Opera Grand Rapids

And just like that, our 2025–26 season has come to a close. 🦋

Thank you for joining us this past weekend for Madama Butterfly and for supporting a season that celebrated AAPI voices, new collaborations, and powerful storytelling. Under the leadership of Guest Artistic Director Mo Zhou, this production brought together an incredible team of artists whose care, artistry, and lived experiences shaped every moment on stage.

To our audiences, donors, artists, volunteers, and community partners — thank you for showing up for opera in such a meaningful way this season. We truly couldn’t do it without you.

We’re leaving this season feeling grateful, inspired, and excited to welcome you back again soon. 💫

Director: Mo Zhou
Conductor: Judith Yan
Chorus Director: Bill Bokhout
Associate Director: Madeleine Snow .snow
Technical Director: John AC Depres
Japanese Culture and Movement Director: Asuka Morinaga Derfler Repetiteur: Caleb Wenzel@calebwenzelmusic
Scene Design: Chika Shimizu@chikashimizu
Costume Design: Mariko Ohigashi .maringo
Lighting Design: Marie Yokoyama .yokoyama
Wig & Makeup Designer: Alita Lopez
Kimono Dresser: Mayumi Balfour & Kaori Schau

Cast:
Cio-Cio-San: Karen Vuong
Lt. Pinkerton: Eric Taylor
Suzuki: Sophia Maekawa
Sharpless: SeungHyeon Baek
Goro: Taka Komagata
Yamadori/Imperial Commissioner: Yichen Xue
B***e: Robert Robert Feng
Kate Pinkerton: Catherine Gispert

Stage Manager: Brett Finley
Assistant Stage Manager: Patricia Garvey & Emily Holter
Photo Credit: Cory Weaver

Scroll through to explore the fascinating history of Madame Butterfly and the Nagasaki inspiration that shaped this opera. 🗾