Singer

Prince Tamino is pursued by a dragon into a magical land of fantasy where, aided by three mysterious ladies, he seeks to rescue the beautiful Pamina, daughter of the Queen of the Night, from the powerful Sarastro. With the assistance of the bird-catcher Papageno, he finds that nothing is quite as it first seems in this allegory about a quest for truth, beauty and pure love. Beautiful music and some of the most memorable arias in opera, paired with a cast of fanciful characters, make this Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s crowning operatic achievement.

EPSG:4326

The Magic Flute

Bankhead Theater

In early 1900’s Nagasaki, an American naval officer weds a young Japanese woman. Months later he leaves her, unaware that she is pregnant with his son, and promises to come back. Three years later, she is nearly destitute and shunned by her family for becoming a Christian, but she is steadfast in her conviction that he will return. He does return, with a new American wife, remorseful but ready to take his son back with him. Devastated, Butterfly gives up the child and commits suicide.  Madama Butterfly is based on the play by David Belasco, which was very popular when it premiered in 1900. The play's success reflected the shock waved sent around the world by the American triumph in the Spanish-American war, as a result of which the once mighty Spanish Empire lost Cuba and the Philippines. The young and socially awkward Pinkerton serves as an allegory for the nascent American empire, well meaning but not fully aware of its impact on the ancient cultures with which it came into contact.  This is considered Puccini's dramatically most effective and powerful score.  It is one of the 10 most performed operas in the repertoire.

Nia Lewis

Mezzo-soprano

Events

Past events

2 - 10 Mar, 2024

The Magic Flute · Livermore Valley Opera

13 - 22 Oct, 2023

Madama Butterfly · West Bay Opera

Future and recently performed repertoire

Kate in Madama Butterfly by Puccini

West Bay Opera

Papagena in The Magic Flute by Mozart

Livermore Valley Opera

About

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