Tragic tale retold
> Kuala Lumpur City Opera is bringing to life Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly at klpac from Nov 22 to 25
FIRST movie, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, resembled a Pokemon hunt – but with a lot of heart.
The sequel, on the other hand, lacks the heartwarming factor of the first but has more soap opera drama. There are some scenes that are not necessary at all, and some of the CGI is rather ho-hum.
The story of Newt Scamander (Redmayne), the Magizoologist who gets dragged into a war between the Ministry of Magic and evil warlock Grindelwald (Depp), now has more references to the Harry Potter series.
A young Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) seeks the help of ex-student Newt to stop Grindelwald’s plans to have the pure-bloods rule over the world of magic and the world of muggles – something that Dumbledore is powerless to stop himself.
The movie starts with a dramatic escape by Grindelwald, and Newt being summoned by the Ministry of Magic to help in their war against this evil warlock, as well as to help them find Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller), Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Calum Turner, and Johnny Depp Director: David Yates E-Value: 7 Acting: 7 Plot: 6 that Pinkerton is coming back but can’t bear to tell her that he is bringing his American wife.
An overjoyed Cio Cio then reveals that she has given birth to a child after Pinkerton left. But soon her joy turns to sorrow.
Helming this production is Amelia Tan, who also directed last year’s KLCO production of La fille du régiment. Her other works include The Son, The Glass Menagerie, Aku Cinta XXX, Mystery of the Phoenix, Nana and Ah Lu, and Just Kidding.
Besides directing, Tan is also an acting instructor in the Drama and Visual Department of a local college and has acted and performed here and abroad. Her expertise also include lighting design, stage makeup, voice training and choreography.
She has won a number of awards for acting, as well as a number of technical awards.
Tan explained that Madama Butterfly will be performed in three acts, and sung in Italian with English and Chinese surtitles. The opera will also feature a double cast for the two
leading roles of Cio Cio and Pinkerton. “Opera can be arduous affair,” said Tan. “That is the reason of having two sets of actors playing the lead roles on different days so that the singers could have a break and some rest.” Soprano Cecilia Yap and tenor Solomon Chong will sing the two lead roles for the Thursday, Saturday and Sunday night performances at 8pm, while soprano Evelyn Toh and tenor Yap Jin Hin take over for the Friday night performance at 8pm and Saturday’s Family Fun Day performance at 3pm.
The character of Cio Cio is central to the story, and both Yap and Toh are equal to the task of conveying the range of emotions that Cio Cio goes through.
Yap is an awardwinning
which was staged in Kuala Lumpur and toured Taiwan, China and Korea.
In describing the character, Tan said Cio Cio is a kind woman who lets her heart rule her.
“She gives up everything in the name of love,” the director elaborated, adding that there are so few people today who will do this.
Tan also pointed out another tragic character in the opera – that of Suzuki, Cio Cio’s servant and also her best friend.
“But their relationship is more like sisters than mistress and servant,” Tan said. “Suzuki will go to any length to bring smiles to Cio Cio. She should have gotten more appreciation. But Cio Cio is too busy thinking of her love who is far away.
“It is a lesson for all of us. We always forget the people who are next to us and only remember those who are far from us.”
Playing Suzuki is Samantha Chong, who is making her debut with KLCO. Chong is an awardwinning mezzo soprano from Sabah who now resides and performs professionally in Hong Kong.
Others in the cast are Shawn Liew who plays Sharpless, Peter Ong as marriage broker Goro, and Tan Jong Hann as Prince Yamadori.
Conducting the orchestra ensemble of 23 players is renowned Colombian conductor Juan Montoya, who has been the recipient of several scholarships and prizes as a pianist and composer. He has been the principal conductor at KLCO since 2014.
For more, visit the kplac website.