Last Saturday I had my first taste of opera. Being an opera virgin, I had no idea what to expect, except for the incredibly high notes which opera singers are well-known for. Before the opera, I also googled what Madam Butterfly was about. Little did I know that Miss Saigon was actually based loosely on Madam Butterfly. Ah, Miss Saigon, in which I sobbed uncontrollably when Kim had to be separated from her child. I silently swore to myself I would not weep during Madam Butterfly. People dress to the nines in the opera and I definitely do not want to be likened to a panda bear with tear-streaked mascara.
After being seated, I was a little anxious if I would enjoy it at all. Opera evokes rather extreme emotions in people. It's either you love it or hate it, there is no in-between, so they say. The first act was basically about the wedding of Pinkerton, an American navy officer and Cio-Cio-San (Butterfly), a 15 year old Japanese geisha. The marriage could in fact be cancelled whenever Pinkerton wished while Butterfly wishfully thought the marriage was binding. The first act was rather flat. Pinkerton and Butterfly sang almost half the time about stars, flowers, sea and so on. I had to stifle my yawns. I was half-expecting something more dramatic like Miss Saigon, which was of course my mistake. Because Miss Saigon is after all a modern broadway musical while Madam Butterfly was written some 100 years ago.
During the second act, I stopped reading the German subtitles and concentrated on the music instead. Surprisingly, I found myself being drawn into the plot instantly. That must be the secret: not understanding what they were singing about. Credits have to be given to the lead singer in the role of Cio-Cio-San. She sings fabulously, her joy in her marriage, her belief and longing for Pinkerton's return and her sadness of being abandoned flow freely through her vocals. While her maid, Suzuki sings equally well, she is more of an actress who amply depicts her grief and despair for her forsaken mistress. She magically conjured pain in me that night.
At times, I felt I was Julia Roberts watching her first opera in Pretty Woman, with tears brimming in my eyes. At times, my toes curled inwards whenever the singers reached those high notes. In one scene Butterfly was waiting for Pinkerton to return. There she stood still on the stage with her back towards us for nearly 5 minutes!! It was most agonising for me as I was badly in need to go to the loo. Talk about bad timing.
All in all, it was quite an experience and I do like it. This won't be my last opera. Nonetheless, my next opera would have to be a very theatrical one because I heart anything melodramatic.
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