It's the Opera in ME

Continuing my series on portraits of characters in operas:

Cio-cio San

Oil on Panel 11"x14"

Cio-cio means butterfly in Japanese, so this is the Madama Butterfly from the great Puccini opera of that name. She is a fascinating character, one of the best character studies in all opera. In fact, this opera is one of the most "theatrical" in the repertoire.  I choose to picture her in the early stages of the story, full of innocence and hope--the delicate creature we meet in Act I. I should mention that this opera will be the one that PORTopera, the opera company of which I am a co-founder, will present in July, the 25th and 27th in Merrill Auditorium in Portland Maine. For more info visit http://www.portopera.org/.

Wotan

Oil on Canvas 11" X 14"

This is one of the main characters in Wagner's four opera "Ring" cycle. He is the troubled and suspicious King of the Gods who is in a constant battle to keep his power. I show him at the height of those powers in the first opera, "Das Rheingold." He carries the spear on which all of the laws and ancient runes are carved and the all-powerful ring gleams on his finger. Neither gives him much comfort we are soon to learn!