Madame Butterfly Returns To Dallas

Arts are coming backs trong as Madame Butterfly returns to Dallas.

The Dallas Opera returns to presenting fully staged works after an almost two-year hiatus with its production of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, reminding audiences that grand opera endures.

The production, filled with some of the most beautiful operatic music of all time, opens at the Winspear Opera House on Friday, February 18, 2022, at 8:00 PM, with subsequent performances on Sunday, February 20 (2:00 PM), Wednesday, February 23 (7:30 PM), and Saturday, February 26 (7:30 PM).

The distinguished cast of Dallas Opera favorites and debuts includes 2005 “Maria Callas Debut Artist of the Year” Latonia Moore (Cio-Cio-San), Evan LeRoy Johnson (Lt. B.F. Pinkerton, TDOdebut), Kirstin Chávez (Suzuki), Michael Adams (Sharpless, TDOdebut), Martin Bakari (Goro, TDO debut), Hyung Yun (Prince Yamadori), and Adam Lau (The Bonze).

Music Director Emmanuel Villaume leads The Dallas Opera Orchestra, Laurie Feldman directs, Michael Yeargan is set and costume designer, and Duane Schuler is lighting designer. Alexander Rom, chorus master, leads The Dallas Opera Chorus.

“It’s such a joy to to be able to bring fully staged productions back to the Winspear Opera House,” said Ian Derrer, The Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO.

Madame Butterfly Returns To Dallas: The Story

In Nagasaki, Japan, a young woman, Cio-Cio-San, falls in love with a U.S. Naval Lieutenant, B.F. Pinkerton. For Cio-Cio-San, also known as “Madame Butterfly,” their impending marriage is one of longevity and love, but for Pinkerton, she is no more than a woman to pass the days until he finds a “real” American wife.

Three years later, Pinkerton has left, and Butterfly continues to wait, holding on hope for her husband’s return. Not only has Pinkerton abandoned a wife, but now a child. Cio-Cio-San is thrilled to see that after all this time, her husband’s naval ship has finally returned to the harbor. Butterfly prepares to reunite with her love, however it’s a woman she sees—Pinkerton’s American wife.

Filled with grief for what was, Butterfly is asked to give up her child. Quietly agreeing, she regains her composure and retrieves her father’s dagger, reading the inscription: “To die with honor when one cannot live with honor.” Cio-Cio-San bids her son farewell and stabs herself, dying as Pinkerton’s voice is heard outside.

Madame Butterfly Details

Program book available here

·         Four performances: February 18 (8pm), 20 (2pm), 23 (7:30pm), 26 (7:30pm)

·         2 hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission

·         Sung in Italian with English translations projected for each performance.

·         Location: Winspear Opera House (2403 Flora Street, Dallas, TX)

·         Tickets start at $19 and can be purchased online at dallasopera.org or by calling (214) 443-1000 (Monday – Friday from 10am – 5pm)

·         $15 advance student tickets are available for the Wednesday, February 23 performance of Madame Butterfly.

·         $15 student rush tickets are available at the Winspear Opera House 90 minutes prior to any Dallas Opera performance and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

·         We require one valid Student ID for every two tickets purchased.

Dallas arts are returning in full force with a full season of The Dallas Opera and the City of Dallas celebrating the the Majestic’s centennial.