The Metropolitan Opera House announces that Puccini’s Madama Butterfly will return to the Met stage for 16 performances, starting January 11. Grammy Award–winning conductor and music director of the New Jersey Symphony Xian Zhang makes her Met debut, leading a cast starring soprano Aleksandra Kurzak as Cio-Cio-San and tenor Matthew Polenzani as Pinkerton, both making their company role debuts. Joining them are mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong, who reprises the role of Suzuki, and baritone Davide Luciano in his Met role debut as Sharpless. Later in the run, soprano Eleonora Buratto stars as Cio-Cio-San for five performances from February 27–March 14.
For the spring run starting April 26, the cast features soprano Asmik Grigorian in her highly anticipated Met debut as Cio-Cio-San. Known as “one of the fiercest dramatic talents in the field” (The New York Times), Grigorian sings opposite tenor Jonathan Tetelman in his company role debut. Tetelman is schedule to make his Met debut as Ruggero in Puccini’s La Rondine in the spring. Baritone Lucas Meachem joins the cast in his Met role debut as Sharpless. The May 11 performance will be transmitted live to cinemas as part of the award-winning The Met: Live in HD series.
Additional casting includes Derrick Inouye conducting the January 14 performance and mezzo-soprano Eve Gigliotti in her company role debut as Suzuki on January 17 and 24.
The Met has presented Puccini’s Madama Butterfly 902 times since its company premiere on February 11, 1907, a performance attended by the composer himself. Anthony Minghella’s production of Madama Butterfly was first performed on the Met stage on September 25, 2006. The creative team includes director and choreographer Carolyn Choa, set designer Michael Levine, costume designer Han Feng, and lighting designer Peter Mumford, with puppetry by Blind Summit Theatre.
Fridays Under 40
The Met’s Fridays Under 40 series continues on April 26 with a party ahead of the evening performance of Madama Butterfly. Available exclusively for operagoers 40 and under, the event features complimentary wine, themed activities, and more. All Friday performances at the Met are available to Fridays Under 40 audiences at special discounted rates. For further details, please click here.
