arts & culture

Among Puccini’s masterpieces, few capture the public’s imagination quite like Madama Butterfly, now returning to the stage of the Palau de la Música Catalana. Set in early 20^th-century Nagasaki, the opera tells a tragic tale of love, betrayal and the clash of cultures. The story follows Lieutenant Pinkerton, an American naval officer who enters a marriage of convenience with Cio-Cio-San, a young geisha who gives up her faith and family, convinced that their bond is real.

Pinkerton departs soon after, assuring Butterfly he will return. However, in America he remarries and builds a new life. Left behind, Butterfly devotes herself to raising their son and holding on to the hope of his return. Yet, hope turns into heartbreak when Pinkerton finally returns with his American wife. Confronted with unbearable loss, Butterfly bids farewell to her son and ends her life, leaving Pinkerton to face the reality of his choices.