Lyric Opera Reimagines 'Madama Butterfly' Without the Stereotypes

Matthew Ozawa shakes the Orientalist flower petals off the famous Puccini opera to offer a modern, vulnerable production.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 3:20pm

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Lyric Opera's chief artistic officer Matthew Ozawa has reimagined the classic opera 'Madama Butterfly' to address the work's problematic Orientalist themes. Ozawa, who is half Japanese and half Caucasian, realized the issues with the opera's depiction of Japanese culture while working on a production in 2008. For the new version, Ozawa conceived of the opera as a fantasy conjured by a modern-day white American obsessed with anime and video games, allowing the design team of Japanese women to reclaim and reinterpret the work. The production premiered in 2023 and has since traveled to several cities before arriving at the Lyric Opera in Chicago.

Why it matters

The reimagining of 'Madama Butterfly' by Ozawa and his team of Japanese-American artists highlights the ongoing efforts in the opera world to address the racist and Orientalist tropes present in many classic works. By framing the opera as a fantasy through the lens of a modern American, the production aims to subvert the original's problematic depictions of Japanese culture and identity.

The details

Ozawa's production of 'Madama Butterfly' features a clever conceit - the onstage Japan is a fantasy conjured by a white American with a virtual reality headset. This allows the design team, which is composed entirely of Japanese women, to pay homage to elements of Japanese culture, architecture, and art, while also playing into American stereotypes about Japan, such as sushi, pink lanterns, and Mount Fuji. The production lures the audience into this Americanized fantasy, only to flip the script after intermission, prompting the audience to reconsider their perceptions.

  • The production premiered in 2023 in Cincinnati.
  • The production has since traveled to Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Salt Lake City before coming to the Lyric Opera in Chicago, where it opens on March 14, 2026 and runs through April 12, 2026.

The players

Matthew Ozawa

Lyric Opera's chief artistic officer and the director of the reimagined 'Madama Butterfly' production. Ozawa is half Japanese and half Caucasian, and his heritage has given him a unique perspective on the complexities of race and representation in opera.

Cio-Cio-San

The titular 'Butterfly' character in the original Puccini opera, a 15-year-old Japanese geisha who falls for a U.S. Navy lieutenant but is ultimately abandoned by him.

B.F. Pinkerton

The U.S. Navy lieutenant who marries Cio-Cio-San in the original opera, only to abandon her, leading to her tragic suicide.

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What they’re saying

“If I weren't Japanese, I don't think I would have been asked to direct this piece as often as I have.”

— Matthew Ozawa, Lyric Opera's chief artistic officer (chicagomag.com)

“I've received my first physical piece of hate mail. So yes, this production is not loved by everybody. This person who wrote me was a Caucasian male, and he was outraged.”

— Matthew Ozawa, Lyric Opera's chief artistic officer (chicagomag.com)

What’s next

The production is scheduled to continue its tour, with upcoming performances at additional opera houses across the country.

The takeaway

Ozawa's reimagining of 'Madama Butterfly' demonstrates the ongoing efforts in the opera world to address the racist and Orientalist tropes present in many classic works. By framing the opera as a fantasy through the lens of a modern American, the production aims to subvert the original's problematic depictions of Japanese culture and identity, paving the way for more authentic and inclusive representations of diverse cultures on the opera stage.