Utah Opera Invites people who are blind and visually impaired to a special dress rehearsal of the Puccini’s Madame Butterfly on April 30, 2025.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m., a special presentation begins promptly at 6 p.m., and the opera starts at 7 p.m. The event will be held at the Capitol Theatre, 50 W 200 South, Salt Lake City.
In this groundbreaking new production created by an all-Japanese and Japanese American creative team, Madame Butterfly’s story is re-envisioned in a contemporary setting where fantasy and reality mix. With some of the most breathtaking music in all of opera, you’ll follow the passionate journey of Japanese geisha Cio-Cio-San and her fleeting romance with the American naval officer, Pinkerton — and feel the heartbreak as she awaits his return with unwavering faith. Rating: PG-13 for mature themes and instances of violence. Sung in Italian with English supertitles.
This exciting event is offered free to persons with visual impairment, plus a driver. At 6 p.m., Utah Opera’s Artistic Director and Opera Education Manager will describe the opera, staging, composer, costuming and sets. Props from the stage and costume samples will be available to touch and inspect up close. Then, enjoy the production with braille supertitle scripts and headsets to describe the action on stage.
If you would like to read the braille supertitle script in advance of this event, the Utah State Library for the Blind can print a copy for you, beginning April 25. Call 801-715-6789 to order one. To have digital versions of the supertitle scripts and synopsis emailed to you, email your request to [email protected].
Image Description: A photograph from the opera. The singer stands in the center of the photo in an elaborate white costume and head dress. Two actors stand on either side of her shadowed in the dark blue background.