“An interrupted rote gesture of the heroine’s adopted faith, then sobbing. That tiny moment, at the beginning of the second act in “Madama Butterfly,” represents the keen attention to detail of the production that moved into Clowes Hall for a two-night stand Friday. With the performance conducted by Arthur Fagen […] tempos were flexible and flawlessly matched to the stage action.”
Jay Harvey, Jayharveyupstage, November 12, 2016Orchestrally speaking, Puccini’s “Butterfly” score is a wonder of touches that give the music its pungent and poignant flavors. The orchestral score is bulging with technical difficulties; thus, a qualified pit orchestra is a must. The IU Philharmonic fulfills that must, with quality to spare.To make the orchestra accomplish what it must accomplish, a conductor of experience and lofty talent needs to be wielding the baton. In the resident Arthur Fagen, IU Opera Theater has such a conductor. Maestro Fagen contributed the appropriate leadership to both the pit musicians and the singers on stage. He was the stabilizer and the inspirer for everything musical.
Peter Jacobi, Heraldtimesonline.com, November 7, 2016