Puccini - Madama Butterfly - Patricia Racette, Marcello Giordani - Vogliatemi bene

[EponineKim1]

Hey, do you have a full version with those subtitles?? :)

[Madman2759]

No, her voice is showing some wear and tear, and she's not always on pitch. Neither is Pinkerton. Still, the emotion is there, and I wouldn't say it's in serious decline. Then she'd be all over the place.

[MrSammyscroll]

There is so much negativity from you so-called opera buffs...you don't recognize greatness when you hear it....very sad, very sad........

[vegatrev]

Some of the comments surprise me. I am not an Opera buff as they say but have loved Madam Butterfly simply because I am moved by the story and the great singers who perform to such a high standard. To me Patricia Racette is awsome. A voice in decline? wobbly. I don't think so.

[monkeygraborange]

7 people either hate beauty or are insane

[otavela]

I meant february 2012 :)

[otavela]

The end is so beautiful that made me cry. I am not a singer but I am an opera lover and have heard many of the best in MET nyc and in the Royal Opera House in London. Alredy bought my ticket to hear Patricia at the Met in February 2011 and I am sure it will be amazing!!

[unotenore]

This role is not ideal for Ms. Racette's voice, but she acts with top professionalism. Her singing is not the warmest sound because she's 'stretching the envelope', so to speak, by performing this music. Giordani is surprisingly very good here without some of his earlier career singing flaws.

[sanibelSF]

PR IS Butterfly-she owns this role-none better

[OperaBracelets]

Pinkerton is such a crap character its amazing they get anyone to agree to play him...but sadly all too real.... happening on every street corner of the world every day :-( except mostly the jilted lover doesn't kill themself... mostly.

[prossmiller]

Just saw this as a summer encore at the theater...outstanding. Very very moving. I completely agree with bramoditrionar above...beautiful.

[Drelnis]

This is so beautiful, and is the perfect love duet... only when you realize that Pinkerton is going to leave all this behind, do you wonder, how can he possibly? Isn't this one of the most beautiful moments of his life as well?

[WilliamBlakeHall]

I cry and am BREATHLESS every time I watch this. I have a BFA in Opera Performance and if there is any "wobbliness" in her voice (I don't hear it) it is because she is acting. Yes, hard to believe but there are many opera singers who can also act. She is perfect in my opinion.

[zzCorruptedzz]

Metal up your ass! \m/

[monkeygraborange]

I was fortunate enough to attend this performance and what you barely hear under the applause is the sound of hundreds of people in the audience weeping. The emotion Racette brings to the role is heartfelt and the Bunraku puppetry was amazing. One can only imagine what Menghella might have achieved had he lived... but this is a fitting tribute to his genius. Just divine.

[bramoditrionfar]

Great production, but her pitchiness and wobbliness ruin it all - or is it that musical values have lost all importance?

[SmbwJessiRose]

@bramoditrionfar Yeh, clearly your opinion is shared by SO many... THAT'S why they broadcasted it. Where do you hear 'pitchiness' and 'wobble'?. I think she is stunning: the voice is rich, chocolatey and sparkly at the same time. And HUGE. And she acts with the proficiency of a stage actress. Here performances are hugely moving and the sound she produces is beautiful.

[nogrits4me]

@SmbwJessiRose Ahem!  Chocolatey and sparkly? Nice adjectives, but not applicable for the sound of this soprano's voice.

[bramoditrionfar]

@SmbwJessiRose Where's the richness and the chocolate? She's shrill and unsteady, she sounds old, she's right for second cast. No matter how many people may like her, the majority can be wrong sometimes...

[JackRance1910]

@bramoditrionfar Spot on! You are totally right - good to see studied comment on Youtube. She has problems which come about at the end of a career - unsupported, difficulties of where to place certain notes. A voice in serious decline.

[Lindow]

My God what a stunning production! I am dying to see this!

[hchristopher1]

Flawless in every way.

[trishaleen]

I am so excited about seeing her on Friday night at the Sydney Opera

[renthead15]

I was in center orchestra for this exact performance. It was the most breath-taking production of Butterfly I've ever seen. I applaud the Met for embracing new concepts and *gasp* taking chances when it comes to the classics. Opera needs to be reinvented and made relevant to attract new audiences and continue to survive as the magnificent art form it is.

[alexanuchid]

costumes are unaccptable

[horsemad1670]

Anyone with a spark of humanity can appreciate Madam Butterfly regardless of the players or language.

[ILBARONE45]

The main Synopsis of this Opera is the Counter Culture How The Japanese themselves reacted to their women whom had offspring from basically US Military.. I believe 'TRADIZIONE' takes precedent.. Puccini WOULD NOT accept multi culturalism as this was not his nature.. You may possible recall that when this Opera originally performed it was a Bomb. Puccini had to rewrite again not his Nature to suffice the multitude.. One year later it was a Hit however he did not enjoy that COMPROMISE.

[Jaydoggy531]

When he first saw the play he was heartbroken, and there are many things to feel sad and shattered about the work. It shows both the way Japanese judged women yes, and also showed the way Americans looked down on them.

Again I point out that using Japanese theater for a show that takes place in Japan makes perfect sense. This was very tastefully done unlike most regietheater that's been showing up. This isn't regietheater though, this is tradition, and this is Japan. Works quite well.

[22441932]

Racette is the supreme Butterfly. What power and beauty in her voice. I can't agree with the poor assessment some have for Giordani. He can be my Pinkerton any day.

[northernrr]

I saw this at the Met twice last year and both times walked away enjoying each performance. Maybe Giordani is a bit old for Pinkerton but his voice still filled the Met and what can one say about Patricia Rachette, so moving, such emotion. I agree, the production is brilliant and the puppeteers brought Sorrow to life. Bravisimo!

[diversicolour]

I disagree - the puppet worked brilliantly - so much emotion evoked so simply. Where is the suspension of disbelief! I thought it was a brilliant production.

[ILBARONE45]

WHILE RACETTE IS AN excellent Soprano and portrays this role very well Giordani leaves us wishing someone else was singing Pinkerton. I saw this production Live @ MET I almost walked out. I could not get over the puppet child with the stick attached to obtain 'REALISM'. The three extra BLACKOUTS were very obvious and audience was laughing at a extremely serious scene. Puccini was moaning from his grave.

[Jaydoggy531]

The stage was actually very accurate to traditional Japanese theater which I think does it justice. If people can appreciate an opera which takes place in Japan and features Japanese themes but can't accept Japanese theater despite watching an American and Japanese person speaking Italian which could be considered laughable in itself, it shows how judgemental they are to other cultures. It only makes sense to have foreign staging to a foreign show, particularly the same country!

[Jaydoggy531]

If anything, Puccini would probably have welcome multi-culturalism and foreign concepts. It is after all what this opera is about. It boggles my mind that an audience could possibly reject the theater style where the opera takes place. "Japanese theater? In an opera that takes place in Japan? With Japanese sets and music? How dare they!"

[mb2400]

Patricia Racette is great!