Le Figaro magazine praised Conlon's conducting of Madama Butterfly for it's "passion and elegance...He succeeds better than any other conductor."

Puccini described Madama Butterfly as his most "deeply felt and imaginative opera." This heart-breaking drama of Puccini's most tragic heroine is illuminated in new ways in this elegant minimalist production by Robert Wilson. Soprano Liping Zhang, who made an indelible impression when she debuted in the role at Royal Opera, Covent Garden, takes the part of the impressionable teenage geisha. The acclaimed Metropolitan Opera star Franco Farina appears as the callous Lieutenant Pinkerton. James Conlon conducts.

CIO CIO SAN	Liping Zhang*	View Profile
LIEUTENANT PINKERTON	Franco Farina	View Profile
SHARPLESS	Stephen Powell*	View Profile
SHARPLESS	Vladimir Chernov	View Profile
SUZUKI	Catherine Keen	View Profile
SUZUKI	Ning Liang	View Profile
GORO	Keith Jameson	View Profile
BONZE	Andrea Silvestrelli	View Profile
PRINCE YAMADORI	Matthew Moore	View Profile

CONDUCTOR	James Conlon	View Profile
DIRECTION, DESIGN, AND LIGHTING DESIGN	Robert Wilson	View Profile
SET DESIGNER	Stephanie Engeln	View Profile
COSTUME DESIGNER	Frida Parmeggiani	View Profile
LIGHTING DESIGNER	A.J. Weissbard	View Profile
ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR/CHORUS MASTER	Grant Gershon	View Profile

* LA Opera debut.

RUNNING TIME
2 hours and 50 minutes, including two intermissions

PRE-PERFORMANCE LECTURE:
One hour prior to each performance.
Pre-performance lectures are generously sponsored by the Flora L. Thornton Foundation and the Opera League of Los Angeles.

PRODUCTION NOTES:
An LA Opera commission
U.S. Premiere / New Production
Sung in Italian with English Supertitles.

Original production made possible by a generous gift from
ROBERT V. ADAMS AND BARBARA ABERCROMBIE
With additional support from LENORE AND BERNARD GREENBERG

Artists and dates subject to change.