
Opera Australia: Madama Butterfly
13 January 2026 @ 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm AEDT

Fire. Water. Beauty. Darkness. When love is lost, what is left behind?
Cio-Cio-San is a woman who dreams of a bigger life. Pinkerton is a man who sees only a butterfly, something he can capture and keep. His callous pursuit ripples into sweeping tragedy.
Puccini’s eternally popular Madama Butterfly is a profoundly moving experience. The yearning score soars to incredible heights (Cio-Cio-San’s dazzling ‘Un bel di’) and offers moments of exquisite stillness (the ‘Humming Chorus’).
Moffatt Oxenbould’s award-winning production is timeless. Tiny candles glimmer among floating flowers in a real onstage moat. Sliding paper panels reveal and conceal the secrets everyone is keeping. Sumptuous, colourful costumes are inspired by Japanese traditional dress. It’s a serene, stunning backdrop for the unfolding emotional turmoil.
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