Details

An American naval officer (Pinkerton) 'acquires' a 15 year old Geisha wife during a stay in Japan - but has no intention of staying with her. After a while he returns to the USA and marries his fiancee. Meanwhile, Butterfly waits for him for three years, cut off from her family, religion and culture by being an American wife. And she is now a mother. When he finally returns she is overjoyed, but he brings with him his new wife. Story originally published in a magazine. Sung in Italian with surtitles in English (and Welsh in Cardiff and Llandudno).

Cast/Performers

Meeta Raval (Cio-Cio-San 10 / 12 / 18 Feb; 24 / 31 Mar; 6 / 8 / 27 / 29 Apr; 27 / 30 Jun), Linda Richardson (Cio-Cio-San 17 Feb; 25 Mar; 1 / 202222 Apr; 29 Jun), Jonathan Burton (Pinkerton 10 / 12 / 18 Feb; 24 / 31 Mar; 6 / 8 Apr), Paul Charles Clarke (Pinkerton 17 Feb; 25 Mar; 1 / 20 / 22 / 27 / 29 Apr; 27 / 30 Jun), David Kempster (Sharpless), Rebecca Afonwy-Jones (Suzuki)

Creatives/Company

Music: Puccini
Lyrics(s): Giuseppe Giacosa, Luigi Illica (1904)
Company: Welsh National Opera
Conductor(s): Lawrence Foster, James Southall
Director(s): Joachim Herz, Caroline Chaney (revival direcrot)
Design: Reinhart Zimmermann
Costume: Eleonore Kleiber
Lighting: John Waterhouse (original designer)