Stars: Mirella Freni, Placido Domingo, Christa Ludwig, Robert Kerns, Michel Senechal, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna State Opera Choir

Director: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle

Summary: Puccini's opera 'Madame Butterfly' which tells the story of a Japanese girl, who marries a Navy Officer and gives birth to his child, then later kills herself when she discovers that he is already married. Conducted by Herbert Von Karajan and performed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. The cast includes Mirella Freni, Christa Ludwig and Placido Domingo; directed by Jean-Pierre Ponnelle.

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Of all Puccini's major operas, the intimate tragedy of Madama Butterfly is least in need of elaborate staging and might therefore benefit most from the close scrutiny of film. The story is domestic, the setting Spartan, the incidental characters kept to a minimum. This 1974 version, however, demonstrates that Butterfly still needs a healthy injection of proscenium arch melodrama. Director Jean-Pierre Ponelle's production strives for realism but remains unfortunately studio-bound, having neither the benefit of location filming nor the heightened reality of an opera stage. The exterior is a perpetually fog-shrouded heath of indeterminate locale; the interior is cramped and unadorned. The setting is just too prosaic to contain the epic emotions of grand opera.

Thankfully, the cast is superb, headed by Placido Domingo's rakish Pinkerton and Mirella Freni's rubicund Butterfly. Their singing is incomparable, as is Herbert von Karajan's musical direction of the Vienna Phil. The singers mime to pre-recorded music, which is occasionally disconcerting since when film demands close-ups opera provides broad gestures. Musically, this Butterfly is impeccable. Visually it adds nothing that could not be seen to better effect in a stage version.

On the DVD:Madama Butterfly is presented disappointingly on disc in a poor NTSC transfer full of distracting graininess that makes every scene, both inside and out, look like it takes place in an omnipresent drizzle. Sound is reasonable stereo and adequate 5.0 surround. There are subtitles in the major European languages as well as Chinese, and the booklet contains a background essay plus synopsis. --Mark Walker

Aspect Ratio:	4:3
Region:	Region 0
Special Features:	English And Chinese Menus
Subtitles:	Chinese, English, French, German, Spanish
Year:	1974
Release Date:	October 15, 2001
Runtime:	144 minutes
Certification:	Exempt.
Catalogue Number:	071 404 9
Keywords:	Music, Opera, Butterfly, Works, Madama, Stage, Classical, Performing, Operetta, Arts
Genre:	Music/Performing Arts