Vancouver Opera Madama Butterfly a review

The 2025 Vancouver Opera production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly takes you from the highs of intense pride and patriotism to maudlin tears of sadness.

The Canadian anthem is played to open the opera and that has the audience react emotionally to, soon after, the hoisting of the 48 Stars and Stripes of the 1946 US flag over Nagasaki, Japan.

Then, the most memorable story of love and passion is shared. But the cultural differences that race, gender, and values create, lead to unbelievable tragedy and loss.

B.F. Pinkerton, an American sailor, accompanied by a marriage broker, walks through a stunning mountain scene to a home that has temporary walls, a symbol of the contract he plans to sign.

Cio-Cio San, a beautiful fifteen year old “butterfly” climbs up the hill to marry and fall deeply in love with her handsome sailor, who doesn’t plan to honour the contract and will return home to marry a “real American girl”. Loyally, she has even convertedto Christianity for him, thus losing the support of her family. And when he does leave her, shepatiently waits for six years, isolated with his child, and her servant, Suzuki.

When Pinkerton does return with his wife, they want to take his son back to the USA, leaving the butterfly shamed and alone. She then makes the tragic choice that seems honourable to her and brings the audience to tears.

Everything about this production is perfect. The cast is international: Japan, Korea, USA, and Canada. Star sopranos, Yasko Sato and Karen Chia-Ling Ho share the role of Cio-Cio and Pinkerton is shared by Robert
Watson and Adam Luther; Nozomi Kato is Suzuki and a talented cast supports them.

Jacques Lacombe leads the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. Award winning stage director Mo Zhou completes the all star cast and creative team.

The audience gave the cast an enthusiastic standing ovation with an equally passionate “Boo” when Pinkerton took his bow.

Though the opera was written in 1909, the timeline for this one is 1946-1952, but the concept could play out in any recent war; a foreign military officer leaving a lovely pregnant local girl behind.

Madama Butterfly is an inspiring, outstanding production, one not to be missed! It plays at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre until May 4, 2025.

Feature image: Karen Chia-ling Ho as Cio-Cio-San in Vancouver Opera’s 2025 production of Madama Butterfly. Photo by Emily Cooper Photography.