SEPT 19-22 2024
OperaPhiladelphiaclosesoutits 2023–2024Seasonthisspringwith afreshtakeonPuccini’s Madame Butterfly thatmovespastPuccini’s exoticizedfantasyofJapan,centering theoperaintheperspectiveofa modernJapanesewoman.
MadameButterfly anditstitlecharacter havefascinatedaudiencesformore thanacentury.Thoughhailedforits achinglybeautifulscoreandastory thatfeaturesuniversalthemesoflove andbetrayal,itcanalsoperpetuate problematicAsianstereotypesrooted inOrientalismandexoticism.
Thisnewproductiondesignedby YukiIzumihara anddirectedby EthanHeard seekstoexplore—and explode—thedamagingstereotypeof the“submissive,self-sacrificingAsian woman.”Drawingfromthetextofthe opera,inwhichtheprotagonistCioCio-Sanisdescribedasan“exotic” “doll-like”“toy,”thisproductionpresents theyounggeishaasadollthatis purchased,playedwith,andultimately abandonedbyU.S.NavyLieutenant BenjaminFranklinPinkerton.
“PuccinitrappedhisButterflyina beautifulscore.Inturn,Madame Butterflyhasbecomeatrap,asAAPI artistsareaskedtolenditauthenticity andlifeinnewproductionsthat promisemuchbutchangelittle,” saidIzumihara.“Toliberateourselves fromPuccini’sbeautifultrap,we proposeacceptingCio-Cio-Sanasthe puppethecreatedandrenderingher assuchonstage.”
Soprano KarenChia-lingHo and tenor AnthonyCiaramitaro make theircompanydebutsasCio-Cio-San andU.S.NavyLt.Pinkerton. Anthony ClarkEvans returnsasAmerican ConsulSharpless,withmezzo Kristen Choi asCio-Cio-San’smaidSuzuki.
MadameButterfly opensFriday,April 26,withfourperformancesrunning throughSunday,May5atthe AcademyofMusic.Ticketsstartat$25. Topurchase,visit operaphila.org orcall 215.732.8400
Howcanyouget$2arts admissionthroughACCESS?
TheACCESSProgramprovides$2admissionto over80culturalsites throughoutGreater PhiladelphiaandDelawareforindividualsreceiving publicassistanceforfoodandmedicalbenefits,and individualswhoidentifyashavingadisability.
Art-Reachoffersthe Art-ReachACCESSCard sothat individualswithadisabilitythatdon’tqualifyfor statebenefitscanalsotakeadvantageoftheACCESS discount.TheArt-ReachACCESSCardisavailable witha$75annualfee.
Thisyear,we’recelebratingthe10thAnniversaryof theArt-ReachACCESSProgram!Inthelastdecade, over1millionpeoplehavevisitedaculturalsite for$2throughtheACCESSProgram. Newsitesare joiningACCESSallthetime,meaninganACCESS Cardcantakeyoumoreplacesthanever.Onthis 10thanniversaryoftheprogramlearnhowyoucan takeadvantageofACCESS.
Tickets startat $21
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