By Darlene Donloe
Contributing Writer
The first time Michael Sumuel saw a production of the classic opera “Madame Butterfly,” he was competing in the finals of the Houston Grand Opera Studio placement. He watched a performance and thought, “How tragic the story is and how beautiful the music is.”
It wasn’t long thereafter that the accomplished concert artist was performing the role of Sharpless in “Madame Butterfly.”
He’s now played the role of the American consul in “Madame Butterfly” on several occasions and is performing it once again in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion production of Giacomo Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly,” as part of the LA Opera 2024-25 season.
“Madame Butterfly” is about an American naval officer in turn-of-the-20th-century Japan, who wants a bride and an opportunistic marriage broker, who is only too happy to oblige. The marriage broker assures the naval officer the marriage can easily be dissolved later. A few years later, he takes to the seas — leaving her to raise their child on her own. Finances get hard while new suitors pursue her. Still, she waits for her husband, who finally returns, but not alone.
The popular show, considered a Puccini masterpiece, is conducted by Musical Director James Conlon, and stars Karah Son as Cio-Cio-San, tenor Jonathan Tetelman as Pinkerton, Hyona Kim as Suzuki and Sumuel as Sharpless, who is returning to the company after his 2022 performances in Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion.”
Sumuel, who speaks and sings in a bass-baritone, began singing as soon as he could talk.
From there, he went on to sing in church, primary school and then middle school, which is where he had the lightbulb moment that his voice was special. He went on to attend the Columbus State University Schwob School of Music in Georgia.
The Texas native’s award-winning career has blossomed quickly making his operatic voice one of the most in demand. Sumuel, who sings in English, Latin, German, Italian, Russian and Czech, has played in every leading international opera house and put his stamp on some of the most enviable roles. The Houston Grand Opera Butler Studio alumnus sang the title role in “Le nozze di Figaro,” “Porgy and Bess,” Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio,” Mozart’s “Requiem” and “Coronation Mass,” Handel’s “Messiah,” the role of Jesus in Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion” with LA Opera, and Beethoven’s “Missa Solemnis.” The list is just a mere sampling of his extensive operatic credits.
His frequent conductor collaborators include Dame Jane Glover, Jonathan Cohen, Bernard Labadie, James Conlon, Zubin Mehta, Patrick Summers, Jaap van Zweden, Marc Minkowski and more.
Sumuel, who is an enthusiastic conversationalist when he reminisces about opera and his career over the years, now lives in San Francisco with his wife and son, who, at the age of 3, is already showing signs of following in his famous father’s footsteps.
“My son is speaking more, and his retention of melody is incredible,” Sumuel said. “He has a natural knack and talent that, fortunately, I can watch him develop over time.”
I recently spoke to Sumuel (about his career and his upcoming performance as Sharpless in “Madame Butterfly.”
DD: When did you decide your voice was good enough to take on the road?
MS: When I was at Columbus State for undergrad, then Rice for graduate studies. In Georgia at Columbus State, all of that freshman year was a crash course in language, learning the international phonetic alphabet.
DD: Do you remember the first time you saw “Madame Butterfly?” What were your thoughts?
MS: Yes, after I completed my master’s at Rice, was when I was competing in the finals of Houston Grand Opera studio placement. I accepted. My second year in the studio, … that show that season happened to be the one with an alternate cast comprised of studio singers. That was my first time seeing it. I thought how tragic the story is and how beautiful the music is.
DD: Why do you think the show is so special and has withstood the test of time?
MS: Some people go to the opera here and there, but some want to see “Madame Butterfly” specifically. Puccini just touches the heart. He’s one of my favorites. He touches a different emotional level.
DD: Talk about your character, Sharpless.
MS: He’s someone who cares about his profession. He’s respectful of the cultures that he encounters. In Nagasaki, he’s the American consul there. He takes his duties seriously. He tries to approach each experience respectfully. It’s off-putting when you have an American soldier on his wedding day. He’s a fixer in a way. The struggle he has is being able to see a situation for what it is, offering advice, and maybe thinking you can do more, but you have to have people make their own choices.
DD: My understanding is that this is a diverse cast. Do you think any actor can play any role?
MS: I think so to a certain extent. Take for instance “Porgy and Bess.” For specific reasons it’s cast a certain way. It has to be with certain roles like “Butterfly.” It has to be treated with the utmost respect and care, so she isn’t a caricature and her culture isn’t mocked.
DD: What are your feelings about singing?
MS: For me, it is an all-purpose kind of healing balm. It’s how I can come back to neutral if things are chaotic. I can come back to myself. Singing and performing are when I feel at peace and happy. There is a lot of sacrifice with this career with the travel. They can weigh on you, your heart, and your mental health a lot. You have to be intentional about connecting with loved ones when you’re on the road. The fact that I can do what I love for a living is what keeps me grounded and helps me put things in perspective.
DD: A lot of people shy away from operas for whatever reason. How would you convince someone to give opera a try?
MS: It’s a microwave generation. Since the pandemic, it’s been harder to get people to sit still. If you can sit for three hours to watch “Marvel’s End Game” … it’s entertaining. If people are open to trying new experiences, Puccini is the first great composer to try at the opera. You will experience a full range of emotions. It’s a perfect length of time, the music is incredible, the drama. It has every aspect you’d get in a movie or TV show. You never know until you try it. Give opera a try.
DD: You seem very serious about your work. Let’s talk about your hobbies. What do you do in your spare time, to let your hair down?
MS: I love to watch sports. Before my back surgery, I was getting into working out. I like old-school R&B, and hip-hop. I love the Temptations and the Isley Brothers.
“Madame Butterfly” is sung in Italian with an English translation projected above the stage. The production is produced in consultation with the Asian Opera Alliance at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Sept. 26, 2 p.m. Sept. 29, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 9 and 2 p.m. Oct. 13. Tickets begin at $37.50. Information: 213-972-8001 or LAOpera.org.
Darlene Donloe is a freelance reporter for Wave Newspapers who covers South Los Angeles. She can be reached at ddonloe@gmail.com.
