Madama Butterfly sends spirits soaring

The iconic Sun Pictures was transformed into a concert hall earlier this month when Opera Australia arrived in town to put on a special performance.

Opera Australia performed the classic Madama Butterfly, complete with a live orchestra and a children’s chorus made up of students from Broome North Primary School.

Highly revered by opera lovers around the world, Madama Butterfly tells the tragic tale of two loves separated by culture, oceans and time.

The emotionally riveting production brought together two contrasting worlds and coloured by a well-known score including the famous Humming Chorus and Un bel di Vedremo (One Fine Day).

Tenor Matthew Reardon and soprano Sharon Zhai returned to their respective roles of Lieutenant Pinkerton and Cio-Cio-San after a record breaking season in 2018, stunning the crowd with their impressive talent, although Reardon’s character was not well received as the tale unfolded.

Up-and-coming Chinese-Australian mezzo-soprano Barbara Jin also wowed the crowd in her Opera Australia debut in the role of Suzuki, receiving thunderous applause at the end of the show.