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Madama Butterfly
Metropolitan Opera House, Sat, November 29, 1941
Madama Butterfly (259)
Giacomo Puccini | Luigi Illica/ Giuseppe Giacosa
- Cio-Cio-San
- Licia Albanese
- Pinkerton
- Armand Tokatyan
- Suzuki
- Lucielle Browning
- Sharpless
- John Brownlee
- Goro
- Alessio De Paolis
- Bonze
- John Gurney
- Yamadori
- George Cehanovsky
- Kate Pinkerton
- Maxine Stellman
- Commissioner
- Wilfred Engelman
- Conductor
- Ettore Panizza
- Director
- D?sir? Defr?re
- Set Designer
- Joseph Urban
Madama Butterfly received one performance this season.
Review 1:
Review of Edward Smith in Variety
"BUTTERFLY"
First "Butterfly" of the Met's season was presented Saturday evening (29) to a sold-out house. Performance was excellent in all respects.
Licia Albanese, as Butterfly, sang and looked her best. The Italian soprano chose to omit the high D flat in "Ancora un passo," which she sang last year, but her subsequent arias, "Ieri son salita," "Un bel di vedremo" and "Tu piccolo iddio," were flawless in their range and beautiful in tone. Her acting was poignant and fully realized the text.
Armand Tokatyan, after 18 years service at the Met, is apparently getting better. His top notes, in which the score abounds, were superb. The tenor reserved his climax for "Addio fiorito assil," in which a "B-flat" followed by the "A" brought a surge of applause from the house. He is one of the few Pinkertons to look and act his part with ease and grace.
John Brownlee voiced Sharpless' music with his customary aplomb, reaching his high point with the dramatic acting following the duet, "Ora a Noi," with Miss Albanese. Lucielle Browning was a big-voiced Suzuki. Ettore Panizza conducting his third opera in two days brought out all the richness of the Puccini score.
Search by season: 1941-42
Search by title: Madama Butterfly,
Met careers
- Ettore Panizza [Conductor]
- Licia Albanese [Cio-Cio-San]
- Armand Tokatyan [Pinkerton]
- Lucielle Browning [Suzuki]
- John Brownlee [Sharpless]
- Alessio De Paolis [Goro]
- John Gurney [Bonze]
- George Cehanovsky [Yamadori]
- Maxine Stellman [Kate Pinkerton]
- Wilfred Engelman [Commissioner]
- D?sir? Defr?re [Director]
- Joseph Urban [Set Designer]