Single Tickets

Date
Sat, Apr 26 2025
Time
7:30PM
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Date
Sun, Apr 27 2025
Time
2:00PM
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Date
Thu, May 1 2025
Time
7:30PM
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Date
Sat, May 3 2025
Time
7:30PM
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Date
Sun, May 4 2025
Time
2:00PM
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Left two images – Madama Butterfly by Virginia Opera. Photos by Dave Pearson Photography. Right two images – Madama Butterfly courtesy of Portland Opera. Photos by Cory Weaver.

Overview

MADAMA BUTTERFLY

Composer - Giacomo Puccini Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa Premiered 1904 in Milan DATES April 26 – May 4, 2025

VENUE Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver, BC

RUNNING TIME Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one 25-minute intermission.

Stunning visuals, transcendent melodies, and a timeless tale of love and loss make Madama a must-see season finale. Puccini’s sublime masterpiece closes out our celebratory 2024–2025 season in grand style, with five performances conducted by VO’s Music Director, Maestro Jacques Lacombe. This extended run boasts a double cast bursting with world-class talents, including Tokyo-born soprano Yasko Sato. Praised for her “disarming, honest, refined and authentic” approach, she makes her VO/Canadian debut as Cio-Cio-San, having previously explored the role’s complexities in performances throughout Italy, the US, Belgium, Slovenia, Greece, Spain, and Japan.

The story of Pinkerton, an American Lieutenant stationed in Nagasaki, who marries a young Japanese girl, Cio-Cio-San. For him, it’s a marriage of convenience, a touristic fantasy abroad before he finds himself a “real” (American) bride. For Cio-Cio-San, it begins her story of tragically unrequited love.

One of the greatest works in operatic history, Puccini’s poignant, deeply emotional music steers Madama Butterfly through love, heartbreak, hope, and tragedy.

Conductor & Director

Jacques Lacombe
Jacques Lacombe

Conductor

Mo Zhou

Director (Company Debut)

Cast In order of vocal appearance

Robert Watson

Pinkerton: Apr 26, May 1, May 3 (Company Debut)

Adam Luther

Pinkerton: Apr 27, May 4

Julius Ahn

Goro

Nozomi Kato

Suzuki (Company Debut)

Brett Polegato

Sharpless

Yasko Sato

Cio-Cio-San: Apr 26, May 1, 3 (Company Debut)

Karen Chia-ling Ho

Cio-Cio-San: Apr 27, May 4 (Company Debut)

Luka Kawabata
Luka Kawabata

Yamadori/Imperial Commissioner

Danlie Rae Acebuque

Imperial Registrar

Insung Sim

The Bonze (Company Debut)

Heidi Duncan

Kate Pinkerton

Myles Hunter-Gibbs

Sorrow (April 26, May 1, May 3)

Edward Gootman

Sorrow (April 27, May 4)

Zainen Suzuki

Yakuside

Karen Ydenberg

Mother

Dionne Sellinger

Aunt

Szu-Wen Wang

Cousin

Creative Team

Assistant Director   Tayte Mitchell*  Lighting Design  Marie Yokoyama  Assistant Lighting Designer  Jamie Sweeney  Japanese Culture Consultant and Movement Coach Asuka Morinaga Derfler  Intimacy Director Lisa Goebel Set Designer  Lloyd Evans  Costume Designer  Ruoxuan Li Head of Music / Associate Conductor / Chorus Director  Leslie Dala 

Associate Chorus Director / Principal Répétiteur  Tina Chang  Répétiteurs  Perri Lo  Derek Stanyer Stage Manager  Theresa Tsang  Assistant Stage Managers Emma Hammond  Michelle Harrison Apprentice Stage Manager  Elsa Orme  SurTitle™ Creator and Operator  Sarah Pelzer 

Synopsis

Nagasaki, Japan, 1946—within a year of the atomic bomb, amidst the haunting aftermath of World War II. U.S. Navy Lieutenant B. F. Pinkerton inspects a house perched above Nagasaki harbour, secured through the services of the opportunistic marriage broker, Goro. Pinkerton, captivated by the delicate allure of Cio-Cio-San, dismisses any qualms about the gravity of their union, driven by the unchecked pursuit of pleasure emblematic of American hubris. Meanwhile, Cio-Cio-San, having recently survived the atomic devastation, eagerly anticipates her wedding as the gateway to her American Dream. Despite the thunderous disapproval of her uncle—resulting in her abandonment by her entire family—she steps into the marriage with unshaken hope. In a fleeting moment of intimacy, amidst the swirling uncertainty of their intertwined destinies, Pinkerton and Cio-Cio-San forge a connection that momentarily transcends the tumultuous landscape of postwar Japan.

Six years later, winter 1953, on the eve of the withdrawal of the Allied Occupation. Cio-Cio-San and her faithful maid, Suzuki, anxiously await Pinkerton’s return amidst the dwindling resources of their once-promising existence. Sharpless, burdened with a letter from Pinkerton fraught with hesitation, delivers a stark dose of reality to the resolute Cio-Cio-San. Rejecting the advances of wealthy suitors, including Prince Yamadori, she defiantly presents her son, Sorrow, as a living testament to her unwavering faith in Pinkerton’s return and her relentless pursuit of the American Dream. Just as despair begins to set in, a cannon pierces the air—Pinkerton’s ship has arrived. Gripped by a delirium of joy, she seizes binoculars and confirms the sight. With fervent determination, she commands Suzuki to adorn the house with flowers in preparation for the long-awaited reunion. As night descends, Cio-Cio-San, Suzuki, and the child begin their vigil—a silent testament to their unyielding hope amidst the shadows of uncertainty.

The following day. As dawn breaks, exposing the wreckage of broken dreams, Pinkerton returns with his American wife, Kate, casting a pall over the once-hopeful household. Suzuki’s anguish is palpable as she delivers the crushing truth to Cio-Cio-San, whose heart is shattered by betrayal—realizing she could never be “American” enough for him. Left alone, she stands resolute, recognizing the falsehood of her promised dream. With quiet strength, she bids farewell to her son, shielding him from her tragic fate. In her final moments, as echoes of Pinkerton’s voice linger, she finds a measure of peace, knowing her protest will not be in vain. With dignity and pride, she embraces death in true Japanese honor—symbolically freeing herself from the illusion of the American Dream. —adapted from Opera News

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