North Carolina Opera to Launch 15/16 Season with MADAMA BUTTERFLY, Today

RALEIGH, N.C. - North Carolina Opera kicks off the 2015/16 season this fall with a fully staged production of Puccini's timeless tale, Madama Butterfly, (sung in Italian with English supertitles),presented on October 30 and November 1 at Raleigh's Memorial Auditorium in the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

Experience the timeless story of a young Japanese woman who falls in love with a handsome American sailor. He promises to return to her, but after three years he still hasn't come. Her family and friends tell her that she has been abandoned, but she alone continues to believe that he will return to her and their son. Puccini's glorious music evokes a Japanese atmosphere and embodies all the passion, intensity and heartbreak of this doomed romance. This is a live opera experience not to be missed.

"Butterfly has Puccini's greatest love music," says North Carolina Opera General Director Eric Mitchko. "The soaring, passionate duet for Butterfly and Pinkerton is so moving and powerful that you really want to believe he'll come back to her. The way the story unfolds is completely gripping, and believable."

Leading this impressive cast is soprano Talise Trevigne portraying the beautiful and tragic Cio-Cio-San. Trevigne wowed Raleigh audiences in the title role of Lucia di Lammermoor, and since then has sung with San Francisco Opera, Washington Natoinal Opera, and Opéra National de Lyon. Singing the role of the caddish Pinkerton is tenor Michael Brandenburg, who wowed audiences this summer at Glimmerglass as Macduff in Macbeth. The stellar cast is rounded out by bass-baritone Michael Sumuel as Sharpless, contralto Lindsay Ammann as Suzuki and tenor Ian McEuen as Goro. This fully staged production is directed by E. Loren Meeker and conducted by NCO Artistic & Music Director Timothy Myers, with Mark McCullough as Lighting Designer.

Be transported to Japan on this intensely emotional journey as North Carolina Opera brings you deep into the world of Madama Butterfly this fall. With two performances on Friday, October 30, 2015 at 8pm and Sunday, November 1, 2015 at 3pm at Downtown Raleigh's Memorial Auditorium in the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets and information can be found online at www.ncopera.org or by calling the North Carolina Opera offices at 919.792.3853.

MADAMA BUTTERFLY - RELATED EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY

Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 7:00 pm | FREE EVENT
Puccini's MADAMA BUTTERFLY preview discussion lead by North Carolina Opera's General Director Eric Mitchko.

Quail Ridge Books & Music | 3522 Wade Ave in Raleigh

Saturday, October 24, 2015 (all day seminar)

In partnership with UNC Chapel Hill - Adventures in Ideas Weekend Seminar Series
Madama Butterfly: Japan and its Western Representations
This seminar will introduce participants to Madama Butterfly's origins, music, and context, and the variety of ways it's been staged. While participants will appreciate the in-depth examination of the piece itself, this seminar will also feature discussions of the meanings, risks, and rewards of cross-cultural representations. The panel features NCO General Director Eric Mitchko and UNC Professors Tim Carter, Jan Bardsley, and Inger S. B. Brodey. There is a fee to attend this seminar. For more information on how to register and to see the complete line-up of speakers and topics, visit:

http://humanities.unc.edu/programs/adventures-in-ideas/madamabutterfly/

Stay up to date on these and other upcoming opera events by visiting www.ncopera.org/opera-talks-and-events.

SUBSCRIPTIONS & TICKETS

Subscription packages for North Carolina Opera's 2015/16 season are on sale now through the opening of Madama Butterfly. Season packages include Madama Butterly, Eugene Onegin, and The Barber of Seville. Non-subscription tickets are also available at this time. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 919.792.3853 or visit www.ncopera.org.

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA OPERA

North Carolina Opera was formed in 2010 from the merger of The Opera Company of North Carolina and Capital Opera Raleigh. It is dedicated to presenting operatic performances at the highest level throughout the Triangle. We also have a robust education program that brings opera to schools across Wake County and surrounding counties. North Carolina Opera brings international level artists to Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, and also engages the best in local Triangle talent. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NorthCarolinaOpera or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ncoperafor up to date information on events in the community, news and more.

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