Acclaimed opera company brings “Madama Butterfly”

November 17, 2005

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Bulgarian State Academic Opera brings Giacomo Puccini’s masterpiece “Madama Butterfly” to the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21. UF associate professor of music and opera workshop director Anthony Offerle will lead a pre-performance discussion, which is free and open to the public, at 6:45 p.m.

One of the world’s most popular operas, “Madama Butterfly” is set in early 20th-century Japan.
It is based upon the play by David Belasco, which was, according to The Earl of Harewood’s Kobbé’s Illustrated Opera Book, “only the latest in a series of Western reactions to the mystique of the Far East.” Therefore, Puccini infused Japanese musical style into the score and production. The result, The Earl of Harewood writes, is “a mixture which imaginatively combines the exotic with his own brand of lyricism.”
Formerly known as Opera Verdi Europa, the Bulgarian State Academic Opera was recently designated its country’s national opera company by the Bulgarian president and parliament. The government has given the company several million dollars to enhance all aspects of their performances – sets, costumes, chorus, principal singers, orchestra, set designers and stage directors.
The Bulgarian State Academic Opera’s performances are co-productions of the major opera houses of Bulgaria, where many renowned singers such as Orlin Anastassov and Dario Volonte started their careers. The company also collaborates with Bulgarian symphony orchestras and opera houses from Romania, Hungary, Moldovia, Russia, the Ukraine and more.
The company has performed on Europe’s most prestigious opera stages, and is well-regarded for its open-air performances throughout the continent; its production of Aida at the unique natural stage of Castelgrande (“The Great Castle”) in Switzerland was especially memorable.
“Madama Butterfly” is performed in Italian with English supertitles.

The Gainesville Sun sponsors this performance.

Tickets are: $50, front orchestra and mezzanine; $50, mid-orchestra; $45, rear orchestra; $40, balcony.

Tickets to University of Florida Performing Arts events are available by calling the Phillips Center Box Office at (352) 392-ARTS (2787) or (800) 905-ARTS (2787) or by faxing orders to (352) 846-1562. Tickets are also available at the University Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, www.ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at (904) 353-3309. Cash, Visa and MasterCard are accepted. Group ticket sales are available.

$10 student tickets are available anywhere in the house for University of Florida students and in the balcony for other students. Students must purchase tickets in person with student ID at the Phillips Center Box Office or at University Box Office in the Reitz Union. Each student may purchase only one student ticket per performance, for himself or herself only. Student tickets are based on availability.

The Phillips Center Box Office is open from noon to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and two hours prior to performance time.

Performance dates, times and programs are subject to change.