Scottish Opera's new co-production of Puccini's Madama Butterfly, directed by Daisy Evans, reimagining the classic opera as a journey through memory and identity.
Scottish Opera bring Puccini's Madama Butterfly to the Festival Theatre from 27 May to 5 June 2027. It's a new co-production with Irish National Opera, and it's already had a run in Dublin before making its way up to Edinburgh.
The story is one you've probably heard: the marriage of Cio-Cio-San to the US Navy Lieutenant Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton, and the betrayal that makes her end inevitable. It's been moving audiences for over a century, and this version doesn't shy away from that. But it's not a straightforward tragedy. Director Daisy Evans and designer Kat Heath — who also teamed up for Albert Herring in 2024 — have reimagined it as a journey through memory and identity. Lighting is by Jake Wiltshire and costumes by Catherine Fay. The Arts Desk called it a 'Butterfly for the ages'.
On stage, Sunyoung Seo takes the lead as Cio-Cio-San, with Andrés Presno as Pinkerton, Lea Shaw as Suzuki, and Phillip Rhodes as Sharpless. The production is conducted by Stuart Stratford and Toby Hession, with The Orchestra of Scottish Opera and The Chorus of Madama Butterfly. It's sung in Italian with English supertitles, and runs about 2 hours 35 minutes, including a 20-minute interval. The whole thing is part of Scottish Opera's 2026/27 Season, supported by The Alexander Gibson Circle.
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Evening performances are at 7.15pm, with matinees at 3pm on 30 May and 4 June. There's also a pre-show talk on Saturday 5 June at 6pm. Tickets range from £23.75 to £102.25, and £15 tickets are available in advance for under-26s, Young Scot card holders, full-time students, and the unwaged, with valid ID required.
