by Rose Rushe
OUT OF war-torn Ukraine moves a creation of beauty. The exquisite Japanese garden of ‘Madama Butterfly’, sunrises over sea, hand-embroidered costumes and most of all, the wonderful singing and music of Ellen Kent’s production, make their concert hall date sacred.
One performance only on Saturday October 25 of ‘Madama Butterfly’ is the welcome return of the 2012 Easter production that saw UCH spellbound.
Elena Dee (Korea) is Butterfly, the faithful Cio Cio San, and Spanish tenor Giorgio Meladze, who sang in Austria with José Carreras, is lusty Pinkerton. The role of Sharples is with Moldovan baritone Vladimir Dragos.
There’s a 30 strong orchestra that is mostly Moldovan but with Ukrainian and Russian musicians, directed by Nicholae Dohotaru.
Ellen Kent, an old friend to Limerick, set out her current tour (Rigoletto, Traviata, Butterfly) to work with the Ukraine National Opera in Kharkiv, just “miles from where this war is raging. Almost 4,000 women, men and children have been killed since it started. Donetsk, the airport, is completely blitzed” – by pro-Russian separatists.
All the sets were being built “in the heart of this opera country” and being set to head over to supervise production, she was warned off “by British Foreign Office not to stay there as kidnappings and executions were targeted at British and American passport holders, perceived to be on the Ukrainian side”.
Ellen made the switch to Moldova’s friendly Chisiniau, operating out of the Moldovan National Opera and Ballet Theatre with additional chorus, orchestra and soloists.
“Our trucks crossed out of the Ukraine safely, with a large coach and technical bus. We have about 80 people on the road, it’s like a small circus”.
Small? Results can be epic, as with this achingly tender and true-of-tone Puccini.
Yes, it’s largely the same as seen and heard before: “Why break something that is perfect?”
Book with University Concert Hall box office on www.uch.ie
