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    Puccini

    Pictures

    Madam Butterfly: gorgeous pictures of the production set in a Japanese water garden

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    The stunning production of Puccini's heart-breaking opera returns to the Royal Albert Hall, with its trademark Japanese water garden setting.

    1. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      1. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      David Freeman's production of Puccini's Madam Butterfly has returned to the Royal Albert Hall this spring. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    2. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      2. Japanese Water Garden

      The production, designed by David Roger, is built around a spectacular Japanese water garden. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    3. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      3. Cio-Cio-San

      The title role of Butterfly, also known as Cio-Cio-San, is being shared in this production between Nam-young Kim, Hyeseoung Kwon (pictured here) and Myung-Joo Lee. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    4. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      4. A beautiful wedding

      The opera begins with the wedding of Butterfly to an American lieutenant, G. F. Pinkerton, here played by tenor Jeffrey Gwaltney. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    5. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      5. A challenging soprano role

      The music that Puccini wrote for the soprano role of Butterfly is some of the most difficult music in the operatic repertoire. Here, soprano Hyeseound Kwon is pictured with tenor Jeffrey Gwaltney. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    6. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      6. A sham ceremony

      While Butterfly is fully invested in her marriage to Pinkerton, the American has no intention of staying with Butterfly, seeing the ceremony as just a quaint tradition. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    7. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      7. A warning from Sharpless

      The American consul, Sharpless (played here by David Kempster), warns Pinkerton that Butterfly might view the marriage more seriously than he does, but Pinkerton dismisses his concerns. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    8. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      8. A geisha

      Cio-Cio-San explains to Pinkerton that her family were once important but have since fallen on hard times. Now, she explains, she has to make her living as a geisha. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    9. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      9. Butterfly's family arrive

      Madam Butterfly's friends and family arrive for the ceremony. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    10. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      10. A Christian convert

      Cio-Cio-San tells Pinkerton that she has converted to Christianity and will embrace her husband's religion. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    11. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      11. Pinkerton's philosophy

      Pinkerton sings of his philosophy of life – to roam the world in search of experiences and pleasure. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    12. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      12. The Bonze

      Butterfly's uncle, a priest called the Bonze (played here by Michael Druiett), arrives and curses Butterfly for turning to Christianity. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    13. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      13. Atmospheric lighting

      The lighting for this iconic production has been designed by Andrew Bridge. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    14. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      14. 20th century setting

      Puccini's opera is set in Japan in the early 20th century and was first performed in Milan in 1904. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    15. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      15. A stunning production

      For David Freeman's eye-catching production, the arena of the Royal Albert Hall is flooded with water. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    16. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      16. From Madam Butterfly to Miss Saigon

      Puccini's opera inspired the popular musical Miss Saigon, written by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boubil. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    17. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      17. Wedding night

      After the ceremony, Pinkerton leads Butterfly out into the garden, where they spend their wedding night. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    18. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      18. Butterfly and Pinkerton

      Soprano Hyeseoung Kwon and tenor Jeffrey Gwaltney as Cio-Cio-San (Butterfly) and Pinkerton. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    19. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      19. Heart-breaking beauty

      Few operas are as romantic, or as heart-breaking as Puccini's Madam Butterfly. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    20. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      20. Three years later…

      The Second Act of the opera opens three years later. Pinkerton has gone and Butterfly now has a son. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    21. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      21. One fine day

      In one of the opera's most famous arias, Butterfly sings of her certainty that Pinkerton will return 'one fine day'. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    22. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      22. Pinkerton's return

      Butterfly and her maid, Suzuki, see Pinkerton's ship arriving into the harbour. They strew the house with petals to prepare for his arrival. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    23. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      23. Mrs Pinkerton

      Pinkerton arrives – with his American wife, played in this production by Lise Christensen. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    24. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      24. Suzuki breaks the news

      As Suzuki breaks the bad news to Butterfly, David Roger's set takes on a very different character from its earlier shimmering beauty. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    25. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      25. Butterfly's son

      Understanding that she has been abandoned, Butterfly agrees to give up her son. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    26. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      26. Cio-Cio-San decides

      Cio-Cio-San, here played by Hyeseoung Kwon, has spent the whole opera waiting. In the final scene, she takes her fate into her own hands… Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    27. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      27. Puccini's tragedy

      Butterfly blindfolds her son and gives him an American flag to wave to greet his father. Then she stabs herself as Pinkerton can be heard calling her name off-stage. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

    28. Madam Butterfly at the Royal Albert Hall

      28. The final moments

      Here, the final moments of Puccini's beautiful opera can be seen in David Freeman's unique in-the-round production. Credit: Paul Sanders/Royal Albert Hall/Raymond Gubbay Ltd

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