Madama Butterfly – the successful production returns to the State Opera

Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, one of the most beloved operas of all time, now returns to the State Opera after a two-year pause. Svetlana Aksenova, who debuted at the State Opera in Der ferne Klang on 20th March will lead the cast of the Japanese story of unfulfilled desire, betrayal and honour as Cio-Cio-san. Peter Berger will be F. B. Pinkerton, her lover and a U.S. Navy officer.

In all the performances until the end of 2021/2022 season, the baritone Jiří Rajniš will sing consul Sharpless, a role, in which he debuted during the German Immling Festival. The piece will be conducted by the Italian Maurizio Barbacini. Jiří Heřman’s successful production, which premiered in 2016, tells the story in an unusual manner – from the perspective of Cio-Cio-san’s son, now an adult coming to Nagasaki to search for clues about his past.

“The director managed to design an attractive stage separated into several planes, creating powerful images with beautiful lighting. The transformation and twilight at the end of the second act is very emotional and the whole third act is a thrilling spectacle, all the way to the sea waves at the end… Heřman truly found a new dimension of the piece without violating it with a desire to be modern at any cost.”
Jakub Kožíšek, CT24.cz, 11/02/2016

Performance dates: State Opera, 24th and 31st March and 5th, 13th, 16th and 22nd April.

Photo: Miro Pavlovič