A night at the opera.

A highlight of this holiday has to be attending Madama Butterfly!

The setting is amazing with views across to the Opera House and Bridge to the right of the set and the city to the left.

The story is old and known, about an American sailor (30y.o.) and a young (15y.o.) Japanese girl, Cio-Cio-San, (Butterfly). He tricks her into a sham marriage in order to sexually exploit her. He has to leave with his ship, promising to return. She waits and waits and waits… certain that he will return.

Three years later he does return, but with an American wife. He finds out that Butterfly was pregnant when he left and he has a son. He says he and his wife will take and look after the boy. They take the boy.

In true opera tradition, Butterfly kills herself.

It's actually a brutal, grubby and shocking story.

Soprano Karah Son played the role of Cio-Cio-San (Butterfly).

The production, though, has a modern feel with motor vehicles delivering players to the set. The set for the second half was craned in, using two very large cranes, during the interval. In fact, the interval was very entertaining in itself.Read more