Germany Puccini, Madama Butterfly: Soloists, Tschechischer Philharmonischer Chor Brünn, Berliner Philharmoniker / Kirill Petrenko (conductor). Festpielhaus Baden-Baden, 20.4.2025. (AL-L)
In many ways, it is tempting to think of Puccini as a composer with a keen sense of melodic singing lines. The famous comment of Caruso that to have a strong performance of Verdi’s Il trovatore, one simply needs the best soprano, the best tenor, the best… could apply to Puccini’s works.
This performance of Madama Butterfly showed that Puccini’s operas can massively benefit from outstanding orchestral accompaniment. The playing of the Berlin Philharmonic under Kirill Petrenko made this a very special evening.
As Munich’s audiences had learned to appreciate when he was the music director of the Staatsoper, Petrenko not only takes care never to cover singers, he also elevates them. Stage and pit were completely at one. The music flowed with genuine Italian style. The tempi enabled all singers to phrase beautifully with great care within their vocal capabilities.
At the same time, the subtlety of Puccini’s orchestration and harmonics were on clear display. There were sumptuous orchestral colours with special contributions from the woodwinds. Emmanuel Pahud on the flute played with a round tone and great musicality. The viola d’amore in the Humming Chorus was a subtle contribution. It was as if every player was listening to each other and blending their sound. We were reminded why Ravel was in such admiration of Puccini’s music.
The stage benefited from such care. The title role requires a large range between delicate and heavier passages. Eleonora Buratto (Cio-Cio-San) has a solid range, and while in Munich the orchestra did not help her during a recent performance of Tosca (review here), now the backing from the ensemble allowed her to be at ease, phrase with care and make a strong emotional impact. Jonathan Tetelman (Pinkerton) has genuine stage presence and was very credible. While he could work a little more on the voice’s middle range, he ended his third act aria ‘Addio, fiorito asil’ with thrilling, ringing top notes. Tassis Christoyannis was a moving Sharpless and the Suzuki of Teresa Iervolino a little neutral. But time stopped in the magnificent third act trio ‘Io so che alle sue pene’. The chorus was superb.
David Livermore’s concept started in modern-day Japan with an older Suzuki meeting Cio-Cio-San’s grownup child. While this approach could in some cases be a bit artificial, the idea proved effective and not overdone, all elements were seamlessly integrated into a classic production. There was some imaginative use of highly colourful videos and a US flag that fell on the stage, covering Cio-Cio-San and her son.
This new production was the last at the Baden-Baden Easter Festival and the Berlin Philharmonic had not performed there for over ten years. The hall was filled with many young people. One could hear a pin drop, and not an eye remained dry following the superlative performance.
Next year’s Easter programme has already been announced. Johanna Malwitz will conduct Wagner’s Lohengrin with Piotr Beczała in the title role, as well as Britten’s War Requiem. Hélène Grimaud will play Brahms and Robert Schumann. Klaus Mäkelä will come with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and perform two programmes, one featuring Mahler’s Fifth Symphony and the other Bach’s St Matthew Passion.
Although every season is different, no doubt the Festival and its performances will be on the same high level that we have become accustomed to in these last years.
Antoine Lévy-Leboyer
Production:
Director – Davide Livermore
Settings – Giò Forma
Costumes – Mariana Fracasso
Lighting – Fiammetta Baldiserri
Video – D-Wok
Cast:
Cio-Cio-San – Eleonora Buratto
B. F. Pinkerton- Jonathan Tetelman
Suzuki – Teresa Iervolino
Sharpless – Tassis Christoyannis
Goro – Didier Pieri
Kate Pinkerton – Lilia Istratii
Yamadori – Aksel Daveyan
Bonze – Giorgi Chelidze