The Santa Fe Opera: Madama Butterfly

A Japanese girl sacrifices her heritage for the American dream when a naval officer chooses her for his bride. Her dream is crushed by betrayal when he traps her in the very cage she wishes to escape. She seizes her destiny, and the devastating outcome lingers long after the final note.

Lee Blakeley’s acclaimed production artfully blends realism and lyricism, and is revived this season by Melanie Bacaling in her mainstage directorial debut. Conductor John Fiore leads a powerful international cast. Karen Chia-ling Ho as Cio-Cio-San, Sun-Ly Pierce as Suzuki and Ya-Chung Huang as Goro make their company debuts. Renowned tenor Stephen Costello sings B.F. Pinkerton. Returning artists Jarrett Ott and Le Bu lend their voices to the clash of traditions as Sharpless and the Bonze, respectively.