AT-THE OPERA

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 31, 31 October 1932, Page 4

AT-THE OPERA

Brilliant Performance of “Madame Butterfly”

EXQUISITE FROCKS AND

STAGING

Seldom in the history of the Grand Opera House has there been seen such a distinguished and well-dressed audience as attended the opening night of the Williamson Imperial Grand Opera season on Saturday.

The opera chosen was Puccini s "Madame Butterfly,” with the brilliant Cesarina Valobra in the name-part. Long before the curtain went up the eager hurrying audience filled the passages and doorways, while out in the street a crowd collected to view the massive gold fluted pillars which completely altered the facade of the Opera House. In the doorways liveried attendants in royal blue velvet and white satin stood to attention.

To the many people who had travelled abroad the whole opera from start to finish was reminiscent of a Continental first night. Inside the theatre the buzz of expectation gave way to silence as the famous Maestro Emilio Rossi, the conductor unostentatiously made his entrance Flags of Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and New Zealand draped the dress circle balcony and boxes. The first act opened on to an exquisite Japanese garden overlooking the bay, showing a bamboo villa covered in glowing wistaria. A large tree of palest pink cherry blossom and masses of wonderful roses formed the beautiful setting for the first appearance in Wellington of Cesarina Valobra. As she stepped over the little red bridge she wore a magnificent kimona of lovebird green silk heavily -embroidered in silver wistaria, flowers, and a padded obi or sash in silver tissue. Trailers of wistaria decorated the kimona front and in her hair she wore tiny fans, combs and flowers. She carried a parasol and an armful of flowers, while on her feet she wore the traditional Japanese mules and white stockings. Her attendants were all clad in gay rainbow tinted klmonas and the faithful Suzuki, her servant, wore a pink flowered kimona. At the end of the first act after the "marriage ceremony” Valobra donned her wedding kimono, of rich ivory satin worked in gold tissue chrysanthemums.

Act II opened showing the interior of the bamboo villa, furnished In black lacquer, with a black screen embroidered with white cranes in the background ; the sliding doors opened to show the sunwashed garden outside. Madame Butterfly wore a kteuona of petunia shaded silk finished with deeper colour at hem and neck. .Her obi this time was white with deep petunia embroidery; her fan was of the same shade and her mules were white.

Some delightful lighting effects were seen in this act during the coming of daylight after dark.' In this act also, “Little Trouble” the child of Butterfly and the American Lieutenant Pinkerton appeared, a dainty little fair-hair-ed girl dressed in a shell pink kimona embroidered in ivory flowers. At the end of Act II Butterfly shed, her petunia kimona for the bridal one; this was done on the stage and was worn over a rich orange satin slip. The setting of Act 111 was the same as for the previous one, the beautiful Butterfly dying in her wedding kimona.

The American wife of Lieutenant Pinkerton .appeared in this act, and wore an attractive summer frock of floral chiffon in shades of lemon and wa'rm amber.

Among those present at the performance on Saturday were Signor Cav DotSignora Formichella, who were oeSignora Formichella, who wero occupying a box from which hung the Italian flag; Signora Lina Pallnghi, Miss Molly de Gunst, Signer Folli, Signor Albino Maroue, Mr. John Farrell, Sir Henry and Lady Buckleton, Miss J. Buckleton, Mr. J. Buckleton, Mr. J. T. Grose and Miss Grose, Mrs. H. Vogel, Mr. and Mrs. Macarthy Reid, Mrs. Rutter, Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Waucbop, Mr. and Mrs. Phil Myers, Miss Ida Myers, Mr. F. Myers, Mrs. Israel, Miss J. Van Staveren, Mrs. W. Turnbull, Mr. and Mrs. Greer, Miss. Margaret Eraser, Mrs. C. Earle, Dr. , and Mrs. Young, Mr. D. Young, Mrs. J. Goldie, Mrs. and Miss Tucker. Miss Newton, Mrs. Wapdell. Mrs. Martin, Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Yaldwyn, Mr. and Mrs. Yaldwyn, Mr. Vlnogradoff, Mr. C. Pallo, Mr. and Mrs. J. Williams, Mr. and Mrs. D. A. Ewen, Mr. and Mrs. Lance Moore, Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Gillon, Mr. R. Gillon,. Mrs. AV. Pearce, Miss Alison Pearce, Misses McKeown, Mr. and Mrs. H. Nathan, Miss Nathan,, Mrs. J. P. Firth, Miss G. Nathan, Mrs. J. Hott, Miss E. Geddis, Miss Helen Gard’ner. Mr. and Mrs. J. AV. McDonald. Mrs. Pearce, .Mr. and Mrs. Johusou, Mr. and Mrs. Rosenbaum, Mr. aud Mrs. Passant, Mr. McHardy Foreman, Mr. and Mrs. J. AVard. Mrs. Rutherford, Mrs. Bennett, Miss L. Beuuett. Mrs. Brodie. Captain Edkins, Miss Brodie, Mr. and Mrs. Mcadowcroft.