Montserrat Caballé may not have been the physical embodiment of a 15-year-old Japanese geisha, but vocally she proves herself in the elite class of Puccini interpreters. In this performance of Madama Butterfly, she captures both the character's wide-eyed innocence and her ultimate despair with heartbreaking conviction. Her vocal command is remarkable—alternating ethereal pianissimo with full-throttle slancio, all while shaping the Italian prose with great care and expressive subtlety. Rarely has Caballé sounded so dramatically committed.

Bernabé Martí, Caballé's real-life husband, offers a steady and well-supported Pinkerton, though his tone leans toward the milquetoast side. Manuel Ausensi's virile baritone makes for a vocally satisfying Sharpless, though his commanding sound perhaps undercuts the character's usual role as Pinkerton's more grounded, older counterpart.