News
Documentary Takes TV Viewers Behind the Scenes of Minghella's New Production of 'Madama Butterfly'
“In Rehearsal: A New 'Butterfly' for the Met” debuts on Thirteen/WNET on Sunday, October 1 at 11 pm
September 29, 2006
Contact:
Sommer Hixson/Peter Clark
Metropolitan Opera
(212) 870-7457
shixson@metopera.org
pclark@metopera.org
Andy Shearer
Rubenstein Associates
(212) 843-8061
ashearer@rubenstein.com
New York, NY (September 29, 2006)—For anyone curious about Anthony Minghella’s new staging of Madama Butterfly, which transfixed audiences at the Metropolitan Opera House, at Lincoln Center Plaza, and in Times Square, the Met is presenting an exciting behind-the-scenes look at the complex process of bringing this new opera production to life. The half-hour documentary “In Rehearsal: A New Butterfly for the Met,” a Susan Froemke Production, will air on Thirteen/WNET New York on Sunday, October 1, at 11:00 pm. The original documentary includes extensive coverage of rehearsals led by director Anthony Minghella and Music Director James Levine.
For three weeks leading up to the Met’s 2006-07 opening gala, a film crew went behind the gold curtain to document the creation of Minghella’s striking new production of Puccini’s beloved opera, conducted by Met Music Director James Levine. The resulting documentary features scenes of rehearsals led by Minghella and Maestro Levine, offering a rare glimpse at artistic collaboration as world-renowned artists—including Chilean soprano Cristina Gallardo-Domâs and Italian tenor Marcello Giordani—shape their interpretations of the geisha Cio-Cio-San and the American naval lieutenant Pinkerton. The production’s dynamic creative team is also seen at work, including associate director/choreographer Carolyn Choa, costume designer Han Feng, set designer Michael Levine, lighting designer Peter Mumford, and the innovative puppeteers of Blind Summit Theatre, an avant-garde London-based troupe.
“Susan’s film is a master class in the art of directing opera,” said Peter Gelb, the Met’s new General Manager. “When we premiered her film during the opening night live transmissions of Madama Butterfly in Times Square and at Lincoln Center, thousands of people experienced the artistic process first-hand, adding to the thrill of the performance.” Mr. Gelb and Ms. Froemke have a history together of producing award-winning documentaries, including “The Producers: A Musical Romp with Mel Brooks,” and “Vladimir Horowitz: The Last Romantic.”
“The film adds intimacy to what is typically known as a very grand art form,” said Ms. Froemke. “In a short time, viewers can see how Mr. Minghella was able to draw out a subtle, internal dimension to the artists’ performances.” Ms. Froemke received an Academy Award nomination in 2002 as producer and co-director of “LaLee's Kin: The Legacy of Cotton.” She is currently in post-production on a documentary series about addiction which will air on HBO in 2007.
Minghella made his Met debut with Puccini’s heart-rending tale of betrayal and colliding cultures, a co-production with the ENO and the Lithuanian National Opera. The production’s associate director and choreographer is Minghella’s wife, Carolyn Choa, whose work has encompassed extensive experience with classical dance and movement. Internationally acclaimed fashion designer Han Feng, noted for her distinctive flair for color and texture, created the costumes for this, her first theatrical production, while noted Canadian set designer Michael Levine, who designed the Met’s productions of Eugene Onegin and Mefistofele, makes unique use of mirrors, sliding shoji screens, and a lacquered floor to create the stark dramatic framework. Also making his Met debut was distinguished British lighting designer Peter Mumford. The production incorporates elements of Japanese theater, principally Blind Summit Theatre’s Bunraku-inspired puppets, which are among the most talked-about elements of the show.
The Opening Night gala marked Maestro Levine’s first complete Met performance of this repertory standard. Gallardo-Domâs’s critically acclaimed interpretation of the tragic title heroine has been seen at the Vienna State Opera, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and at the Royal Opera Covent Garden, where it won her the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera in 2004. Joining her and Mr. Giordani, for whom Pinkerton is the twelfth leading role at the Met, are American baritone Dwayne Croft as Sharpless and American mezzo-soprano Maria Zifchak as Suzuki.
Remaining performances of Madama Butterfly, conducted by Asher Fisch, are Saturday, Sept. 30, 1:30 pm; Thursday, Oct. 5, 8 pm; Tuesday, Oct. 17, 7:30 pm; Saturday, Oct. 21, 8 pm; Tuesday, Oct. 24, 7:30 pm; Friday, Oct. 27, 8:00 pm; Tuesday, Oct. 31, 8:00 pm; Saturday, Nov. 4, 8:00 pm; Wednesday, Nov. 8, 8:00 pm; Saturday, Nov. 11, 8:00 pm; Wednesday, Nov. 15, 7:30 pm; and Saturday, Nov. 18, 8 pm.
The Met’s next new production will be Il Barbiere di Siviglia, staged by Bartlett Sher and his Tony Award-winning creative team from The Light in the Piazza. The production opens on November 10, with one of the greatest Rossini tenors of our time, Juan Diego Flórez as Count Almaviva, Diana Damrau as Rosina, Peter Mattei as Figaro, Samuel Ramey as Don Basilio, and John Del Carlo as Dr. Bartolo. Maurizio Benini conducts.
Thirteen/WNET New York is one of the key program providers for public television, bringing such acclaimed series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, Charlie Rose, Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly, Wide Angle, Secrets of the Dead, NOW With David Brancaccio, and Cyberchas—as well as the work of Bill Moyers—to audiences nationwide. As the flagship public broadcaster in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut metro area, Thirteen reaches millions of viewers each week, airing the best of American public television along with its own local productions such as The Ethnic Heritage Specials, The Thirteen Walking Tours, New York Voices, and Reel New York. Thirteen extends the impact of its television productions through educational and community outreach projects—including the Celebration of Teaching and Learning—as well as Web sites and other digital media platforms. More information can be found at: www.thirteen.org
# # #