Madama Butterfly is known as Puccini’s most melodious opera, exemplifying a perfect amalgam of eastern culture and traditional western opera. Opera Hong Kong will present this poignantly beautiful opera on 16-17 August at Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall at 8pm. Devised by award-winning Italian director Pamela Recinella, the brand new production will present all the characters in costume and with props, and the cast will interact while performing in front of the orchestra. In addition to an enhanced concert experience by this semi-staged production, the audience will also be treated to an exquisite souvenir gift of a Japanese fan for every purchase of any two tickets of the top three prices. Riding on the great success of Cosi fan tutte last year, Opera Hong Kong continues to delight audience with this creative semi-staged production of the enduring tale of unrequited love – Madama Butterfly. At the beginning of the 20th century in Nagasaki, a pleasure-seeking American naval lieutenant (Pinkerton) marries a young geisha (Cio-cio-san/ Butterfly). Against all odds, she is totally committed to the marriage and soon gives birth to a son. But the husband sails back to the US, only returning years later with his new American wife to claim his son. Devastated, Butterfly makes an excruciating decision to end her life. Conceived as a good format to express reading of the piece, Recinella’s semi-staged production will focus on the crucial dramatic moments and particularly on acting. The entire stage will be used to portray Nagasaki and Butterly’s house in the down stage, with costume referencing the first decade of the 20th century. The opera concentrates on Butterfly’s feelings, her psychological conflict and brings out the modern dilemma of many women today. Cherished as Puccini’s favourite opera, his haunting music expresses the heartbreak of an innocent young woman who commits herself to a man unworthy of her loyalty. The opera is sophistically shaped to focus on the psychological drama which begins with an idyllic love meeting but ends in a heart-wrenching tragedy, creating incomparable melodies such as the romantic love duet Viene la sera...Bimba dagli occhi... Vogliatemi bene (Night is falling…Sweetheart, with blue eyes…Love me, please) on their wedding night; Butterfly’s Un bel di (One fine day) depicting how Pinkerton would return to reunite with her; the well-known wordless tune Coro a bocca chiusa (Humming Chorus) that describes Butterfly’s long wait for Pinkerton’s return; and his Addio, fiorito asil (Farewell, flowery refuge) as he flees in shame and cannot face Butterfly, to name a few of the best-loved. Much sought-after American tenor Adam Diegel (Pinkerton) is a frequent guest of the Metropolitan Opera. He was praised by Opera News in the performance of Tosca at Glimmerglass Opera as ‘impulsive, shaggily handsome Cavaradossi… and built “E lucevan le stele” masterfully from hushed intimacy to an unfettered cri de coeur’. Nancy Yuen, a top graduate from the Royal Academy of Music, has made Cio-cio-san in Madama Butterfly her signature role, winning great critical acclaim since her debut with the Welsh National Opera. She has since repeated the role with opera house all over the world. Winner of the Second Prize, the Best Soprano prize in memory of “Dame Joan Sutherland” and the Audience prize in the 18th International Singing Competition “Ferruccio Tagliavini” 2012, Louise Kwong (Cio-cio-san) is also a much sought-after diva in Hong Kong. She was recently presented the Award for Young Artist (Music) by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. Award winning baritone Corey McKern was recently praised as having ‘all the goods to rise to star stature – timing, stamina, vocal heft and an easy-going stage presence’. He has been a regular guest in Santa Fe Opera, Nashville Opera, Opera Birmingham, Opera Omaha and many others. Madama Butterfly semi-staged opera Producer: Warren Mok Conductor: Tsung Yeh Director: Pamela Recinella Cast Cio-cio San: Nancy Yuen (16 Aug) Louise Kwong (17 Aug) Pinkerton: Adam Diegel Sharpless: Corey Mckern Fujian Symphony Orchestra Opera Hong Kong Chorus

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* Each purchase of any 2 tickets at $350, $250 or $150 is entitled to have a pair of exquisite paper fans. Please register at www.operahongkong.org on or before 30 July.