Leading sopranos Hui He and Ana Mara Martnez share the heartbreaking title role of the doomed geisha, with tenors Piero Pretti and Andrea Car as the American naval officer who abandons her. The great Plcido Domingo makes his role debut as Sharpless, alternating with Paulo Szot and Markus Brck. Pier Giorgio Morandi is on the podium for Anthony Minghellas sweeping production, a perennial audience favorite.