Puccini Madama Butterfly opera to libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica. Directed 2012 by Moffatt Oxenbould at The Arts Center, Melbourne, Australia. Stars James Egglestone (B F Pinkerton), Hiromi Omura (Cio-Cio-San), Graeme Macfarlane (Goro), Sian Pendry (Suzuki), Barry Ryan (Sharpless), Clifford Plumpton (The Imperial Commissioner), Gregory Brown (The Official Registrar), Jud Arthur (The Bonze), Samuel Dundas (Prince Yamadori), Nicole Car (Kate Pinkerton), and Hoang John Nguyen (Dolore). Giovanni Reggioli conducts the Orchestra Victoria (Concert Master Yi Wang) and the Opera Australia Chorus (Chorus Master Michael Black). Set and costume designs by Peter England and Russell Cohen; lighting by Robert Bryan. Directed for TV by Cameron Kirkpatrick; audio direction by Tony David Cray; produced by Sam Russell and Chris Yates. Sung in Italian. Released 2013, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
The buzz about this title is quite good. Hiromi Omura has a huge advantage over most singers in playing Cio-Cio-San (Butterfly) because Omura is Japanese and has, they say, keen acting as well as singing ability.