Madame Butterfly
Giacomo Puccini

An new Iford Arts Production sung in English

July 21 I 24 I 26 I 28 I 31 I Aug 2 I 4

The poignant image of the very young Japanese girl faithfully, but vainly, waiting, watching the sea, longing for her husband’s return, sits at the core of this stunning opera. Cio-Cio-San’s much-loved aria One Fine Day sung at this moment in the opera is a perfect encapsulation of the tragedy at the opera’s heart and remains one of the best-known arias in the soprano repertoire Madame Butterfly quickly became a hugely popular opera with performers and audiences alike, and remains one of Puccini’s most-performed works, and, for Iford Arts, follows the huge success of Puccini’s La bohème at Iford in 2017.  The lyric beauty of his score, especially the music for the thoroughly believable lead role, has made Butterfly timeless.

Bruno Ravella, one of Iford Art’s most popular directors, fulfils his long-held ambition to create this show in the cloister, working with Thomas Blunt who makes his Iford debut.

PRODUCER  – Iford Arts
DIRECTOR  –  Bruno Ravella
CONDUCTOR – Thomas Blunt
DESIGNER – Flavio Graff

New orchestration by Francis Griffin
English translation by Amanda Holden
Orchestra – CHROMA 
violin (leader) - Caroline Balding
violin - Anna Biggin
viola - Bridget Carey
cello - Davina Shum
double bass - Georgina McGrath 
flute /picc - Susie Hodder-Williams
oboe/cor anglais - Lydia Griffiths
clarinet - Stuart King
bassoon - Jo Turner 
horns - Carys Evans, James Topp
trumpet - Alex Cromwell
harp - Ruth Faber 
percussion - Olly Lowe

BUTTERFLY – Cio-Cio-San  – HE WU
PINKERTON – Anthony Flaum
SUZUKI – Sandra Porter
SHARPLESS – Philip Smith
GORO – Simon Gfeller
THE BONZ  – Freddie Tong
KATE PINKERTON – Hanna-Liisa Kirchin
PRINCE YAMADORI – Samuel Lom
ENSEMBLE – Angharad Lyddon
ENSEMBLE – Lauren Lodge Campbel
ENSEMBLE -Samuel Lom
ENSEMBLE – Bo Wang
COVER BUTTERFLY – Tanya Hurst

“Iford is a tiny operatic heaven” Rian Evans – The Guardian

Gardens open 6pm for picnics
Performances start at 7.30pm
Box Office bookings and telephone bookings open 10th February 2018  at the Theatre Royal in Bath.
Box Office: 01225 44 88 44  or online