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