Opera Scotland

Madam Butterfly 1973Scottish Opera

Read more about the opera Madama Butterfly

There are several features of this routine revival worth noting. The first is the company debut of the Welsh soprano Elizabeth Vaughan, who was for many years a noted exponent of Butterfly at Covent Garden and elsewhere.  Most of her appearances in Scotland came later in her career after she began singing mezzo roles such as Herodias and Kabanicha.  But for many years in London and elsewhere she sang the leading soprano roles of Verdi and Puccini, as well as Mozart.

The staff producer for this revival was David Pountney, who has not often directed Puccini since, and then generally the more unusual works, such as La fanciulla del West or La rondine.  George Shirley was a favourite guest artist in several roles, particularly as Pelléas, but was not generally associated with the role of Pinkerton.