Opera North

Madama Butterfly is a tender story of innocent love crushed amidst two utterly different cultures, which resonates as strongly as ever in today’s world. 
 
French soprano Anne Sophie Duprels has won widespread praise in this production in the role of Cio-Cio San, a young Japanese woman who sacrifices everything to marry a U.S. Naval Officer, yet is cruelly discarded when he returns to his ‘real’ life in America. She is joined for this revival by Lithuanian tenor Mer?nas Vitulskis, making his UK and Opera North debut as Pinkerton. 

Globally hailed as one of the best-loved of all operas, Madama Butterfly features some of Puccini’s most popular music, such as Butterfly’s touching aria hoping for Pinkerton’s return, 'Un bel di' (One fine day), her ‘Flower Duet’ with Suzuki, and above all, the passionate love duet which closes Act I. It is conducted by Martin Pickard, who has previously conducted many performances for Opera North, including La vida breve/Gianni Schicchi, Macbeth and Peter Grimes.
 
With its exquisitely simple set and costumes, this emotionally direct and subtle production by Tim Albery is devastating in its impact, as Butterfly’s dawning realisation of the harsh reality of her circumstances leads inexorably to a final act of despair.