StemCell Therapy

Catherine Payvandi, Community Music Published 2:23 p.m. CT Jan. 8, 2020

Josh Reynolds (Prince Yamadori), A. Scott Parry (Stage Director), Yulia Lysenko (Cio-Cio San), practice for CROpera's production of "Madama Butterfly"(Photo: Contributed photo)

There is little doubt that Giacomo Puccinis operas are among the worlds most loved. As the leading Italian opera composer of his generation, four of his twelve operas laBoheme, Tosca, Turnadot and Madama Butterfly are the most performed operas worldwide.

Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre will perform Puccinis Madama Butterfly January 17 at 7:30 pm and again January 19 at 2:30 pm. Free pre-opera talks will begin one hour before performance in the Encore Lounge of the Paramount Theatre, 123 3rd Ave. SE in Cedar Rapids. The opera is sung in Italian with English supertitles.

Part of Puccini's genius derives from his remarkable ability to depict the inner lives and feelings of his tragic heroines Mimi, Tosca, Turandot and Cio Cio San all are unforgettable heroines whose music accesses the soul and whose stories break your heart. But in Madama Butterfly, the intensity of storytelling, the gorgeous lyricism of the music, and sharpness of character are especially brought to life as we witness the incredible transformation of Puccinis Cio Cio San from an innocent young geisha into a towering image of strength.

The arc of her character development informs dramatic action her transformation from a young innocent to a bold and courageous woman who achieves mythic relevance is set forth against a backdrop of darkness and orchestral beauty. While the core of the opera is about conflict conflict between cultures, between idealism and reality the dramatic center of the opera has a universal message that speaks to evena modern audience.

Yulia Lysenko (Cio-Cio San) and Jeremy Brauner (Pinkerton), rehearse for CROpera's production of "Madama Butterfly."(Photo: Contributed photo)

Cio Cio San is a 15-year-old girl who falls in love with a man who promises her the world but who inevitably betrays her. The process of the opera is the unfolding of her character. She is a nave young geisha, who struggles to sustain her dream of happiness, but her innocence and willful blindness to the truth prevent her from achieving lasting joy. However, it is that blindness that prompts her to heroic action and which leads her to courageously choose death rather than accept a future tainted with dishonor.

While traditional opera commentary tends to focus on the operas historical context, and the clash between East and West the Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre production embraces more universal applications as it illuminates how idealism is crushed by what it most aspires to and demonstrates through dramatic counterpoint how irresponsible decisions have tragic consequences.

The opera is not just a story about the past or an exotic period piece. Instead, what emerges is the unfolding of a pattern of exploitation and selfdeception that renders universal relevance. And as such, that theme speaks to each of us in our own world.

The story of Cio Cio San, Pucinnis imaginary geisha, engenders an empathetic impulse we all feel. The beauty of Pucinnis dramatic hand is that while entering into the perspective of Cio Cio San, we recognize the doomed outcome shadowing her romantic hopes. She is like a butterfly beautiful and fragile with her dream of love but one who is ultimately pierced to the heart by betrayal.

Catherine Payvandi is a member of the Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre board of directors and is also an active community volunteer at Orchestra Iowa.She received her doctorate in English literature form the University of Iowa and has held faculty positions at Mt. Mercy University and Cornell College teaching writing and literature.

Read or Share this story: https://www.press-citizen.com/story/life/2020/01/08/cr-operas-madama-butterfly-offers-up-universal-themes-and-tragedy/2836438001/

Follow this link:
Madama Butterfly offers up universal themes and tragedy - Iowa City Press-Citizen

This entry was posted on January 10, 2020 at 8:42 am and is filed under Blindness. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |