Rating: 
Summary: Puzzling choices
Review: More and more directors are choosing to expose the musical fantasy that is opera to cinematic reality. In this Butterfly, that reality is compelling, except for some very puzzling and peculiar directorial choices. The most glaringly ridiculous of these is that Cio-Cio-San's uncle, the Bonze, an all too real character in the libretto, appears floating in the air. The grounded characters seem as perplexed by this as I was. Such silliness destroys the film's otherwise down-to-earth visual realism. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Rating: 
Summary: THE WORST CIO CIO SAN EVER
Review: Ms. Ying Huang is so dull and old. Madame Butterfly is a teeage girl. Ying Huang acts like an old woman. Her singing is dull. I can't stand it.
Rating: 
Summary: Only the heartless could be unmoved.
Review: The format of this production is unusual: a movie of an opera, and believe me, it works, and it works exceedingly well. A measure of Mitterand's outstanding direction is that there are no weak performances, not even for the smallest roles. Troxell is a wonderful Pinkerton and Ning Lian's Suzuki is superb (by the way, it's very refreshing to see so many Asians played by...well, Asians). The famous Scorsese attention to detail is everywhere evident, and the filming is masterful.But Madame Butterfly is the story of a woman, and Ying Huang is the real power of this production. She captures the grace, the constancy, and the heartbreaking vulnerability of Butterfly to near perfection. Her singing and her acting are absolutely marvelous. I am an opera fan from way back, but I watched this film with a bunch of my buddies who don't understand anything that isn't shaped like a football, and it pulled them in completely. Take it from me, it'll get you too...don't care who you are.
Rating:
Summary: Madame Butterfly
Review: The story happened around 1900. Cio-Cio-San was about 15 years old and in a very conservative society. So far in the world, there were so many opera singers who sang for Madame Butterfly, such as Kiri te Kanawa, Regine Crespin, Mirella Freni, Montserrat Caballe, Renata Scotto, Leontyne Price, Licia Albanese, Yasuko Hayashi, Lawrence and etc. However, no one had expressed so deep feeling as Ying Huang. One great example is the aria "Un bel di". 90% of the other singers ignored Puccini expression notes on the musical score or didn't do as good as Ying Huang. At the beginning of the aria, it should be a dynamic weak (pp) to show the voice from distance or from imagination. In the middle of the aria, two very important slurs noted for "Chi sara? Chi sara?" and "Che dira? Che dira?". No many people did so well as Ying Huang. The whole middle section she sang so sweet (sweet as honey); so fluent (fluent as milk); as a beautiful dreamer for a young girl. Many of other opera singers showed with sorrow and pain for that section of aria. That is not right. Cio-Cio-San had a wonderful dream for Pinkerton to come back to her and she also wanted to persuade Suzuki not to be sad, therefore herself must not be sad. The role of Cio-Cio-San as called by Pinkerton is "little wife" and "little perfume flower". Many other opera singers are just too big in physical size to play the role of an young oriental girl with the conservative voice with so much shy. (Even the Japanese soprano, Yasuko Hayashi, when she played the Cio-Cio-San role, I found that her voice is unstable especially at the weak (pp) notes, no memtion her "big physical size" and shyless acting.) However, when the voice need to be strong, Ying Huang is as strong as any of the other sopranos: such as at the end of the "Un bel di", the dynamic goes from "f" to "ff" then "fff" and Ying Huang did show to herself and the maid the strength and power of the faith that Pinkerton will be back. The whole opera is a great work. No wonder it is one of the three Puccini's great opera (The other two are, La Boheme and Tosca.) I say, it is a very very good opera and I wish that I can own a tape.
Rating:
Summary: Clips of Nagasaki
Review: The voices are passable. Butterfly is no beauty. The dubbing in of scenes in black and white of that era to accompany one of the most beautiful interludes in opera is a sheer disaster. I wish I could somehow block out that section and just hear the music. My immediate solution is to close my eyes and just listen. I'm hoping a new Butterfly will be made without this idiotic dubbing.
Rating:
Summary: Could It Be More Beautiful?
Review: There are something very refreshing and appealing about this Madame Butterfly. First of all is the fresh-voiced cast, in which everybody is at the right age, in the right race, and with the right looks. Chinese soprano Ying Huang delivers a most delicate Butterfly. Her transcendent interpretation did benefit from, but not solely depend on, her oriental root. She has shown us that she has much more to offer: her elegant and pellucid soprano, her exquisite technique, as well as her subtleties in rendering the character. She conveys the demureness and femininities of Butterfly naturally, and with such ease that I believe part of the character is simply part of her. Well matched with Ying Huang's pure and light soprano, Richard Troxell's soaring and not-so-dark tenor portrays a very impressive Pinkerton. This Pinkerton would make you believe that if there were no Lieutenant Pinkerton, there would be no Madame Butterfly. Troxell's undeniable charms and handsome looks has very well justified Pinkerton's attractiveness which had captured Cio-Cio San's heart. Although at the end this is a character that ought to be condemned for his cowardliness of deserting Butterfly, you'd never question his infatuation with Butterfly, and you'd truly believe his pain and sorrow when he finally understood Butterfly's loyalty and realized that it's already too late. Both Troxell and Huang demonstrate superb acting, not at all inferior to their singing. In the wedding night duet their soulful performance and passion-pervaded singing bring out the uttermost beauty of romantic feeling. Other cast members are great too, especially Ning Liang, who sings Suzuki. She has an amazingly rich mezzo-soprano. You'd be impressed instantly as soon as she starts to sing, and then you'd hope she could sing more.
Being an excellently filmed opera, its beautiful sceneries and great camera work have remarkably caught each dramatic moment of the story. It indeed is an opera sung by the finest voices, while at the same time, it also is a movie of a touchingly romantic tragedy that reveals deep humanities rooted on western and oriental cultures.
Rating:
Summary: Opera for anyone
Review: This film is an unusual portrayal of the opera. On the one hand, it consists entirely of a performance of Puccini's opera (in Italian). The visuals, however, are not the traditional stage sets, but rather a cinema-style, realistic acting out of the story by the singers. I'm not one who normally finds Italian opera very accessible. But this film moved me to tears, and occupied my thoughts for days after I watched it. What made the difference is that the performers are not only wonderful singers, but are terrific actors and actresses as well. This is not automatically true. Since opera is traditionally done on-stage, the performers usually use an exaggerated type of acting that projects from a small stage to a large audience. For this movie, the performers were able to very succesfully adapt to cinema-style acting. In particular, Ms. Huang (as Madame Butterfly) projected every subtle feeling with devastating effect. It was one of those wonderful performances that draws you in and makes you forget that you're watchting a movie.
Rating:
Summary: So So Cio-Cio San......
Review: This is a nicely done film of the opera, however, I still prefer the old, original version with Freni and Domingo (in their 30's) which still has the best singing and acting, in my opinion. An Asian such as Ying Huang cast as Madama Butterfly is certainly more authentic, however, I didn't find her performance as touching nor her technique or timber as pleasing as Freni's. Troxell seemed stiff and unconvincing. The customers who have reviewed this film seem genuinely touched and that's really a good thing!! I just could't find similiar feelings with this cast. As a life long opera buff I always am trying to spread the joys of opera to others who haven't experienced the pleasures of the sport. Opera is subject to much interpretaion on so many different levels which makes it such an interesting pursuit. This film has some flaws when taken in the context of Puccini's concept which aren't really important if you enjoy the experience, the story, characters and performance. I just felt it was conceived as an opera movie for mass consumption and that it could have been sung and acted much better with a higher caliber cast. If an opera movie pleases a number of people on any level and inspires them to seek other works and performances, then it has succeeded in its mission. The singers in this cast probably couldn't compete in live performance on an opera stage which is one reason I ranked it with 3 stars. I like my opera sung on video with genuine internationally recognized singing actors who have had years of training and performing experience. I do own this film, the Verona and La Scala which I have only watched a few times. I rank the Freni version #1 (watched it many, many times over the years) and this would probably be #2 of those commercially available. If you like Madama Butterfly, see a live production someday! It can be thrilling and move you to tears! Certainly superior to video. However, in the meantime, enjoy this filmed version, especially if you are new to opera and find a film easier to enjoy. This opera is certainly an international favorite with a relevant and timely story ("Miss Saigon") and some of the most delicious melodies of Puccini.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible!!
Review: This is by far - the most beautiful and heart touching "movie" I have ever seen. I saw it with subtitles and thought it wouldnt' be very good. It was INCREDIBLE!! I was not really into opera at the time of seeing this - but have a completely different out look now. This is a must see for everyone. I highly recommend it!! But don't forget your box of tissue
Rating:
Summary: The most beautiful Butterfly ever!
Review: This is the most beautiful version of Puccini's great opera that you will ever see. Frankly, I have become so tired of seeing non-Asian Butterflys with heavy black wigs and gastly makeup, without hope of passing for 15 years old. Happily, you won't find that here. The Japanese roles are played by Asian singers and actors, thank god! The filming, the sets, the location, are all stunning. The soprano singing Butterfly is amazing. Her acting is wonderful. Her voice is beautiful. Ditto for Suzuki, Sharpless, and, of course, Pinkerton. If you are new to opera, you can't go wrong with this version of Puccini's wrenching tale of love and betrayal. I still cry everytime I see/hear it. I can't help adding that I think that this opera has the most beautiful piece of Western classical music ever written--Act II's "coro a bocca chiusa."
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