Review by Stephen Stokoe
Ellen Kent’s Madama Butterfly | Sunderland Empire
23rd March 2026
It is always special to go to the theatre but it’s something extra special when the production is an opera. You anticipate it, you spruce up a little, put in that additional bit of effort. Well you do if you are me. I have very fond memories of attending theatres for opera right back to when I was a little boy and my mother took me to a performance of Verdi’s Aida when I was in short pants. It was gratifying to see several younger opera patrons this evening in their Sunday best to see Ellen Kent’s production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly – arguably one of the world’s most best loved operas.
For over 30 years Ellen Kent has toured magnificent productions of the most revered and popular operas including Bizet’s Carmen (my personal favourite) Verdi’s La Traviata and, of course, Puccini’s tragic tale of the young former geisha girl’s devotion to a US Naval officer who dumps her but not before having his way with her and leaving her with child.
Kent is renowned for her scrupulous attention to detail and this was evident this evening with a most beautiful static set that featured a glorious Japanese home complete with sliding doors, ornate Japanese topiary and delicate asian flowers which if I did not know better – I could almost smell. The lighting, particularly utilising the silhouettes within the marital home was haunting, moving, and effective.
Add to this the sumptuous and authentic costumes and you are transported into the very heart of vintage Nagasaki looking out over the bay forlornly for your lost love. The wedding sequence was beautifully staged in this regard with particular attention paid to the attire of the bride and her many relatives.
The famous “Humming Chorus” was beautifully understated and evocative and was a particular highlight. Elena Dee’s vocals as the heart-rending heroine rang out like a bell throughout the auditorium. She was wonderfully supported by her side-kick mezzo-soprano Suzuki (Yelyzaveta Bielous) in a role which requires a subtle comedic talent as well as superb singing which she delivers with aplomb. The tenors were equally splendid including Davit Sumbadze, Hovhannes Andreasyan, andYelyzaveta Bielous all commanded the stage brilliantly and sang with skill, accuracy, and exquisite timbre.
It was a fine sight to see Sunderland Empire’s orchestra pit packed with musicians and while, at times the sound was wonderful, they may forgive me for saying that last night was not their finest outing. This was more than compensated for by the opulence of the creative side of of the production and the fabulous performances from the cast.
Ellen Kent continues her farewell tour at Sunderland Empire with her production of Bizet’s Carmen where she will transport you to the bullfighting capital of the world, Spain and some of the most glorious music in opera on 1st April. You would be a fool to miss it.