Puccini was entranced by David Belasco’s play Madame Butterfly (based on a popular short story by John Luther Long) when he saw it in London in 1900. He collaborated with librettists Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa (with whom he had created La bohème and Tosca) to adapt Cio-Cio-San’s tragic tale for the operatic stage. Although the premiere at La Scala, Milan, in 1904 was poorly received, that same year Puccini revised and restaged the opera for performances in Brescia, to great acclaim. Madama Butterfly quickly became a hugely popular opera with performers and audiences alike, and remains one of Puccini’s best-loved works.
Sung in Italian with English subtitles
When : Sunday 19th January 2025
Doors open : 7:00pm, opera starts 7:30pm
Running time : 2hrs 25mins
Interval : we will take an interval of approximately 15 minutes between the
Refreshments : a selection of wines by the glass and bottle will be available for purchase, along with tea and coffee
