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Madama Butterfly
Metropolitan Opera House, Mon, November 13, 1961
Madama Butterfly (417)
Giacomo Puccini | Luigi Illica/ Giuseppe Giacosa
- Cio-Cio-San
- Dorothy Kirsten
- Pinkerton
- George Shirley
- Suzuki
- Margaret Roggero
- Sharpless
- Clifford Harvuot
- Goro
- Andrea Velis
- Bonze
- Osie Hawkins
- Yamadori
- George Cehanovsky
- Dolore
- unknown
- Kate Pinkerton
- Joan Wall
- Commissioner
- Calvin Marsh
- Registrar
- Kurt Kessler
- Conductor
- Fausto Cleva
Review 1:
Review of Francis D. Perkins in the New York Herald Tribune
'Butterfly' at the Met
For his second role in his recently launched Metropolitan Opera career, George Shirley sang Pinkerton in last night's repetition of Puccini's "Madama Buttefly" with Dorothy Kirsten again as the hapless Cio-Cio-San and Clifford Harvout as the sympathetic Consul. Mr. Shirley had a made a very promising debut with the company three weeks ago as Ferrando in "Cosi fan tutte." Pinkerton, whose singing is limited to the first act and the close of the third, gives its interpreter a less liberal opportunity, but the new tenor's performance again spoke well for his operatic future.
His voice was appealing in quality and was persuasively employed in its revelation of the character's emotions, although its musical resources were not always fully disclosed. There were times when the tone production did not suggest complete freedom. But there was a considerable gain in this regard as the first act progressed; Mr. Shirley's singing was musicianly and had engaging warmth. From the visual aspect, his impersonation was intelligent and discerning, and fitted well into a production which continues to be one the Metropolitan's best.
Miss Kirsten's Cio-Cio-San was consistently vivid and entirely admirable. Mr. Harvuot again provided a superior characterization, and Margaret Roggero, Joan Wall, Andrea Velis, George Cehanovsky, Osie Hawkins and Calvin Marsh were others who sang under Fausto Cleva's conductorship.
Search by season: 1961-62
Search by title: Madama Butterfly,
Met careers
- Fausto Cleva [Conductor]
- Dorothy Kirsten [Cio-Cio-San]
- George Shirley [Pinkerton]
- Margaret Roggero [Suzuki]
- Clifford Harvuot [Sharpless]
- Andrea Velis [Goro]
- Osie Hawkins [Bonze]
- George Cehanovsky [Yamadori]
- unknown [Dolore]
- Joan Wall [Kate Pinkerton]
- Calvin Marsh [Commissioner]
- Kurt Kessler [Registrar]