‘Madama Butterfly’ impressed the audience by its ability to emotionally move them.”

“A successful emotional appeal. Under the direction of Cornelia Rainer, the production in Trier succeeds in emotionally engaging the audience.

Many are moved by the tragic ending, even though it is clearly foreshadowed scenically and in the subtitled libretto from the beginning and therefore should not come as a surprise. Perhaps this is because the production’s dramaturgical backbone is based on the inner life of Butterfly, portrayed by Siheng Yi.

Access to her thoughts and feelings is primarily facilitated through visual techniques. For instance, a video projection of sky, clouds, and ocean waves draws the audience into the longing expressed by Butterfly in the aria ‘Un bel dì, vedremo’ in the second act. Her isolation is emphasized by a dungeon made of several layers of curtains, behind which the figure is motionless and only dimly visible.

Butterfly’s pain penetrates deeply through an oversized projection of her face.”