Madama Butterfly ROH 2024

Cio-Cio-San, the young Japanese bride of American naval officer Lieutenant Pinkerton, finds her romantic idyll shattered when he deserts her shortly after their marriage. She lives in hope that one day he will return.

Three years later, Cio-Cio-San and her son, Dolore, see Pinkerton’s ship in the harbour. She excitedly awaits his visit – but when Pinkerton and his American wife Kate arrive and learn about Dolore's existence, they ask to take the boy away, and raise him in America. Cio-Cio-San bids her son farewell and takes her own life.

When the young geisha, Cio-Cio-San, marries American Naval Officer Pinkerton, she believes she is entering a real, binding marriage for life. Forsaking her religion and community, she learns all too late that for Pinkerton, their marriage is merely an illusion – with tragic consequences.

With a score that includes Butterfly’s aria, 'Un bel dì, vedremo' (‘One fine day’) and the Humming Chorus, Giacomo Puccini’s opera is entrancing and ultimately heart-breaking. Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier’s exquisite production takes inspiration from 19th-century European images of Japan.

Asmik Grigorian and Hrachuhí Bassénz share the role of Cio-Cio-San, with Kevin John Edusei conducting.

Cast: Asmik Grigorian, Joshua Guerrero, Lauri Vasar, Hongni Wu, Ya-Chung Huang, Jeremy White, Josef Jeongmeen Ahn, Veena Akama-Makia, Romanas Kudriašovas

Conductor: Kevin John Edusei

Director: Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier

Programme Type: Live or Recorded Broadcast

Director: Moshe Leiser & Patrice Caurier

Cast: Asmik Grigorian, Joshua Guerrero, Lauri Vasar

Certificate: 12A Live

Running Time: 195 minutes