Greenbrier Valley Theatre (GVT), in partnership with The Met: Live in HD, presents Giacomo Puccini’s heartrending tale Madama Butterfly Saturday, Apr. 2, at 12:55 p.m. The simulcast will run approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes with two intermissions. Dr. James Caplinger, from the University of Charleston, will give a complimentary lecture beginning at 12:15 p.m.
Tickets are $18 for general admission, $12 for seniors and $10 for children/students. For tickets or more information, contact GVT’s Box Office at 304-645-3838 or visit www.gvtheatre.org.
Madama Butterfly, a tale of a young geisha’s blind and tragic love for a visiting Naval officer, is led by Kristine Opolais in the title role. Roberto Alagna portrays the callous and untrue Naval officer Pinkerton who betrays Madama Butterfly. Conductor Karel Mark Chichon makes his Metropolitan Opera debut.
“Ms. Opolais’s voluptuous, expressive voice soared over Puccini’s dense orchestration, and there were riveting moments in her portrayal, as the naïve young Butterfly evolves from a shy, love-struck girl to a heartbroken, outraged mother whose faith in her husband is shattered… There are many visually stunning moments in this production, with its gorgeous costumes and innovative use of lighting, scrims and overhead mirrors.”—The New York Times
Opolais has performed the title role on several different occasions at the Met, the Bavarian State Opera and Royal Opera, Covent Garden to great acclaim. Alagna, who starred alongside Opolais in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, has been performing with the Met for over 20 years, in shows such as La Bohéme, Carmen and Puccini’s Tosca.
