MADAMA BUTTERFLY

Where: Benedum Center, at the corner of 7th Street and Penn Ave, downtown Pittsburgh 

When:

• Saturday, March 22, 2025  * 8:00 PM- ~11:00 PM (approx. end time)
• Tuesday, March 25, 2025  * 7:00 PM- ~10:00 PM (approx. end time)
• Thursday, March 27, 2025 * 10:15 AM–1:00 PM (STUDENT MATINEE)
  
• Friday, March 28, 2025 * 7:30 PM- ~10:30 PM (approx. end time)
• Sunday, March 30, 2025 * 2:00 PM- ~5:00 PM (approx. end time)

Prince Yamadori - TBA
The Bonze - TBA
Yakusidé - TBA
The Imperial Commissioner – TBA
The Official Registrar - TBA
Cio-Cio-San's mother – TBA
The aunt – TBA
The cousin – TBA
Dolore ("Trouble") - TBA

Conductor: Antony Walker 
Revival / Associate Stage Director: Melanie Bacaling+
Set Designer: Kimie Nishikawa
Costume Designer: Maiko Matsushima+
Wig and Make-up Designer: James Geier
Assistant Wig and Make-up Designer: Candace Leyland
Lighting Designer: Yuki Nakase Link (Re-created by Kristina Kloss)
Stage Manager: Cindy Knight
Assistant Conductor: Glenn Lewis
Chorus Master: Mark Trawka
Associate Coach/Pianist: James Lesniak
Resident Artist Pianist:  Maeve Berry*
Assistant Stage Director: Anderson Nunnelley+
Assistant Stage Director: Dana Kinney*
Assistant Stage Managers:  Bee Anderson. Tess Naval

Original production conceived and directed by Matthew Ozawa

<sub>+    Pittsburgh Opera debut
*    Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist
**   Pittsburgh Opera Resident Artist alumni</sub>

In the present day, B.F. Pinkerton enters his apartment and dons a VR headset to escape into a fantasy. Within moments, he rejoins a game which transports him to Nagasaki, where he embodies his avatar as a U.S. Navy lieutenant. He inspects a house that he will occupy with his young bride, Cio-Cio- San (a.k.a. Madame Butterfly). Sharpless, the U.S. Consul, arrives, and Pinkerton shares his vision of a sailor in search of pleasure and the beautiful Japanese girl who has captivated him. Sharpless tries to warn him of this view, but Pinkerton laughs, toasting the American girl who will someday be his “real” wife.

Butterfly, her colleagues, and family arrive for the wedding. She tells Pinkerton that since her father’s death, she now earns her living as a geisha. She also has secretly converted to Christianity. The Imperial Commissioner performs the marriage ceremony. Then, Cio-Cio-San’s uncle, the Bonze, bursts in. He curses her, inciting the crowd. Protecting Butterfly, Pinkerton orders the guests away. Butterfly weeps and her new husband consoles her. As night falls in this pleasure fantasy, the lovers share a moonlit duet.

Three years later, modern-day Pinkerton and his American wife have grown distant. His only means of escape is through gaming, where he can manipulate his Japanese bride’s future. In the virtual world, Cio-Cio-San patiently waits for him. Her servant Suzuki implores the gods for aid, but Butterfly bids her to have faith—one day, Pinkerton will return and embrace his wife again.

Sharpless enters with a letter telling of Pinkerton’s marriage to an American. Before he can tell Butterfly, Goro interrupts along with a suitor, Prince Yamadori. Cio-Cio-San refuses his marriage proposal. She brings forth her young son, Trouble, and insists that as soon as Pinkerton knows of him, he will return. If not, she would rather die.

A cannon roars from the harbor, and Butterfly discovers Pinkerton’s ship coming into port. She and Suzuki strew the house with blossoms. As evening falls, she prepares to keep vigil through the night.

Modern-day Pinkerton turns off the game and goes to bed. In the middle of the night, the game turns on, luring him back to play the next level, where he chooses how he will impact Butterfly’s destiny. Pinkerton chooses an American wife avatar, Kate. As the level continues, Butterfly still waits, though Suzuki persuades her to rest. Soon, Sharpless, Pinkerton and Kate arrive. Suzuki realizes who the woman is and reluctantly agrees to inform Butterfly. Pinkerton, now aware of Butterfly’s devotion, bids an anguished farewell and rushes away. Cio-Cio-San hurries in expecting to find her husband, and instead finds Kate. She instantly guesses the truth and touchingly wishes Kate happiness. She says that Pinkerton may have his son if he will return for him.

Butterfly orders Suzuki and Trouble away. She has no choice but to escape this nightmare, and she pulls out the dagger with which her father committed suicide. As she raises the blade to her throat, Trouble appears. Cio-Cio-San drops the knife and embraces him. She then blindfolds him, takes the dagger, and stabs herself. As the fantasy dies, Pinkerton desperately tries to hold onto his creation, Butterfly.

Courtesy of Cincinnati Opera

We want you to have the best experience possible at our performances!

Here are some details and resources to help. Also visit our Opera FAQs or our Accessibility page.

• Run time: approx. 3 hrs (includes one 30-minute intermission)
• Understand Every Word: Understand Every Word: Madama Butterfly is sung in Italian, but English supertitles are projected above the stage
• Parking Downtown: get real-time parking availability
• Pre-Opera Talks before each performance
• Braille Programs available at The Benedum Center
• Large-Print Programs available at The Benedum Center

CHILD POLICY:

• Children must be ages 6 and up. Suggestions and tips for bringing children to the opera may be found at pittsburghopera.org/FAQ.
• All children must have a ticket. There is a 50% discount for kids and teens ages 6-18.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has implemented new security and bag policies, effective starting October 1, 2016, at the Benedum Center and their other venues.

You can read their Safety & Security statement, which includes an updated list of prohibited items, and read their Bag Policy, on their website.