1/ This production by the late Anthony Minghella didn't sound like the sort of thing I'd like, but it is. Previous prodns just rearranged the sliding doors. This one largely dispenses w them and lets us concentrate on the (sad) story. Especially, the puppet playing Butterfly's
https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1415792545678954499
2/ and Pinkerton's child, with onstage puppeteers made inconspicuous by dark costumes - 👍. A kid old enough to react appropriately is too old to play this child. The puppet, though immobile of face, turns and reacts very expressively. (This effect was imitated goshawfully by
3/ William Kentridge in his fail prodn of WOZZECK.) In Act I Butterfly and her friends and relations emerge over the edge and proceed down the slightly raked stage. Excellent. No huge stars in the cast but that's ok. Partial exception: baritone Paolo Szot as US Consul Sharpless.
4/ He came to the Met from a well-received run of "South Pacific" at the Vivian Beaumont (or whatever godonlyknows donor it's named after now), in the leading role in Shostakovich's THE NOSE. We trust the dulcet lines of the concerned yet ineffective Consul are less strenuous.
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