Live opera, a rarity on the East End, is returning to Sag Harbor's Bay Street Theater on Saturday evening at 8 with a multidisciplinary adaptation by Divaria Productions of Puccini's "Madame Butterfly."
Divaria is no stranger to Bay Street, having presented adaptations of classic operas there since 2015. Its mission is simple -- to make opera accessible -- and it accomplishes that in part by incorporating other mediums.
Ashley Bell, who sings the title role of Cio-Cio San, the Japanese geisha known as Madame Butterfly, said during a phone conversation that "since we don't have subtitles, while we perform the music in traditional Italian, we like to incorporate other art forms, such as acting and dance, into our work."
In Divaria's "Madame Butterfly," Sharpless, the U.S. consul at Nagasaki, is sung by Michael Nansel. However, the production also features a second Sharpless (Michael Rudko), who narrates and provides historical context for the interactions between America and Japan at the turn of the 20th century.
In addition, at the request of Ms. Bell, the Japanese Folk Dance Institute of New York choreographed a piece that will be performed by Yumiko Niimi, an alter ego of Cio-Cio San. The dance represents the geisha's dream of how her life might have been better.
While the production doesn't have a chorus for the entire opera, it will feature the Suffolk Symphonic Choir performing the Humming Chorus, a famous melody that is sung as Cio-Cio San keeps a silent vigil while awaiting the return of Pinkerton, her beloved Navy lieutenant.
The story is a tragedy about the geisha, who marries Pinkerton only to be abandoned after his return to America. It is fundamentally "a clash between two very different cultures," said Ms. Bell. "Even though the story is set in Japan, I think it deals with many issues we're still grappling with today. It's basically a misunderstanding between people of different cultural backgrounds."
The production features a cast of acclaimed performers, including Richard Bernstein (the Bonze), who has appeared with the Metropolitan Opera in over 500 performances; Errin Brooks (Pinkerton) and John Easterlin (Goro), both Met veterans and Grammy Award winners, and Anna Tonna (Suzuki), who has sung Rosina, Carmen, and Dorabella.
Ms. Bell has performed as a soloist in the United States, Italy, Spain, France, and Russia, and recently sang with ABAO Bilbao Opera, Seville's La Maestranza, and Teatro Breton in Logrono, Spain. Mr. Nansel's recent operas have included "Macbeth," "Otello," "The Barber of Seville," and "Carmen."
The cast also includes local performers, among them Olivia Fromm, age 7, a full-time Sag Harbor resident who plays Cio-Cio San's daughter, and Amanda Pennfield, a Westhampton High School graduate, who sings Kate Pinkerton, the American wife of the naval officer.
Ms. Bell first sang the role of Cio-Cio San in 2017 and has done so in five different states since then. "It is definitely a challenging role," she said. "Although the character is of a different culture, I feel like I identify with her because she is a person of strong faith and conviction, and I am a person of faith myself."
Regarding Bay Street as a venue for live opera, the production's director, J.A. Diaz, said, "I really love to work at Bay Street because the audience and the technical people working there are wonderful."
Tickets range from $25 to $50.
