Madama Butterfly

Giacomo Puccini

Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa

3 Acts

Sung in italian Subtitles in Portuguese

Lengh: 2h20, with small intermission

Jan Wierzba, Musical Direction
Olga Roriz, Stage Direction
Ana Vaz, Set design
Ana Vaz e Olga Roriz, Costumes and Props
Gi Carvalho, Light Design
Sara Carinhas, Staging Assistent
Pedro Jardim, Assistent and Set design execution

Cast
Catarina Molder, Cio-cio San
Mads Wighus, B. F. Pinkerton
Ana Ferro, Suzuki
Christian Luján, Sharpless
Alberto Sousa, Goro
Ana Rita Coelho, Kate Pinkerton
Diogo Oliveira, Bozo & Yamadori
Nuno Fonseca, Comissário
Noah Freire, Filho Cio-cio San

Ensemble MPMP
Coro Nova Era Vocal Ensemble Direction João Barros

Premiere 20 to 27 AUG - Operafest Lisboa 2021

The little house on the top of the hill with view to Nagasaki Port is where the tragic love between young Japonese geisha Cioc-cio San and the lieutenant of the American navy, Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton, takes place.

From the beginning of this story, tragedy is eminent. Not her faithful servant Suzuki, nor the American consul Sharpless, nor even Goro, the heartless marriage broker, who first architects this felony and later on, tries to help her out of it - all efforts are helpless to move away relentless faith of Butterfly in Pinkerton’s love. The audience confident follows Butterfly’s metamorphosis from young innocent girl to tragic heroin, taking her destiny in her own hands.

One of the most moving operas of all time, composed by master of emotion Giacomo Puccini (1904), with a score filled with Japanese and oriental inspired themes and sublime music.

"Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini is an unavoidable work, a musical and dramaturgical pearl in the operatic world. Its dramatic plot fits the great tragedies of impossible loves of literature. Its emotional story wounds us in every note, each word uttered by Cio-cio San and revolts us too.

My fascination for this work goes back to the 70s when still "little mouse of the opera", I saw her for the first time. Staging Madama Butterfly is so fascinating as frightening, for its historic and social meanings. Because of the culture clashes that lead to arrogance, oppression, racism, to inequality.

Because we know that, even one hundred years later, the human being continues to abuse of its power with impunity. Is it true that Cio-cio San is an innocent young woman, that Pinkerton is just a hedonist, Sharpless is a well behaved diplomat, Suzuki a submissive maid and Goro a great swindler?

The truth is that this story continues to repeat itself without famous protagonists, no spectacular deaths and above all no applause."

Olga Roriz