Opera Orlando is opening its season with a brand-new production of Puccini's Madame Butterfly, staging three performances at Steinmetz Hall inside the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts on Oct. 2, 3 and 4. The tragic story of a young geisha's devotion to an American naval officer returns to Orlando with a fresh set design, a cast of principals, and the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra filling the pit.
According to the West Orange Times Observer, the opera follows young Cio-Cio San as she waits for her husband's return and uses whatever power she has to protect her child. Performances are set for 7:30 p.m. on both Oct. 2 and Oct. 3, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Oct. 4, per Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. The venue also notes that student rush tickets are available up to two hours before each performance, limited to two per valid student ID.
New Voices Step Into Familiar Roles
Soprano Yeawon Jun will make her Opera Orlando debut in the title role, joined by tenor Isaac Hurtado as Lt. Pinkerton, according to Opera Orlando. The company describes the staging as a brand-new production opening its 2026-27 season, and the podium and directing chairs will see fresh faces too: conductor Kalena Bovell and stage director Rebecca A. Herman are both making their company debuts, the organization notes on its production page.
The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra will perform the score live in the pit, and the opera will be sung in Italian with English and Spanish supertitles, per the same Opera Orlando listing. The production has an international cast that includes Opera Orlando Apprentice and Studio Artists, the Chorus and the Youth Company, as reported by BroadwayWorld.
A Story of Devotion, Longing and Betrayal
The narrative brings together imperialism, infatuation and maternal instinct. The Dr. Phillips Center frames the opera similarly, noting that it traces a deeply personal story of devotion and longing centered on the young geisha.
The production will also feature original sets and costumes, with Opera Orlando inviting the public to see them under construction ahead of opening night. Ahead of the run, the company is offering three behind-the-scenes events, including a masterclass Friday, a scenic-studio tour Tuesday and performances Sunday, Sept. 27 at Judson's Live, according to BroadwayWorld's report.
Run Time Estimates Vary Across Listings
Exactly how long the opera will run depends on which listing you check. The Orlando Philharmonic's event page puts the run time at two hours and 45 minutes plus an intermission, while Opera Orlando's own site estimates two hours and 45 minutes with one intermission, and BroadwayWorld cites an approximate two hours and 40 minutes inclusive of one intermission. None of the available listings reconcile the discrepancy.
Madame Butterfly has a long history behind this new Orlando staging. Per Wikipedia, the opera was written by Giacomo Puccini with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, and it premiered in its original two-act version on Feb. 17, 1904, at La Scala in Milan. Opera Orlando also notes that the opera served as the inspiration for the hit Broadway musical Miss Saigon, tying this Steinmetz Hall run to a story that has echoed across the stage for more than a century.
