Ailyn Pérez kicks off the new year with her return to the Houston Grand Opera as the title role of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly on January 26, 28, February 3, 7, 9, 10 & 11. Pérez made her greatly anticipated debut as the tragically devoted and resilient Cio-Cio-San earlier this season at Teatro di San Carlo, receiving rave reviews, including Rivista Musica saying:
“…in the most eagerly awaited aria “Un bel dì vedremo” she amply lived up to the audience’s expectations, as also in the touching scene with Sharpless, in which the consul makes it clear to her that Pinkerton is not coming back.
Pérez demonstrates excellent technique coupled with a good timbre, and vocally responds more to the director’s dramaturgical demands of a strong-willed woman than to that delicacy of naive dreamer (resulting in a more attenuated vocal quality) to which other performers have accustomed us.”
The production’s revival, directed by Jordan Braun, stars tenor Yongzhao Yu as Pinkerton, mezzo-soprano Sun-Ly Pierce as Suzuki, bass-baritone Michael Sumuel as Sharpless, bass William Guanbo Su as the Bonze, and tenor Rodell Rosel as Goro. Maestro Patrick Summers conducts.
Photo: Dario Acosta / Opera News