About the Story…
When the Geisha Cio-Cio San marries Lieutenant B.F. Pinkerton, she gives him her whole heart and promises to be his for life. When his tour of duty ends, he abandons her to return to America. Although everyone tells her to forget him and move on, three years go by and she still waits faithfully for his return. When he arrives she is shocked to find their relationship changed forever.
Sung in Italian with English supertitles
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About the Artists….
Soprano Maria Kanyova makes her debut with Tulsa Opera in the April production of Madame Butterfly. Of her summer 2005 performances in Madame Butterfly, the Denver Post raved, “Making her striking Central City debut in the demanding title role, soprano Maria Kanyova hardly could be more convincing with her appropriately youthful appearance and ability to convey the young wife’s innocence, vulnerability and pain. More important, she possesses a pure, forceful voice with a pleasing, soft edge – and she knows how to use it.” She has received equal praise for her portrayals of leading heroines in Italian, French, German, Russian and Czech operas with companies throughout the United States. In 2010/2011 Kanyova made her debut with the Canadian Opera Comapny, revisiting her critically acclaimed role as Pat Nixon in Nixon in China. In 2009/10 season, she made her European operatic debut at the Wexford Festival, reprising her critically acclaimed Marie Antoinette in The Ghosts of Versailles. She also debuted at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, returned to Dallas Opera as Mimi in La Boheme; reprised her role of Violette in La Traviata at Portland Opera, and essayed the title role of Madama Butterfly at Madison Opera. Kanyova enjoys a special collaboration with New York City Opera where her debut there as Mimi, opposite Rolando Villazon, was telecast on PBS. She as appeared in many title roles at City Opera since that time. She currently resides in Chicago with her husband, son and two daughters.
One of the leading lyric tenors of today, Frank Lopardo will debut on the Tulsa Opera stage as B.F. Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly. Lopardo has sung regularly with the most prestigious operatic companies and orchestras around the world. In recent years, Lopardo has been particularly acclaimed for such operatic roles as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, the Duke in Rigoletto, Alfredo in La Traviata, Rodolfo in La Boheme, and Tito in La Clemenza di Tito. In the first part of his career, Lopardo won international acclaim in the Mozart repertoire and the Romantic Bel Canto roles of Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini. He has graced the stages of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, St. Louis Opera Theatre, Canadian Opera Company, Teatro alla Scala, Opera National de Paris, Bavarian State Opera, Royal Opera house, Covent Garden and Vienna State Opera. Most recently he returned to the Lyric Opera of Chicago for the role of Nemorino in L’Elisir d’Amore and Riccardo in Un ballo in maschera. In 2007/2008 he made an exciting role debut as Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly with the Pittsburg Opera. Lopardo was born in New York and studied with Dr. Robert White, Jr. who remains his vocal mentor today.