The Canadian Opera Company Presents MADAMA BUTTERFLY, 10/10-31

The Canadian Opera Company's beloved production of Puccini's heartbreaking masterpiece of love, longing and loss, Madama Butterfly, comes to the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts this October. An exquisite production by Canadian theatrical legend Brian Macdonald, designed by Susan Benson with lighting by Michael Whitfield, the COC'sMadama Butterfly has become a Toronto favourite, playing to sold-out audiences at its 1990 premiere and subsequent revivals in 1994, 1998, 2003 and 2009. Madama Butterfly is sung in Italian with English SURTITLESTM and runs for 12 performances on October 10, 11, 15, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 and 31, 2014.

Madama Butterfly is the story of Cio-Cio San, a young Japanese geisha who seeks to fulfil her dreams through marriage to an American naval officer. Her faith in their future is shattered by his empty vows, and the loss she endures makes the opera's tragic ending even more devastating.

Two great American singing actresses make their COC debuts in the feature role of Cio-Cio San: Patricia Racette and Kelly Kaduce. One of the most important and acclaimed sopranos on the international stage today, Racette has appeared in the world's finest opera houses and comes to Toronto in her signature role of Madama Butterfly. Racette's portrayal of the beloved heroine touched millions in the recent Metropolitan Opera HD broadcast and has been declared to "rightly stand among the great Butterflies of her era" (Opera News).Kaduce is a rising star on the operatic world stage, praised for delivering a Cio-Cio San that "demolishes stereotypes. This is no conventional Butterfly-as-victim, but a woman of consequence" (Santa Fe Reporter).

Also appearing with the COC for the first time are two of opera's leading tenors singing the role of Cio-Cio San's beloved Pinkerton: Stefano Secco, praised for his "gorgeous, nuanced Italianate tenor singing" (Opera News) and Andrea Carè, one of the most important artists among the new generation of Italian tenors.

Returning to the COC is Elizabeth DeShong (2011's Cinderella, 2009's A Midsummer Night's Dream) as Suzuki, Cio-Cio San's devoted servant. The internationally acclaimed American mezzo-soprano most recently sang the role with San Francisco Opera and the Metropolitan Opera.

Two of the finest baritones of their generation, American Dwayne Croft (1993's The Marriage of Figaro) and Canadian Gregory Dahl (2014's A Masked Ball, 2012's The Tales of Hoffmann) share the role of the American Consul, Sharpless. Rising opera singer Korean-American tenor Julius Ahn, in his COC debut, and distinguished Canadian tenor, and Ensemble Studio graduate, Michael Colvin (2014's Falstaff, 2013's Salome, Dialogues des Carmélites) share the role of Goro, a Japanese marriage broker.

Rounding out the cast is Ensemble Studio baritone Clarence Frazer as Prince Yamadori; Ensemble Studio graduate bass Robert Gleadow (2014's Falstaff, 2014's Così fan tutte, 2013's La clemenza di Tito, 2012's Il Trovatore) as The Bonze; Canadian baritone Gene Wuas Yakuside; Ensemble Studio bass-baritone Iain MacNeil as The Imperial Commissioner; Ensemble Studio bass-baritone Gordon Bintner as The Official Registrar; Canadian mezzo-soprano Lilian Kilianski as Cio-Cio San's mother; Canadian mezzo-soprano Karen Olinykas Cio-Cio San's aunt and Canadian soprano Alexandra Lennox-Pomeroy as Cio-Cio San's cousin.

A rising star in the generation of young conductors, German Patrick Lange makes his COC debut leading the COC Orchestra and Chorus through Puccini's passionate score. Containing some of opera's most memorable music, Madama Butterfly is considered Puccini's best work, reflects his varied influences, including American and Japanese melodies, and features an unusually large orchestra for an Italian opera.

About Madama Butterfly
Set in Nagasaki, the plot of Madama Butterfly is partly based on an actual occurrence between an American naval officer and a Japanese geisha in the 1890s and was composed by Puccini after seeing David Belasco's play Madame Butterfly in 1900. After a less than favourable premiere at La Scala in 1904, Puccini withdrew the score and made extensive revisions. Madama Butterfly is now one of the most popular and most performed operas in the world.

Director Brian Macdonald and designer Susan Benson purposefully sought a design that would enhance the story of this treasured work. The production's lean abstract set design and use of space only serve to heighten the emotions of the drama unfolding on stage. Stylistically, Benson has chosen to present Japan through the lens of European Romanticism, rather than in a historically realistic way. The colour palette she draws from is one symbolic of troubles to come with bright oranges giving way to stormy greys.

Ticket Information
Single tickets for Madama Butterfly range from $12 - $339 (subject to availability), and are available online at coc.ca, by calling 416-363-8231, or in person at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts Box Office (145 Queen St. W.)

For more information on specially priced tickets available to young people under the age of 15, standing room, Opera Under 30 presented by TD Bank Group, student groups and rush seating, visit coc.ca.

About the Canadian Opera Company
Based in Toronto, the Canadian Opera Company is the largest producer of opera in Canada and one of the largest in North America. The COC enjoys a loyal audience support-base and one of the highest attendance and subscription rates in North America. Under its leadership team of General Director Alexander Neef and Music Director Johannes Debus, the COC is increasingly capturing the opera world's attention. The COC maintains its international reputation for artistic excellence and creative innovation by creating new productions within its diverse repertoire, collaborating with leading opera companies and festivals, and attracting the world's foremost Canadian and international artists. The COC performs in its own opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, hailed internationally as one of the finest in the world. Designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, the Four Seasons Centre opened in 2006, and is also the performance venue for The National Ballet of Canada. For more information on the COC, visit its award-winning website, coc.ca.

Photo credit: Adina Nitescu as Cio-Cio San and David Pomeroy as Pinkerton in the Canadian Opera Company's production of Madama Butterfly, 2009. Photo: Michael Cooper