The Israeli Opera

2015

Madam Butterfly

An opera held at the Yarkon park, in front of 30,000 viewers.

11 square LED screens creating a composition along the 18 meters stage.

Much like Madame Butterfly's world, torn between Japanese tradition and American modernity, the video artwork finds itself pulled alternately between these two poles as well.

I collaborated with the calligraphy artist Kazuo Ishii who created moving painted writings for me. We enhanced and adapted the calligraphy in postproduction, dismantled and rebuilt them on the LED screens.

A 2.5 hours long opera must be created in a very rich content language. Therefore, while remaining punctilious, we used various styles: from fire and dance rituals to classic animation and simulations of 3D fabrics.

   Affiliates:

Libretto: Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa

Set and costume designer: Niv Manor

Sound designer: Yuval Silberstein

Light designer: Uri Morag

Movement designer: Yoram Carmi

Video designer: Yoav Cohen

Cio Cio San: Ira Bartman

B. F. Pinkerton: Davida Giusti

Sharpless: Vladimir Braun 

Suzuki: Naama Goldman

Kate Pinkerton: Anat Cherni

Goro: Yossef Aridan

Bonze: Noah Briger (backstage singing)

Itzik Gabay (dancer)

Dolore: Itamar Menashe

Dancers: Mor Bar Zachai, Shirley Barby, Kim Gordon

The choir of the Israeli Opera

Conductor: Ethan Schmeiser

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