Music Director and Conductor Jan Latham-Koenig

Conductors Jan Latham-Koenig, Evgeny Samoilov

Stage Director Denis Azarov

Designer Alexey Tregubov

Costume Designer Pavel Kaplevich

Chief Choirmaster Yulia Senyukova

Lighting Designer Sergey Skornetsky

 Basque country, c. 1830. Adina, wealthy owner of a local farm, her friend Giannetta and a group of peasants are resting beneath a shade tree on her estate. At a distance Nemorino, a young villager, laments he has nothing to offer Adina but love. The peasants urge their mistress to read them a story — how Tristan won the heart of Isolde by drinking a magic love potion. No sooner has Adina done so than Sgt. Belcore swaggers in with his troop. The soldier’s conceit amuses her, but he is not dissuaded from asking her hand in marriage. Saying she will think it over, she orders refreshments for his comrades. When Adina and Nemorino are left alone, he awkwardly declares his love. She tells him his time would be better spent looking after his ailing uncle than mooning over her, for she is fickle as a breeze.

 In the town piazza, villagers hail the traveling salesman Dr. Dulcamara, who proclaims the virtues of his patent medicine. Since it is inexpensive, the villagers buy eagerly. When they have gone, Nemorino asks Dulcamara if he sells the elixir of love described in Adina’s book. Pulling out a bottle of Bordeaux, the charlatan declares this is the very draught. Though it costs him his last cent, Nemorino buys the wine and hastily drinks it. Adina enters to find him tipsy; certain of winning her love, he pretends indifference. To punish him, Adina flirts with Belcore, who, informed that he must return to his garrison, persuades her to marry him at once. Horrified, Nemorino begs Adina to wait one more day, but she ignores him and invites the entire village to her wedding feast. Nemorino rushes away, moaning that he has been ruined by Dulcamara’s elixir.

ACT II.

 At a local tavern, the pre-wedding supper is in progress. Dulcamara, self-appointed master of ceremonies, sits with the bridal couple. Adina’s mind is distracted by the doctor, who suggests they blend their voices in a barcarole about a gondoliera and her wealthy suitor. When the duet ends, Adina goes off with Belcore to sign the marriage contract; the guests disperse. Remaining behind, Dulcamara is joined by Nemorino, who begs for another bottle of elixir; his pleas are rejected, because he has no money. Belcore returns, annoyed that Adina has postponed the wedding until nightfall; he spies Nemorino and asks why he is so sad. The youth explains his financial plight, whereupon the sergeant persuades him to join the army and receive a bonus awaiting all volunteers. Belcore leads the perplexed Nemorino off to sign him up, enabling him to buy more elixir.

 Peasant girls, gathered in the square, hear from Giannetta that Nemorino’s uncle has died and willed him a fortune. When the youth reels in, giddy from a second bottle of wine, they besiege him with attention; unaware of his new wealth, he believes the elixir finally has taken effect. Adina and Dulcamara arrive in time to see him leave with a bevy of beauties, and she, angry that he has sold his freedom to Belcore, grows doubly furious. Hoping to sell Adina a bottle of elixir, Dulcamara claims that Nemorino’s popularity is due to the magic potion. Adina replies she will win him back through her own charms. Reentering alone in a pensive mood, Nemorino takes heart because of a tear he has seen on Adina’s cheek, but when she appears, he acts disinterested. She confesses she bought back his enlistment papers because she loves him.

Back in the piazza, Belcore marches in to find Adina affianced to Nemorino; declaring that thousands of women await him, he accepts the situation philosophically. Attributing Nemorino’s happiness and inheritance to the elixir, Dulcamara quickly sells more bottles before making his escape.

Act I 
Pinkerton buys a house. He tells Sharpless of his infatuation for a Japanese girl and of his intention to marry her for "nine hundred and ninety-nine years", with the privilege of annulment when convenient. Pinkerton’s levity upsets Sharpless, who tries to convince the lieutenant of the gravity of a relationship with a Japanese girl. Pinkerton repeats how intensely he loves her. 
Laughing voices of Japanese girls are heard and Cio-Cio-San appears. She introduces her relatives and friends to Pinkerton. Presently, she informs her beloved that for his sake she has renounced her religion. The marriage ceremony is interrupted when Cio-Cio-San’s uncle appears to condemn his niece for renouncing her people. Contemptuously, her relatives spurn the girl and depart. Butterfly bursts into tears but is soon soothed by Pinkerton’s tenderness. As night descends, the lovers are happy in each other’s arms as they confide their passionate feelings.

Act II 
In Butterfly’s house Suzuki prays before an image of Buddha. Butterfly chides her gently for appealing to a Japanese god. Still, Butterfly is faithful to Pinkerton, who has been forced to leave with the American fleet, and she is true to his religion and country, certain that some fine day he will come back to her. Sharpless brings Butterfly a letter which she is about to read when the marriage broker arrives with a wealthy suitor. Butterfly is deaf to all propositions. When Sharpless inquires what Butterfly would do if Pinkerton were to desert her, she answers gravely that she would kill herself. She now calls in the child, Little Trouble, who is the fruit of their love. Sharpless now knows that a terrible tragedy is imminent. Suddenly there comes from the harbor the sound of a cannon shot. Cio-Cio-San notices the ship arriving and learns that 
Pinkerton has returned. In anticipation of her beloved’s return, Butterfly helps Suzuki decorate the house with cherry blossoms. She then dons her wedding dress, but day passes into night with no sign of Pinkerton.

Act III 
Dawn has come. Weary of her vigil, Butterfly goes to an inner room. While she is absent, Pinkerton and Sharpless arrive at Butterfly’s house. Suzuki is overwhelmed with joy at the sight of Pinkerton, but when she sees an American woman at Pinkerton’s side she senses the worst. 
Sharpless persuades Pinkerton to leave without seeing Butterfly. 
After a tender farewell to the house and his memories, Pinkerton departs. When Butterfly rushes into the room she finds not Pinkerton, but Sharpless and a strange woman. When she sees her servant in tears she begins to understand what has happened. The American woman – Pinkerton’s wife Kate – implores Cio-Cio-San to turn over to her Pinkerton’s child. At last, Cio-Cio-San is ready to do this – but only on condition that Pinkerton himself makes the request. When Sharpless and Kate leave to call Pinkerton, Butterfly raises a dagger to her throat. Little Trouble appears. Butterfly bids her child farewell... Then she goes behind a screen with her dagger. A moment later she staggers out; by the time Pinkerton appears, she is dead. 
Pinkerton is overwhelmed with grief.