On Friday, February 7, Stockton’s Performing Arts Center had the honor of hosting the New Jersey Association of Verisimo Opera, who presented Giaocomo Puccini’s famous opera, Madame Butterfly. The PAC was completely packed for the show, with very few seats remaining by the time the performance started. It featured a variety of incredibly talented actors and singers, with Soprano Ashley Galvani Bell playing the part of Madama Butterfly, and Tenor Nathan Snyder playing B.F. Pinkerton, Butterfly’s husband. Madama Butterfly is based on the 1898 short story by John Luther Long — it premiered as an opera on February 17, 1904 and has garnered a lot of fame and prestige ever since.

The tragedy featured a beautifully constructed set, effective lighting, and a live orchestra playing the scores for the play. The music invoked emotion, tension, and the perfect mood for every scene, synchronizing perfectly with the singers’ voices. The crowd was delighted throughout the entire performance, sighing in admiration whenever an actor hit a high note, or crying whenever a tragic scene occurred. The ending brought even more tears to the audience’s eyes, with people left sniffling and dabbing their eyes as the curtains lowered and ended the performance. Almost the entire theater gave the cast a 4-minute standing ovation when they presented themselves for a final curtain call, with whoops and “Bravo’s!” scattered among the audience. The cheers increased when the main characters’ actors presented themselves with bows and smiles: Ashley Galvani Bell, Nathan Snyder, and Ashley Kay Armstrong (Suzuki) played the three beloved titular roles.

One of the most cherished characters, despite his time on the stage being lesser than the main characters’, was Tenor Tai Collins’ character, Goro. Collins brought a comedic and somewhat shrewd disposition to his character, and even flashed a smirk when the audience cheered him on in the curtain call. The entire cast of characters was superb, whether in a major or minor role in the performance, and they were all appreciated greatly by the audience.

“We did not expect this type of talent for the show tonight,” said audience member Jane Stiers, “We didn’t know what to expect. It was amazing, it touched my soul.” She stammered a few times, still trying to process the beautiful performance she had witnessed. Neither her nor her friends, Judy and Nancy, could fully describe what they thought of the show, completely amazed by the sheer talent and effort the cast, crew, and orchestra displayed.

The next event at the Performing Arts Center is the annual Spring Dance Concert, showcased by the Stockton Dance program, from February 27 to March 1. For more information on upcoming performances, visit the Stockton PAC website to learn more.