Madama Butterfly: Everything Is Just Right In Opera Australia’s Staging of The Puccini Masterpiece

If the tale of Madama Butterfly appeared in the daily press today, the child protection authorities would be onto it like a shot.

But it is safely contained by Puccini’s sweetest opera (1904), which allows the audience to confront child prostitution without batting an eyelid owing to the superbly melodic score – and Butterfly’s acceptance of her own invidious situation.

It was Puccini who chose the subject of his sixth opera after he attended a performance of Madame Butterfly: A Tragedy of Japan, a one-act drama by David Belasco, in London in 1900. Belasco took the subject from a short story called Madame Butterfly by American writer John Luther Long. Long’s story in turn was based on his sister’s recollections of Japan when she had travelled there with her husband, a Methodist missionary, and was influenced by Pierre Loti’s 1887 novel Madame Chrysanthème. 

This was the origin of Puccini’s miraculous opera. He incorporated several Japanese folk songs and used the pentatonic scale to evoke Asian cadences, as well as introducing Japanese musical instruments such as bells, gongs, and bird whistles.

Stationed in Nagasaki, US naval officer Pinkerton contracts a phoney marriage with the innocent and trusting Cio-Cio-San through the services of Goro, a sleazy marriage broker. After the marriage is consummated, Pinkerton returns to the US with dreams of  a “real” American wife while a pregnant Cio-Cio-San is left behind faithfully awaiting his return.

Pinkerton’s theme is “The Star-Spangled Banner,” while Cio-Cio-San’s profound aria “Un bel dì” is all strings and harp in the Romantic Italian style.

The title role this year is taken on by the beautiful Guanqun Yu, whose studies in Shanghai prepared her to play this affecting character. Yu’s superb training gave her a vocal confidence and emotional power that endeared her to us while letting us feel her pain. Her gorgeous soprano evoked tears from my eyes on many occasions.

Diego Torro stood in for Robert Watson as Pinkerton, and it was a pleasure to hear his rolling tenor once again, even though one was tempted to boo the naval officer.

Sian Sharp played Butterfly’s maidservant to perfection, controlling her vocals to express great compassion while not dominating the scene. 

This production marks Opera Australia’s 70th anniversary season with former Artistic Director Moffatt Oxenbould’s production of Madama Butterfly, and it was a fantastic success, combining the strength of the singers with the orchestra under the sensitive baton of Andrea Battistoni.

And let’s not forget the stealthy ministrations performed by the opera’s familiars as they went about their silent duties.

With such good elements in an operatic production, who needs a fancy stage set-up. The minimalistic set was just perfect, the kimonos gorgeous, and the lighting just right.

You must go. You may never get the opportunity to see such a good production again – ever!

Opera Australia’s Madama Butterfly is on at Sydney Opera House’s Joan Sutherland Theatre from 8 January – 25 March 2026.