Rehearsals begin for Puccini's Madama Butterfly at Szeged National Theater
Beginning December 6, Puccini’s timeless classic, Madama Butterfly, will be presented at the National Theater of Szeged in a production directed by Kossuth Prize laureate Tamás Juronics. The company is already rehearsing the popular opera with the collaboration of the Szeged National Theater's dance company and choir and the Szeged Symphony Orchestra.
Although preparations have been underway for months, Tuesday’s table read officially marked the beginning of rehearsals for Madama Butterfly. General Director László Barnák emphasized that, beyond the primary mission of national theaters to bring grand musical works to the stage, opera holds particular significance for the Szeged National Theater because it is within this genre that a story can most profoundly touch the hearts of the audience through music. This grand production is being crafted not only for Szeged’s opera lovers but for audiences throughout Hungary who appreciate and cherish opera.
Music Director Péter Dobszay stated that Giacomo Puccini’s music has a transformative impact on our daily lives, an effect that Madama Butterfly offers intensively to both the audience and the performers. He emphasized that even 120 years after its creation, this work still has the same powerful impact as it did when it was first premiered.
"The works of Puccini are characterized by the complexity of the music, the text, and the drama, as well as their powerful emotional impact," said director Tamás Juronics. He also noted that Madama Butterfly has a visceral effect, engaging both reason and emotion. In addition to the music, the performances, the compositions, and the stage designs will all come together to create the most impactful effect for each moment.
The visual elements are also designed to enhance the auditory experience: András Vízvárdi's impressive yet minimalist sets and animation, along with Bianca Imelda Jeremias' traditional costumes, beautifully highlight the contrasts between the Eastern and Western worlds, allowing the audience to immerse themselves even more deeply in the story.
"This performance is not for those who want to disconnect when they come to the theater but for those who want to connect with the story. This is the essence of theater: we come here to experience things that are important to us in our real lives. In Madama Butterfly, Puccini presents a lifelike, complex human world, with questions that affect us all—such as whether we truly mean what we say and how seriously we can take what others say to us." added conductor Tamás Pál.
Source: Szeged National Theater
Featured image: Róbert Tari
