Madama Butterfly

Giacomo Puccini

Madama Butterfly

Opera in 2 acts

Performed in Italian

(accompanied by simultaneous Kazakh and Russian subtitles)

Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa

The opera “Madama Butterfly” (“Cio-Cio-san”) is based on the American writer John L. Long’s short story, which was dramatized by D. Belasco. Puccini saw it when he was in London and the true-to-life story excited him. He suggested that librettists L. Illica and D. Giacosa write an opera libretto based on the drama. Music was soon composed. The first performance on February 17, 1904, in Milan was poorly received and, as a result, the opera was withdrawn from the repertoire. The audience did not understand its content and was outraged by the duration of the second act.

Puccini revised the opera, having shortened some pieces and splitting the second act into two separate acts. Performed with these minor changes three months later, the opera was a resounding success and quickly gained a solid reputation as one of the most popular contemporary operas.

The life story from faraway Japan responded to popular in the European arts of the late 19th and early 20th centuries attraction to exotica and artists’ desire to enrich their palette with new colours. However, Puccini did not set himself a special task to represent the national Japanese colour in the music. To represent a person's drama was the most important for him. The composer managed to not only keep but also deepen the content of the literary source while embodying this drama.

PRODUCTION GROUP:

Music Director and Conductor – Alan Buribayev, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan,      Laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Director: Lorenzo Amato

Set Designer: Ezio Frigerio

Costume Designer: Franca Squarciapino

Choirmaster: Yerzhan Dautov, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan

Costume Consultant: Junko Kamohara

Lighting Designer: Vincenzo Raponi

Opera Company Director: Meir Bainesh, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan

Assistant Director: Yerenak Toikenov

Assistant Costume Designer: Arassel Dosmuratova

Tickets purchased at the Astana Opera are exchangeable and refundable only in cases of cancelled or postponed performances. In all other cases, no refunds and exchanges are possible.