Puccini - Madama Butterfly

Puccini - Madama Butterfly
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
Release Date: 2005-06-14
Cinematographer: Ernst Wild
Cinematographer: Wolfgang Treu
Writer: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
Producer: Fritz Buttenstedt
Writer: David Belasco
Writer: Giuseppe Giacosa
Writer: Jean-Louis Martinoty
Writer: Luigi Illica
Actor&Actress: Mirella Freni / Pl?cido Domingo / Christa Ludwig / Robert Kerns / Michel S?n?chal
Director: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
Sales Rank: 18206

Customer Review Summary (Average Rating : 3.5 / 5.0)
・Despite the film, Puccini conquers.
・Mesmerizing
・Emotional
・A response to the other reviews
・The Many Faces of Madame Butterfly

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Editorial Review
Of all Puccini's major operas, the intimate tragedy of Madama Butterfly is least in need of elaborate staging and might therefore benefit most from the close scrutiny of film. The story is domestic, the setting Spartan, the incidental characters kept to a minimum. This 1974 version, however, demonstrates that Butterfly still needs a healthy injection of proscenium arch melodrama. Director Jean-Pierre Ponelle's production strives for realism but remains unfortunately studio-bound, having neither the benefit of location filming nor the heightened reality of an opera stage. The exterior is a perpetually fog-shrouded heath of indeterminate locale; the interior is cramped and unadorned. The setting is just too prosaic to contain the epic emotions of grand opera.

Thankfully, the cast is a superb one, headed by Pl?cido Domingo's rakish Pinkerton and Mirella Freni's rubicund Butterfly. Their singing is incomparable, as is Herbert von Karajan's musical direction of the Vienna Philharmonic. The singers mime to prerecorded music, which is occasionally disconcerting since when film demands close-ups, opera provides broad gestures. Musically, this Butterfly is impeccable. Visually it adds nothing that could not be seen to better effect in a stage version. --Mark Walker

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Customer Reviews
Despite the film, Puccini conquers.
4 / 5.0
Not having read the brief message on the back of the cover, it came as a surprise that this was a film not a photographed live performance. The opening scene, as some reviewers have pointed out, was hardly an inducement to stay the course. (It showed a disheveled Pinkerton in T-Shirt running out of what we learn is his Japanese house, obviously in the grip of strong emotions for whose cause all who know the story of Madame Butterfly immediately register.) Customarily, I do not like filmed versions much preferring photographed live performances.

To be fair, I did not mind the unmoving mouths indicating introspective rather than objectified expression. What I did mind was the failure to take advantage of the possibilities inherent in film making but denied to the stage. This lack of adventurousness made for a lack of vigor and creativity in the production.

Yet, regardless of being an example of routine film-making, I had quite a good time. The reason is simple enough: the ravishing music by Puccini, which never goes stale, and the top-notch singing by the two stars, Domingo as Pinkerton, Freni as Butterfly. Having the likes of Christa Ludwig in support strengthened the positive response. Frankly, while I would have preferred seeing them sing live, with all its risks, but yet with its spark of spontaneity, I still could not resist that music, so endowed with the spirit of love dominant and love betrayed.If you have seen numerous versions of the opera, probably you should pass on this one and take another look at a production with which you are familiar. If you have never seen the opera in full, or have seen it only a few times, it is quite likely this will provide you with a most satisfying experience. Later you can take on one of the more full-blooded live performances.


Mesmerizing
5 / 5.0
This version of Madama Butterfly is simply astonishing. Freni and Domingo are magnificent and Von Karajan, once again, proves to be the great maestro of all times. I watched this dvd with some friends and all of us were moved,some to tears, at the power of the performances.


Emotional
5 / 5.0
I am very familiar with the music of this opera but had never seen it performed until receiving this DVD. Instead of being performed on a stage, it is done as a movie which makes it even more realistic. It is truly beautiful. It was 'filmed' in 1974 and Freni & Domingo are young & their voices AND acting are wonderful.


A response to the other reviews
4 / 5.0
This isn't a full review but a response to the other reviews here - I read all of them. The singing is excellent and listening to it with the video turned off is not a bad idea as some have suggested. The visuals are not uniformly bad. There are bad moments - I agree with those others have noted. Few have noted the good moments - there are some! One example is the morning scene after Butterfly has waited all night for Pinkerton to return. It is a lovely movie moment. There are lots of moments that are perfectly fine - like the flower scene in the garden - not great movie-making, but perfectly fine. Most of the scenes in the movie fall into the "more or less good" category. Of course it is the embarrassingly bad (or just puzzling) ones that stick in the mind of most reviewers here. If you watch this movie, bring a big helping of forgiveness for the visuals and you'll enjoy it. If something offends you, close your eyes and enjoy the singing!


The Many Faces of Madame Butterfly
3 / 5.0
From the David Belasco play to Puccini's opera to Schonberg's Miss Saigon, there are many faces of Madame Butterfly. But none is any more exquisite than that of Mirella Freni-- especially as she sings the near-perfect aria, "Un bel di" and the Flower Song duet with Suzuki. However, Ponnelle, who staged and directed the film version, made Placido Domingo as Lt. Pinkerton a little too caddish for my taste. This version seems to resemble a faded memory that speaks not to the intellect but to the heart. It certainly deserves a place in any opera collection.

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