Madama Butterfly

“Madama Butterfly” is one of the most famous works in the opera repertoire. It tells the dramatic story of the relationship of Japanese geisha Cho-Cho-San — the eponymous Butterfly, who marries Pinkerton, a colonel of the American troops stationed in Nagasaki. A young Japanese woman is so in love with her husband that she abandons her religion, culture and tradition for him, but he does not take this marriage seriously. Not long after the wedding, Pinkerton leaves and returns only after three years with his new wife to take away the son that the geisha bore him. Butterfly commits a ritual suicide...

The first version of the opera premiered on February 17, 1904 in Milan's La Scala. “Madama Butterfly” then consisted of two acts and was very coldly received. Four months later it was re-issued in Brescia, splitting the disproportionately long second act into two parts and making other minor changes. This time Puccini's work was a huge success, moving to the boards of the Metropolitan Opera in 1907.

“Madama Butterfly” - not counting the reruns - was presented at the Silesian Opera in a new, premiere production three times. The premiere of the last version took place on January 30, 1988, and its resumption in March 2011.

Libretto: Luigi Illica, Giuseppe Giacosa based on the play by David Belasco - Geisha