under the baton of Carlo Rizzi will be presenting one of 11 Tchaikovsky operas. According to the HGO website, the London Observer said the following of the production:
“Once every few seasons, a production gets pretty much everything right. This is one … Dramatically spine-chilling, visually spare and coherent, it was the kind of theatrical experience which changes the way you look at life – not a comment to be made lightly.” — The Observer (London)
The opera, which originally premiered in December of 1890, is based on the short story by Russian writer Alexander Pushkin. Much of Pushkin’s work has famously been set to music by a number of prolific composers. The Queen of Spades is a complex tale of secrecy, greed, manipulation and desire. And of course, what would opera be without a little avarice, a little death and passion!
