Afternoon at the Opera: Madama Butterfly

On this episode of Afternoon at the Opera, Puccini's Madama Butterfly, Saturday at Noon on Illinois Classical.

Cultures collide in Puccini’s poignant tale of a loyal geisha and a callous American naval officer whose fleeting romance leaves only devastation behind. Two of today’s leading artists—Ailyn Pérez and Aleksandra Kurzak—take the stage as Cio-Cio-San, one of opera’s ultimate soprano roles. Tenors SeokJong Baek, Adam Smith—in his Met debut—and Matthew Polenzani co-star as Pinkerton in Anthony Minghella’s production, an “inspired vision” (The New York Times) that has become a classic.