Royal Opera House 2022/23: Madama Butterfly

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The Royal Opera  

 

‘Love cannot kill: it brings new life.’

 

On a starlit night in Nagasaki, these are the words spoken by American naval officer Pinkerton to young geisha Cio-Cio-San. But as they both learn, words and promises carelessly spoken can have indelible consequences.

 

With a score that includes Butterfly’s aria, ‘Un bel dì, vedremo’ (‘One fine day’) and the ‘Humming Chorus’, Giacomo Puccini’s opera is entrancing and ultimately heart-breaking. Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier’s exquisite production takes inspiration from 19th-century European images of Japan.

 

Language:  Sung in Italian with English subtitles

Running time: 3hrs and 10 minutes (including one interval)