Pittsburgh Opera presents Puccini's Madama Butterfly

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Pittsburgh, PA…
August 6, 2018
Chris Cox, Director of Marketing and Communications
Office: 412.281.0912 ext. 217
Mobile: 412.427.7088 or
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Pittsburgh Opera presents Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, the heart-breaking story of love, betrayal, and sacrifice

Pittsburgh Opera opens our 80th season with Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. Set in early 1900s Japan, Madama Butterfly is often considered the pinnacle of operatic tragedy, and has become one of today’s most beloved operas.

Madama Butterfly follows the tragic love story of the innocent and naive geisha Cio-Cio San and the callous US naval officer Lieutenant Pinkerton.

Cio-Cio San, while still a teenager, forsakes her family, heritage, and religion for Pinkerton. But what she considers to be true love, he considers a casual fling. Cio-Cio San clings to the increasingly unrealistic belief that Pinkerton will return to her. Accompanied by an achingly beautiful score, Madama Butterfly promises to be an unforgettable experience.

Music Director Antony Walker conducts the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Linda Brovsky directs.

On stage October 6, 9, 12 & 14, Madama Butterfly is unparalleled in its deeply affecting portrayal of love, betrayal, and sacrifice. Adult tickets start at just $14 – with children’s tickets for those ages 6-18 starting at just $7. Season tickets are now on sale and available online; single tickets go on sale August 27th.

Performance Dates/Times/Location/Length

What:
Puccini's Madama Butterfly

Where:
Benedum Center for the Performing Arts, Downtown Pittsburgh

When:

Saturday, October 6 - 8:00 PM
Tuesday, October 9 - 7:00 PM
Friday, October 12 - 7:30 PM
Sunday, October 14 - 2:00 PM

Run Time:
2 hours and 38 minutes, including one intermission

Language:
Sung in Italian with English texts projected above the stage

Tickets and Group Discounts

Single tickets go on sale August 27th. Single tickets for adults start at $14 for all performances; tickets for children ages 6-18 start at $7.

Group Discounts available; group tickets are now available for sale.

Call 412-456-6666 for more information, or buy tickets online.

Media Events

Please contact Chris Cox for reservations
Photo Call (9/24, 12:30 PM) – location TBA
Full Dress Rehearsal (10/4, 7:00 – 10:00 PM), Benedum Center

Related Events

Opera Up Close (9/23)
WQED Preview (9/29 & 10/5)
Meet the Artists (10/9)
Audio Commentary (10/9)
Free Brown Bag concert (10/13)

Cast and Artistic Team

See the Madama Butterfly show page for complete Cast and Artistic Team.

The Story, in brief

See the Madama Butterfly show page for complete synopsis.

Fun Facts

Madama Butterfly was the inspiration for the hit Broadway musical Miss Saigon, which is set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War.
Giacomo Puccini composed three of the world’s top ten operas. World-wide, Madama Butterfly was the seventh-most performed opera of 2017-18, according to Operabase. La bohème was fourth and Tosca was fifth.
Puccini wrote five versions of Madama Butterfly. Pittsburgh Opera will be performing the second of these five, called the Brescia version in honor of the Italian city where it was first performed in 1904.
For the second consecutive opera, a Russian soprano will make her Pittsburgh Opera debut. Dina Kuznetsova, who was born in Moscow, will sing the title role of Cio-Cio San. This past April, Ekaterina Siurina made her Pittsburgh Opera debut as Adina in The Elixir of Love.