In October 2023, Teatru Aurora in Victoria (Malta) presented Puccini’s
Madama Butterfly as a new production conducted by Colin Attard with the Teatru tal-Opra Aurora Orchestra and Malta Philharmonic Orchestra. Baritone Piero Terranova performed as Sharpless alongside Federica Vitali (Cio-Cio-San) and Mikheil Sheshaberidze (Pinkerton) under the stage direction of Riccardo Buscarini.
Opera • Giacomo Puccini
Teatru Aurora, Victoria (Malta) • 14 October 2023 • 1 performance
About the Opera.
Premiered in 1904 at La Scala, Milan, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly tells the tragic story of Cio-Cio-San, a young Japanese geisha whose
devoted love for the American naval officer Pinkerton ends in betrayal and self-sacrifice. The opera’s themes of innocence, cultural clash, and
tragic devotion are underscored by some of Puccini’s most exquisite orchestration and lyrical arias.
Performance Summary.
On 14 October 2023, Teatru Aurora in Victoria (Malta) presented a new production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly directed and choreographed by Riccardo Buscarini and conducted by Colin Attard.
Baritone Piero Terranova appeared as Sharpless alongside Federica Vitali (Cio-Cio-San), Mikheil Sheshaberidze (Pinkerton), and Manuela Custer (Suzuki),
with the Teatru tal-Opra Aurora Orchestra and Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.
Production Details
| Date(s) |
14 October 2023 |
| Performances |
1 |
| Venue |
Teatru Aurora, Victoria, Malta |
| Work |
Madama Butterfly |
| Composer |
Giacomo Puccini |
| Librettists |
Giuseppe Giacosa, Luigi Illica |
| Conductor |
Colin Attard |
| Stage Director |
Riccardo Buscarini |
| Costume Designer |
Luke Azzopardi |
| Choreographer |
Riccardo Buscarini |
| Orchestra |
Teatru tal-Opra Aurora Orchestra / Malta Philharmonic Orchestra |
| Chorus |
Teatru tal-Opra Aurora Chorus |
| Chorusmaster |
Colin Attard |
| Piero Terranova |
Sharpless |
Cast
- Cio-Cio-San — Federica Vitali
- B.F. Pinkerton — Mikheil Sheshaberidze
- Suzuki — Manuela Custer
- Sharpless — Piero Terranova
- Goro — Cliff Zammit Stevens
- Il principe Yamadori — Stanley Joe Portelli
- Il Commissario imperiale — Ken Scicluna
- Kate Pinkerton — Clare Ghigo
- Lo zio Bonzo — Louis Andrew Cassar
Notes
- New production celebrating the 160th anniversary of the Leone Philharmonic Society and the first opera ever staged in Gozo (1977).
- Reviewed as “exquisite” and “first-class cast of principals” in Times of Malta and Independent Malta.
- Performed in Italian with English surtitles (2 h 30 min).
