Madama Butterfly concludes Vancouver Opera's 65th season in style, April 26 to May 4

Conductor Jacques Lacombe and director Mo Zhou are at the helm of Giacomo Puccini’s masterpiece, which features a double cast

SPONSORED POST BY Vancouver Opera

Kinui Oiwa, Madama Butterfly. Photo by Deanna Milligan with art director Annie Mack

Giacomo Puccini’s sublime masterpiece Madama Butterfly is set to close out Vancouver Opera’s celebratory 2024-25 season in grand style, with five performances from April 26 to May 4 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Showtimes are at 2 pm and 7:30 pm.

Conducted by Vancouver Opera’s music director Jacques Lacombe, this extended run boasts a double cast bursting with world-class talent, including Tokyo-born soprano Yasko Sato. Praised for her refined and authentic approach, Sato makes her Canadian debut with Vancouver Opera as Cio-Cio-San, having previously explored the role’s complexities in performances throughout Italy, the U.S., Belgium, Slovenia, Greece, Spain, and Japan.

Madama Butterfly tells the story of Pinkerton, an American Lieutenant stationed in Nagasaki, who marries a young Japanese girl named Cio-Cio-San. For Pinkerton, it’s a marriage of convenience—a touristic fantasy abroad before he finds himself an American bride. For Cio-Cio-San, it begins her story of tragically unrequited love.

Considered one of the greatest works in operatic history since its 1904 premiere in Milan, Madama Butterfly features libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. Puccini’s poignant, deeply emotional music steers the characters through love, heartbreak, hope, and tragedy.

Alongside Lacombe, Chinese-born director Mo Zhou also makes her Vancouver Opera debut with this show, having previously worked on a production of Madama Butterfly by the Florentine Opera, Virginia Opera, and Kentucky Opera.

Sato performs as Cio-Cio-San on April 26 and May 1 and 3 opposite American tenor Robert Watson as Pinkerton. On April 27 and May 4, Taiwanese American soprano Karen Chia-Ling Ho takes on the role of Cio-Cio-San alongside Newfoundland-based tenor Adam Luther as Pinkerton.

The rest of the talented cast includes tenor Julius Ahn as Goro; Japanese-born, Spain-based mezzo-soprano Nozomi Kato as Suzuki; Canadian baritone Brett Polegato as Sharpless; Nikkei Canadian baritone Luka Kawabata as Yamadori and the Imperial Commissioner; baritone Danlie Rae Acebuque as the Imperial Registrar; South Korean bass Insung Sim as the Bonze; and Vancouver-based soprano Heidi Duncan as Kate Pinkerton.

Madama Butterfly is sung in Italian with projected English surtitles. To purchase tickets to see the show and learn more, visit Vancouver Opera.

Post sponsored by Vancouver Opera.

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