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Soprano

Ermonela Jaho

Cio-Cio-San

Kristīne Opolais

Mezzo-soprano

Chrysanthi Spitadi

Suzuki

Tenor

Gianluca Terranova

B.F. Pinkerton

Dimitris Paksoglou

Baritone

Dionysios Sourbis

Sharpless

Nikos Kotenidis

Nikos Stefanou

Goro

Yannis Kalyvas

Bass

Yanni Yannissis

Uncle Bonze

Conductor

Lukas Karytinos

Stage director

Hugo De Ana

Set designer

Video designer

Sergio Metalli

Chorus master

Agathangelos Georgakatos

Dimitris Kasioumis

Marios Sarantidis

Prince Yamadori

Violetta Lousta

Kate Pinkerton

Diamanti Kritsotaki

Petros Salatas

Uncle Yakusidé

Vagia Kofou

The aunt

Elisaveta Klonovskaya

Fotini Chatzidaki

The cousin

Thei Stavrou

Dionyssis Tsantinis

The imperial commissioner

Georgios Papadimitriou

Theodore Aivaliotis

The official registrar

Theodore Moraitis

Amalia Avloniti

Cio-Cio San's mother

Zoi Apeiranthitou

Lighting designer

Valerio Alfieri

Costume designer

Greek National Opera

Italian

Madama Butterfly -  (Madame Butterfly)

The successful production of Madama Butterfly, which opened the autumn season of the Greek National Opera in October 2020, introduces GNO TV, GNO’s new web TV. Puccini’s masterpiece was conducted by Lukas Karytinos, directed by Hugo de Ana and with internationally acclaimed soprano Ermonela Jaho in the title role.

Recorded in the GNO Stavros Niarchos Hall at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center on 10 and 16 October 2020. Subtitles are available in Greek, English and French.

The opera tells the story of the fatal love affair of fifteen-year-old geisha Cio-Cio-San with Pinkerton, a lieutenant in the United States Navy. After three years of absence the lieutenant comes back to Japan accompanied by his American wife, having learned that he has begotten a son by Butterfly. She agrees to give the child away only to Pinkerton himself, and after that she commits suicide.

Famous for its wonderful arias, strikingly melodic music and dramatic theatricality, Madama Butterfly offers timeless emotion and triggers intense feelings. Puccini does not hesitate to describe it as his favorite opera, and through his later modifications he makes his heroine’s alabastrine figure a symbol of inexhaustible patience and eternal, constant love.

Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly is a milestone work for the Greek National Opera, as it was the first opera ever staged by the newly-founded organization, on 25 October 1940, three days prior to the declaration of the Greco-Italian war. That historic premiere, held on the National Theatre’s main stage, was attended by the composer’s son, Antonio Puccini, and the Italian Ambassador in Athens Emanuele Grazzi, who, a few hours later, would deliver to the Greek government the Italian ultimatum threatening war.

This year, which marks the 80th anniversary of the Greek National Opera, Butterfly returns to GNO’s new home, at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, not only to celebrate the anniversary, but also to signal the GNO’s return to action after the pandemic, and to show that art and culture not only survive in the most adverse conditions, but also constitute the driving force for man and society. The direction, sets and costumes of the production, which first premiered in 2013 at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and was revived in a new version tailored to the stage of the Stavros Niarchos Hall, bear the stamp of famous Argentinian director Hugo de Ana. It is an impressive production with traditional Japanese costumes, while the sets and video projections impressively illustrate the country of the rising sun on the one hand and the heroine’s psyche on the other. Video projections are designed by Sergio Metalli, and lighting by Valerio Alfieri.

Athens

Greece

SNFCC

Stavros Niarchos Hall

Madama Butterfly Puccini

Madame Butterfly

Greek

English

Approved

CREATION DE GNO TVRetransmission de Madama ButterflyMercredi 25 novembreL’Opéra National de Grèce présente GNO TV, la nouvelle chaîne de télévision en ligne ...

GNOTV Madama Butterfly: Il cannone del porto, Ermonela Jaho, GNO Orchestra Conductor Lukas Karytinos

Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly is a milestone work for the Greek National Opera, as it is the first opera ever staged by it as a newly-founded organization, on 25 October 1940, three days prior to the declaration of the Greco-Italian war. That historic premiere, held on the National Theatre’s main stage, was attended by the composer’s son, Antonio Puccini, and the Italian Ambassador in Athens Emanuele Grazzi, who, a few hours later, would deliver to the Greek government the Italian ultimatum threatening war.
This year, which marks the 80th anniversary of the Greek National Opera, Butterfly returns to the GNO’s new home, at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, not only to celebrate the anniversary, but also to signal the GNO’s return to action after the pandemic, and to show that art and culture not only survive in the most adverse conditions, but also constitute the driving force for man and society.
Greek National Opera’s Artistic Director Giorgos Koumendakis notes: “We chose this great work, because this October marks the 80th anniversary of Butterfly’s historic premiere at the GNO on 25 October 1940, three days prior to the start of the Greco-Italian war. The symbolism is obvious: the GNO has always been present and courageous in very difficult times and has managed to stand upright even in absolutely challenging circumstances, both back then and today.”

Famous for its wonderful arias, strikingly melodic music and dramatic theatricality, Madama Butterfly offers timeless emotion and triggers intense feelings. Puccini does not hesitate to describe it as his favorite opera, and through his later modifications he makes his heroine’s alabaster figure a symbol of inexhaustible patience and eternal, constant love.

The opera tells the story of the fatal love affair of fifteen-year-old geisha Cio-Cio-San with Pinkerton, a lieutenant in the United States Navy. After three years of absence the lieutenant returns to Japan with his American wife, when he hears that he has a son by Butterfly. She agrees to give the child away only to Pinkerton himself and then she commits suicide.

The direction, sets and costumes of the production, which premiered in 2013 at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and is now revived in a new version tailored to the stage of the Stavros Niarchos Hall, bear the stamp of famous Argentinian director Huge de Ana. It is an impressive production with traditional Japanese costumes, while the sets and video projections impressively illustrate the country of the rising sun on the one hand and the heroine’s psyche on the other. Video projections are designed by Sergio Metalli and lighting by Valerio Alfieri.

The cast includes great Greek and foreign protagonists. The title role is performed by three outstanding sopranos with an international career, Ermonela Jaho, Cellia Costea and Kristīne Opolais.

Ermonela Jaho was born in Albania and lives in New York. She has been described by the Economist as “the world’s most acclaimed soprano“. She is famous for her unique interpretations and her identification with the heroines she performs. She appears at the world’s greatest opera houses, from America and Australia to Europe and Asia, and she has collaborated with celebrated soloists, directors and conductors. Specifically for her interpretation of Madama Butterfly the reviews have been raving, with the most praising among them being Independent’s about Jaho’s interpretation at Covent Garden: “Jaho is the best Madama Butterfly that London has seen in years”.

Greek National Opera’s distinguished soprano Cellia Costea has collaborated with the world’s most prestigious theatres such as the Vienna State Opera, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Royal Opera House (Covent Garden, London), as well as theatres in Stuttgart, Bergen, Oslo, Marseille, Liège, Barcelona, Milan, Catania, Palermo, Modena, Piacenza, Beijing, Seoul, Tokyo, Singapore and Athens in roles such as Marguerite (Faust), Nedda (Pagliacci), Micaëla (Carmen), Leonora (Il trovatore), Desdemona (Otello), Elisabetta (Don Carlos), Liù (Turandot), Mimì (La bohème), Tosca, Elena (I vespri siciliani).

Latvian soprano Kristīne Opolais first appeared in Greece in the early stages of her career in 2008 in Greek National Opera’s Tosca, leaving excellent impressions. Right after that, her career was launched and very soon she emerged as one of the world’s most sought-after sopranos, as she impressively combines a unique stage presence with the dramatic effect and metal in her voice. Her Met debut in 2014 gave her global recognition since just in two days she performed with huge success both Butterfly and Mimì in La bohème. In fact, that same year, after her appearances at the Royal Opera House, London, Telegraph described her as the “the leading Puccini Soprano of today”.

The cast is completed by tenors Gianluca Terranova and Dimitris Paksoglou, baritones Dionysios Sourbis and Nikos Kotenidis, mezzo-soprano Chryssanthi Spitadi, and a multitude of Greek soloists.

Madame Butterfly by Puccini, From (2020/2020), Directed by Hugo De Ana,, Conductor Lukas Karytinos, Stavros Niarchos Hall, Athens, Greece

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