2012/13 Season, Rep 1
September 6-16, 2012
Overview
Stanton Welch's Madame Butterfly
Houston Ballet opened its 2012-13 season with Artistic Director Stanton Welch’s signature work Madame Butterfly on a program with his one-act ballet Clear, set to music by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). With a magnificent score by Puccini, in an arrangement by John Lanchbery, Madame Butterfly tells the love story of a beautiful Geisha and a handsome American. Since its premiere, Madame Butterfly has become Mr. Welch’s international signature piece, having entered the repertoires of Houston Ballet, The National Ballet of Canada, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Singapore Dance Theatre, Boston Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Ballet West, and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre.
Madame Butterfly is a rare gem in the ballet repertoire, in which poetic design vividly frames tragic realism.
. . . naturalness extends to the way Mr. Welch has matched the ferocity of his fast footwork with the delicate sound of the violin and oboe in Bach . . .
Synopsis
Clear Description
Created for American Ballet Theatre in New York City in 2001, Clear is an abstract work for seven men and one woman, showcasing Houston Ballet’s male dancers and set to music by Bach. Noted fashion designer Michael Kors created the sleek, flesh-toned costumes for Clear, which helped to emphasize the emotional impact of Mr. Welch’s choreography. Reviewing for The New York Times Anna Kisselgoff commented, “The choreography is explosive, fiercely danced by seven men with no show of diminished energy by the sole woman in the cast. Yet under the almost aggressive exuberance there is a hint of sadness, resolved finally in the comfort of a lovers’ embrace…"
Main Characters
Cio-Cio San, Pinkerton, Goro, Suzuki, Sharpless, Kate
PROLOGUE
Cio-Cio San, a geisha known as Madame Butterfly, dreams of her future.
Act I
On a hill overlooking the harbor, a wedding is about to take place between Lieutenant Pinkerton, a U.S. Naval officer, and Butterfly, with whom he has contracted a Japanese marriage. Goro, the obsequious marriage broker and general factotum, shows Pinkerton the house he will share with his young bride, and introduces him to the servants and Suzuki, Butterfly’s personal maid.
The first visitor to arrive is Sharpless, U.S. Consul at Nagasaki. Together, with Goro, they toast Pinkerton’s marriage arrangements. Sharpless, however, is deeply disturbed by the frivolous levity with which Pinkerton regards this marriage and utters a grave warning; not to break a trusting and devoting heart. He hands him a letter from Kate, Pinkerton’s betrothed, who waits for him back home in America. While Pinkerton must travel overseas to fulfill his career, he vows that on day he will marry his American girl.
The bridal party arrives and with much formality, Butterfly is introduced to the two Americans. They discover that she has been forced to become a geisha because of the dire poverty her once wealthy family fell into after her father committed ritual suicide. She is 15 years old.
Butterfly sets up a shrine and places her valuables gently upon it – including the sacred sword her father used to kill himself- and shyly shows them to Pinkerton. Confidingly, she tells Pinkerton that she has visited a U.S. Missionary and has become a Christian so that she may worship the same God as her husband. The brief marriage ceremony is carried out and, afterward, Sharpless warns Pinkerton to be sensible.
The wedding celebration is in full-swing and Pinkerton encourages Butterfly’s family to eat and drink, hoping this will hasten their departure. Suddenly, Butterfly’s uncle, The Bonze, bursts into the happy scene. He has learned of Butterfly’s visits to the U.S. Missionary, and in a rage, now denounces her for rejecting the faith of her fathers. An uproar ensues, and the relatives depart cursing. Tenderly, Pinkerton consoles his weeping wife. Slowly, she abandons her innocence, and they lie down beneath the stars.
Intermission
Act II
Several years have passed since Pinkerton left Nagasaki. Butterfly is desperately poor and only Suzuki will stay with her. She is convinced that one day her husband will return and brushes aside others’ doubts.
Sharpless and Goro arrive at the house. Goro is anxious to profit from a new match between Butterfly and the wealthy Prince Yamadori, now that the marriage to Pinkerton can be annulled. Sharpless produces a letter he has received from Pinkerton. Butterfly teases Yamadori mercilessly over his passion for her and turns down his marriage proposal. Ignoring Japanese tradition Butterfly maintains her vow to Pinkerton. Prince Yamadori leaves, followed by a furious Goro, who finally wipes his hands clean of Butterfly.
Sharpless hands the letter to Butterfly, but she is too excited and begs him to read it to her. Knowing the letter’s fatal contents, he hesitates and inquires what Butterfly’s future would hold if Pinkerton were never to return. Horrified at the suggestion, she fetches their son and triumphantly shows him to the Consul. Instead of the truth, Sharpless tells her that the letter has no sad news and promises to tell Pinkerton about his son.
Goro has been spying on the household and upon Sharpless’s exit, attacks the family saying that a fatherless half-breed child is considered an outcast in Japan. Butterfly is outraged and chases him away.
A cannon shot is heard from the harbor announcing the arrival of a ship. Butterfly, watching from the terrace, recognizes Pinkerton’s ship; he has finally come back to her. She sends Suzuki to pluck flowers from the garden and they set about adorning themselves and the house. As evening falls, she makes several holes in the paper wall so they can watch for Pinkerton’s arrival. She dreams of his return, and of her and her son’s acceptance, wealth, and happiness in America- their new home.
As dawn breaks, the dream is shattered. Suzuki wakes up and urges her weary mistress to retire. Suddenly, Pinkerton, Sharpless, and Kate arrive at the door. The have come early in the morning with hopes of finding Suzuki alone, and of enlisting her support to persuade Butterfly to accept Kate’s offer to adopt the child. For Pinkerton, the house is full of poignant memories. Overcome by remorse, he decides to leave without seeing Butterfly. Butterfly awakens and notices his departure; alarmed she questions Suzuki. Suzuki’s sobbing and Sharpless’s silence, coupled with the presence of Kate, make her gradually realize the awful truth. With her heart broken, Butterfly agrees to relinquish her son to Pinkerton and his new wife.
Sharpless, Kate, and the boy leave, and Butterfly collapses in desperation. She orders Suzuki away, who rushes after Sharpless for help. Butterfly lifts her father’s sword, reading its inscription “to die with honor when one can no longer live with honor.
Artists
In July 2003, the acclaimed Australian choreographer Stanton Welch assumed the leadership of Houston Ballet, America's fourth largest ballet company, as artistic director. Since his arrival, Mr. Welch has transformed Houston Ballet by raising the level of classical technique, infusing the company with new energy, drive and vision; introducing works by distinguished choreographers to the repertoire; and attracting some of the world's best coaches to Houston to work with the dancers. He has created works for such prestigious international companies as Houston Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, The Australian Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, and Royal Danish Ballet.
Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini (22 December 1858 – 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer whose operas are among the important operas played as standards. Puccini has been called "the greatest composer of Italian opera after Verdi". While his early work was rooted in traditional late-19th-century romantic Italian opera, he successfully developed his work in the realistic verismo style, of which he became one of the leading exponents.
Born into a musical family, Bach received his earliest instruction from his father. Bach's first permanent positions were as organist in Arnstadt (1703-1707) and Mühlhausen (1707-1708). From 1708-1717 he was employed by Duke Wilhelm Ernst of Weimar, first as court organist, and after 1714, as concertmaster. Bach's next position, as Music Director for the Prince Leopold of Cüthen (1717-1723), involved entirely different activities. Since the court chapel was Calvinist, there was no need for church compositions. In 1723, Bach was appointed cantor at the St. Thomas Church and School, and Director of Music for Leipzig, positions which he retained for the rest of his career. During his first six years in Leipzig (1723-1729), Bach's most impressive compositions were his sacred cantatas (four yearly cycles), and the St. John and St. Matthew Passions. Bach apparently gave virtuoso organ recitals in Leipzig and on various tours, although he had no official position as organist in Leipzig. In 1729-1737 and 1739-1741, he was director of the Leipzig Collegium Musicum, an organization which had been founded by Telemann in 1704. This group of professional musicians and university students performed weekly concerts (out-of-doors in the summer, and at Zimmerman's coffee-house in the winter). Although no specific programs for these concerts have survived, Bach apparently revived and many of his instrumental compositions from Cüthen, wrote new works (e.g., secular cantatas), and conducted pieces by other composers. During the 1730s, Bach renewed his interest in keyboard compositions, and prepared the first three volumes of his Clavier-Übung (Keyboard Practice) for publication (1731, 1735, 1739); the fourth volume appeared in 1741-1742. In the 1730s, he also showed considerable interest in the royal court at Dresden, and was named "Hofkomponist" (court-composer") in Dresden in 1736. During Bach's last decade (the 1740s), he completed or revised several large-scale projects which he had started earlier. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Vol. II; a manuscript collection of chorale preludes (known as the "Leipzig 18", comprising revisions of Weimar pieces), and the B minor Mass. Other new works showed an increased interest in fugal and canonic writing: Musikalische Opfer (Musical Offering); the canonic variations for organ on "Vom Himmel hoch"; and Die Kunst der Fuge ( The Art of Fugue). In the 1740s, Bach made various journeys, most notably to the court of Frederick the Great in 1747.
History
Clear Repertoire History
This was Houston Ballet’s second time performing Stanton Welch’s Clear as part of its main season. Selections from Clear have also been performed during Houston Ballet’s Jubilee of Dance multiple times and during the Germany tour in 2015.
Clear Production Details
CHOREOGRAPHER: Stanton Welch
GENRE: Contemporary Ballet
RUN TIME: Ballet in 1 Act; approximately 20 minutes
COMPOSER: Johann Sebastian Bach
SCORE: “Concerto for Violin and Oboe in C minor” & “First and Second Movements from the Violin Concerto in G minor”
ORIGINAL PREMIERE DATE: October 25, 2001 at City Center in New York City, New York by American Ballet Theatre
HOUSTON BALLET PREMIERE: May 24, 2007 in Brown Theater at the Wortham Theater Center in Houston, Texas
COSTUME DESIGN: Michael Kors
LIGHTING DESIGN: Lisa J. Pinkham
HOUSTON BALLET ORCHESTRA CONDUCTOR (2012): Ermanno Florio with Violinist Denise Tarrrant and Oboist Elizabeth Priestly Siffert
HOUSTON BALLET STAGE MANAGER (2012): Michelle Elliott
Madame Butterfly Repertoire History
This was Houston Ballet’s third time performing Madame Butterfly as a part of its main season. Former Houston Ballet Principal Dancer Amy Fote reprised the role of Cio-Cio San during some 2012 performances. Selections from Madame Butterfly have been performed at Miller Outdoor Theater, the Woodlands Mitchell Pavilion, and Jubilee of Dance. Houston Ballet performed Madame Butterfly on tour and is in the repertoire of the Australian Ballet, Boston Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, Atlanta Ballet, and Royal New Zealand Ballet.
Madame Butterfly Production Details
CHOREOGRAPHER: Stanton Welch
BASED ON THE OPERA by Giacomo Puccini, after the short story “Madame Butterfly” (1898) by John Luther Long
GENRE: Full-length Classical Ballet
RUN TIME: Ballet in 2 Acts with Prologue; approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes
COMPOSER: Giacomo Puccini
ARRANGEMENT: John Lanchbery
SCORE: “Madame Butterfly”
ORIGINAL PREMIERE DATE: February 24,1995 at the State Theatre in Melbourne, Australia by the Australian Ballet
HOUSTON BALLET PREMIERE DATE: September 19, 2002 in the Brown Theater at the Wortham Theater Center in Houston, Texas
COSTUME DESIGN: Peter Farmer
SET DESIGN: Peter Farmer
LIGHTING DESIGN: Lisa Pinkham after Francis Croese
HOUSTON BALLET ORCHESTRA CONDUCTOR (2012): Ermanno Florio
HOUSTON BALLET STAGE MANAGER (2012): Michelle Elliott
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