Madame Butterfly at The Mango Tree Thai Restaurant

GS Wines, in partnership with Linda Noor PR are delighted to present a fabulous evening of cultural exchange at The Mango Tree, featuring a live performance of operatic arias - with special focus on Puccini's popular opera, Madama Butterfly , a presentation of some beautiful kimonos by Kimono De Go, and a sumptuous 3 course Thai dinner prepared by Mango Tree!

Main event Image of kimono wearers on this Eventbrite page courtesy of Kimono De Go. Original Photograph by Mayumi Hirata.

UPDATE

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WED 16 MAR Eventbrite Ticket Sales on Hold Until further notice, we are not offering tickets for sale until the exact date and time for this event is determined. We are sorry for any inconvenience.

FRI 11 MAR *Attention Event Date Review* Owing to unforeseen circumstances, we may have to postpone our event from 14 May to another date. most likely to be on a Sunday. We apologies for any inconvenience caused. Pending a new date, we are suspending ticket sales for the time being, but this will be resumed ASAP. We intend to provide a new date for our highly anticipated event ASAP!

TUE 1 MAR For the live accompaniment for our operatic singers, we will have available on the night, a top of the ranged KAWAI MP10 top of the 88-keys digital Stage Piano, complete with 50 amp speakers and pedal unit. Our audience can expect a near concert grand piano sound quality from this amazing instrument, to be played by one of the finest pianists in London, Caroline Jaya-Ratnam!

SUN 27 FEB Launch of ticket sales on Eventbrite! We have assembled a brilliant cast of performers to sing arias from Puccini's Madama Butterfly (amongst others). They will begin the creative planning process in March, and then start rehearsing, for their performance at Mango Tree on 14 May. (Additional singers may be invited to join the group.)

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Puccini's Madama Butterfly is a tale of a romantic tragedy set within a 'clash of cultures', in turn-of -the (20th)-century port city of Nagasaki, at a time when Japan had just opened up to the West. It tells the story of a young Japanese geisha, Cio-Cio San, who falls hopelessly in love with Lieutenant B F Pinkerton, an officer in the US Navy, and gets married to him in Japan. She believes in love and honour, and sees herself living a new life as an American wife to Pinkerton. Alas, the feeling isn't quite mutual, and, although Pinkerton does return her love, albeit briefly, he sees his marriage to Cio-Cio San more as a foreign adventure. He soon leaves her, but promises to return 'when the robins start to nest'.

In his absence, unbeknownst to Pinkerton, Madame Butterfly has borne him a son. 3 years go by, and Madame Butterfly, in a meeting with the American envoy, wonders if the American robin takes longer to nest than Japanese ones! Unlike those around her, including her maid Suzuki, Madame Butterfly is ever optimistic that Pinkerton will return. In the famous, heart-rending soprano aria, Madame Butterfly envisions the 'one fine day' when Pinkerton's ship sails into Nagasaki Bay, and he climbs up the hill, to the house where she lives, and be reunited with her. Pinkerton does return, but not in the way she had hoped, and her happiness at this is very short-lived!

The exquisite music of Puccini - which combines the Italianate operatic tradition with quotations from Japanese melodies - expresses the whole range of human emotions - love, pain, joy, betrayal, sacrifice - which our opera artistes will convey in their performance of 'Madame Butterfly at Mango Tree'!

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Timetable for the Evening

18:45 Arrival and Welcome Drink (Italian bubbly provided by GS Wines)

19:00 Welcome & Introduction by Organisers

19:15 Mango Tree Thai Dinner - Starters served

19:40 (Approximate start time) Live Performance of Operatic Arias (Part 1)

20:00 Mango Tree Thai Dinner - Main course served

20:45 (Approximate time) Live Performance of Operatic Arias (Part 2)

21:00 Mango Tree Thai Dinner - Dessert served

21:45 End of event

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Programme of Music

A live performance of operatic singing, accompanied on keyboard, with special focus on Puccini's opera, Madama Butterfly, to include popular favourites such as:

• Amore o grillo (tenor solo)
• Un bel dì, vedremo ('One Fine Day', soprano solo)
• Tutti i fior ('Flower Duet', soprano and mezzo-soprano)
• Io so che alle sue pene (Act III Trio, tenor, baritone, mezzo-soprano)
• and more....!

NB. May be subject to change; final programme to be decided

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Madame Butterfly at Mango Tree - Sharing Menu for Thai Dinner

First course (Starters)

Grilled chicken thighs with barbecue sauce

Pan-fried beetroot dumplings filled with green curry marinated prawns

MAIN Course

Spicy flat rice noodles with sea food, snake beans and garlic holy basil sauce

Stir-fried chicken with garlic, cloud ear mushrooms and red chillies

Deep-fried whole sea bass with mango salad and cashew nuts

Seasonal mixed vegetables with girolle mushrooms and goji berries

Dessert

Kumquat cheesecake with goji berries

NB Menu may be subject to change and will be confirmed nearer the time.

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GS Wines at Mango Tree

We are pleased to recommend a selection of quality Italian wines from our portfolio, to pair with the delicious food served at Mango Tree! The following wines will be available for purchase with the meal on the night:

[Wine selection in preparation - and the list will be added here ASAP]

SPECIAL 'Madame Butterfly @ Mango Tree' Case of Wines offer

To celebrate this special event, we are offering a special case of our wines, which Linda has helped to select, available for the event only!

[Details of the Special offer are in preparation, and will be added here ASAP]

(10% of proceeds from sales of this will go to Linda Noor's charitable causes!)

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Mango Tree Restaurant, Belgravia

Mango Tree is an award-winning Thai restaurant in the heart of Belgravia, London, serving outstanding authentic Thai cuisine. Through combining classic Thai cuisine with pure innovation, Mango Tree has shared many proud moments over the past 20 years, including a mention in Chapter 10 of J.K. Rowling’s novel ‘The Silkworm.’ Mango Tree has also featured on popular TV shows such as BBC One’s MasterChef, Gordon Ramsay’s ‘Best Restaurant,’ as well as being nominated for Tatler’s ‘Test of Time’ award.

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Linda Noor - Co-Organizer of 'Madame Butterfly @Mango Tree'

Linda Noor is Creative Director at LLD UK. She has been responsible for directing many major events in London for over 21 years, including Charity Dinner Awards and prestigious International Corporate events, with high profile attendees from all over the world, including the UK, Europe, S.E. Asia, China, India, Japan & South Korea.

Linda's events have involved established institutions and clientele - such as Institute of Directors, Women in Livery Club, The 48 Group Club, British Malaysian Society, WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation), SWISS UNESCO, Team4Work UK, Gandy's Foundations UK, Kimonodego UK, Uncle Long Restaurant London and many more.

She has successfully secured sponsorship for her events, from an enviable list of sponsors which include - The Quintana Couture, The Gandy's London, The Ritz London, Jimmy Choo's Couture, Grosvenor London, Chopard UK, Fortnum and Mason, The Shard tower, Paul Costello, AIDA London, Sarah Chapman Skinesis, and major fashion Brands e.g. Furla, Nike, Adidas, Laura Ashley, Burberry, Karen Millen, Vidal Sassoon Academy & MAC UK.

E: [email protected]

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Kimono De Go

Kimono de Go, founded by Mamiko Sato, provides kimono rental, dressing, hair stylist & make-up services. The company has been involved in TV advertising for major brands (Pepsi, Peugeot, Kao, Canon, Asahi etc.) and photoshoots for magazines such as Vogue and W. Mamiko's other works include demonstration and fashion show at London Textile Museum and V&A.

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Artistes' Bios

Italian soprano Francesca Matta graduated in opera singing at the Conservatorio di Musica G.P.L. da Palestrina and continued her vocal studies with renowned international artists such as Giusy Devinu and Bernadette Manca di Nissa. Over the years she performed, both in Italy and UK, roles such as Tosca; Cio Cio San, Madama Butterfly; Gilda, Rigoletto; Mimí, La Bohème; Elisabetta, Maria Stuarda; Contessa, Le Nozze di Figaro; Donna Elvira, Don Giovanni; Fiordiligi, Così fan Tutte. Recently (in Summer 2021), Francesca made her debut as Violetta in La Traviata with Regents Opera. She will be singing in Regents Opera's production of Carmen this Summer.

is a London born mezzo soprano with training from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the ENO OperaWorks Programme. Her operatic roles include Papagena Opera på Skäret, Idamante (cover) English Touring Opera, The King (The Queen’s Lace Handkerchief) Opera della Luna, Zulma (cover) (L’Italiana in Algeri) Garsington Opera, Hansel (Hansel und Gretel) and Mother (Amahl and the Night Visitors) Opera Anywhere. Her concert credits include a Gilbert & Sullivan gala concert at the Chichester Festival entitled ‘Tarantara!’ conducted by Martin Handley; the female solo quartet for Schubert’s ‘Das Paradies und die Peri’ with the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle and broadcast on BBC Radio; and the mezzo-soprano solo for Stravinsky’s ‘Pulcinella’ with the London Schools Symphony Orchestra at Barbican Hall. She has performed as a soloist in concert at the Wigmore Hall and at Cadogan Hall. In Summer (2021) Emily performed the role of the Owl and covered the role of the Fox in Janacek’s ‘The Cunning Little Vixen’ for Longborough Festival Opera.

Perth born made his European debut in Holland as Don José for the International Bel Canto Academy in conjunction with Opera Noord-Holland-Noord. He also performed with WA Opera from 2006 to 2010 as a principal artist, playing Nemorino (L’elisir D’amore), Harry (La Fanciulla del West), Beppe (I Pagliacci), and covered Don Jose and Nadir. In 2010, Roberto appeared as soloist in the West Australian Symphony Orchestra’s Gala Concert with Sumi Jo. As recipient of the Australian International Opera Awards scholarship, Roberto trained at the Wales International Academy of Voice, 2012. In the UK, numerous roles have included Canio (I Pagliacci )(Opera North) Don José (Carmen)(The Grange Festival, Opera-Up-Close), Riccardo (Un Ballo in Maschera)(Bury Port Opera), Rodolfo (La Boheme)(Regents Opera/King’s Head Theatre) and Gherardo (Gianni Schicchi)(Fulham Opera).

Following her Masters degree in Music (Cambridge University), accomplished concert pianist, accompanist, violinist and singer Caroline Jaya-Ratnam was appointed Junior Fellow at the Royal College of Music. She has appeared on TV accompanying world renowned opera singers including tenor, Rolando Villazon, baritone Bryn Terfel and soprano Danielle de Niese. She has appeared at the Royal Albert Hall in numerous Proms as part of the London Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Concert Orchestra.

Host or Publisher GS Wines & Beacon Italy