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 40 minutes, including one 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.