Stage Director

Artistic Director

Experience the profound emotional depth of Ludwig van Beethoven's only opera, "Fidelio," at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. This production, conducted by the esteemed Enrique Mazzola, is a powerful political thriller that delves into themes of justice and freedom. The story follows the courageous Leonore, who disguises herself as a young man to infiltrate a prison and rescue her husband. The production, directed by Matthew Ozawa, has been praised for its transformative and thoughtful examination of these timeless ideals.

The cast features the vocally radiant South African soprano Elza van den Heever as Leonore, alongside American tenor Russell Thomas and baritone Brian Mulligan, both of whom are Lyric favorites. The opera is sung in German with projected English titles, ensuring that the audience can fully engage with the narrative and its emotional nuances.

Adding to the immersive experience, the Lyric Opera offers guided touch tours tailored for patrons who are blind or have low vision, as well as audio-described performances that provide concise, objective descriptions of new scenes, settings, costumes, and body language. Additionally, the innovative SoundShirt technology allows wearers to feel the music through touch sensations on their upper body, synchronizing with the orchestra and singers in real time.

This presentation of "Fidelio" is generously supported by The Negaunee Foundation, an anonymous donor, and Patricia A. Kenney & Gregory J. O’Leary. The production team includes lighting designer Yuki Nakase Link, costume designer Jessica Jahn, and chorus director Michael Black, all contributing to a visually and aurally stunning performance.

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Fidelio

Lyric Opera House

Between 1910 and 1940, many Chinese immigrants flowed through the immigration station on Angel Island inside San Francisco Bay, facing mass discrimination under the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, with few exceptions. With music by acclaimed Chinese-American composer Huang Ruo, Angel Island revisits this chapter of American history with a poignant multimedia experience scored for voices and a string quartet that blurs the boundaries of opera, theater, dance, and music. Huang Ruo, along with director Matthew Ozawa, weaves a powerful requiem from the century-old poetry engraved on the detention center’s walls by some of the hundreds of thousands of incarcerated Chinese immigrants. Angel Island arrives amid an ongoing epidemic of brutal violence and rampant discrimination against immigrants, asylum-seekers, and Asians across the diaspora. This production is a stirring plea for care and empathy as well as a visceral, clear-eyed tribute to the rebellion and resilience of those who passed through and perished at Angel Island.

Angel Island

Brooklyn Academy of Music

Starting in 1910, many immigrants who journeyed to America were processed at an immigration station on Angel Island" class="css-u850">Angel Island, located in the middle of San Francisco Bay. Until a fire led to its closure in 1940, the station primarily functioned as a detention center, where half a million people from 80 countries were held under barbaric conditions—some for weeks, others for years. The majority of these detainees were Chinese migrants, who were banned from entering the United States under the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, with few exceptions.

BAM Strong

An American soldier’s fantasy of Japan, seductive but harmful. A teenaged Japanese girl and a marriage that comes with an escape clause – for him. An all-Japanese and Japanese-American creative team transports Puccini’s tragedy to a fantastical contemporary setting where reality and dreams intersect.

Madame Butterfly

Detroit Opera House

Cincinnati Opera presents Puccini’s heartrending tragedy Madame Butterfly from a bold new point of view. In this groundbreaking new production created by an all-Japanese and Japanese American creative team, Butterfly’s story is transported to a fantastical modern-day realm where reality and dreams intersect. Enter the world of naval officer B.F. Pinkerton, who treats Japan as his playground. He’s taken a nearly thousand-year lease on a house and will marry a young girl named Cio-Cio-San, known as Madame Butterfly. But is it merely a fantasy? For Butterfly, vows are not to be taken lightly. As Pinkerton’s intentions are revealed, Butterfly’s dreams become a tragedy of limitless depths with no going back.

Cincinnati Music Hall

What death has stolen, the musician Orpheus is determined to bring back. With Love as his guide, Orpheus journeys into the underworld to save his wife, Eurydice. But there is one condition: he must not look back at her until they return to the mortal world. Orpheus and Eurydice returns in a fully staged production for only the second time in the Company’s history. In this new production, director Matthew Ozawa joins award-winning choreographer Rena Butler to take us on a heartfelt journey into the stages of grief.

Orpheus and Eurydice

Segerstrom Center for the Arts

A cast of young stars brings the operatic adaptation of Shakespeare’s beloved play to life including tenor Pene Pati as Romeo and soprano Nicole Cabell as Juliet, both in exciting Company debuts. Joining them is baritone Yunpeng Wang as Mercutio and mezzo soprano Sarah Coit as Stephano also in house debuts. San Diego Opera principal guest conductor Yves Abel brings his mastery of the French repertoire to lead the musicians for these performances and stage director Matthew Ozawa brings his unique visionary style to the stage.

Roméo et Juliette

San Diego Civic Theatre

### Event Description: Puccini’s Madame Butterfly at Utah Opera

**Event Overview:**
Experience the timeless and heart-wrenching tale of Puccini’s *Madame Butterfly* in a groundbreaking new production at the Utah Opera. This rendition, crafted by an all-Japanese and Japanese American creative team, reimagines the classic story through the innovative lens of virtual reality, blurring the lines between fact and fiction. 

Follow the passionate journey of Japanese geisha Cio-Cio-San and her fleeting romance with American naval officer Pinkerton. Feel the heartbreak as she awaits his return with unwavering faith. This production delves deep into the power dynamics at play, revealing the consequences of careless desire and the enduring strength of the human spirit in a poignant exploration of love, sacrifice, betrayal, and the complexities of the human heart.

**Performance Details:**
- **Dates and Times:**
  - Saturday, May 03, 2025, at 7:30 PM
  - Monday, May 05, 2025, at 7:00 PM
  - Wednesday, May 07, 2025, at 7:00 PM
  - Friday, May 09, 2025, at 7:30 PM
  - Sunday, May 11, 2025, at 2:00 PM

- **Location:**
  - Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre
  - 50 W 200 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84101, USA

**Production Team and Cast:**
- **Conductor:** Derrick Inouye
- **Director:** Matthew Ozawa
- **Cio-Cio San/Madame Butterfly:** Hiromi Omura
- **Lt. Pinkerton:** Eric Taylor
- **Suzuki:** Nina Yoshida Nelsen
- **Sharpless:** Nmon Ford
- **Goro:** Martin Bakari
- **Lighting Designer:** Yuki Nakase Link
- **Featuring:** Utah Opera Chorus and Utah Symphony

**Additional Information:**
- The opera will be sung in Italian with English supertitles.
- Season Ticket Packages are on sale now.
- Design-A-Series & Group Tickets will be available starting May 30, 2024.
- Single-Performance Tickets will be available starting August 1, 2024.

**Plan Your Visit:**
For more information on planning your visit, including seating charts, parking, directions, and accessibility, please visit the Utah Opera website.

**Join Us:**
Don’t miss this unique and immersive experience of *Madame Butterfly*. Witness the powerful storytelling and breathtaking music that have made this opera a beloved classic. Secure your tickets now and be part of an unforgettable evening at the Utah Opera.

Matthew Ozawa

Stage Director, Artistic Director

Events

Upcoming events

3 - 11 May, 2025

Puccini’s Madame Butterfly · Utah Opera

Past events

Sep 26 - Oct 10, 2024

Fidelio · Lyric Opera of Chicago

11 - 13 Jan, 2024

Angel Island · Beth Morrison Projects

About

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