Fort Worth Opera Closes 80th Season with Madama Butterfly

Acclaimed soprano Miho Sakoda makes her debut in the title role of Puccini's iconic opera.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 3:52pm

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An extreme close-up of shimmering, glittering opera costume textures like sequins, lace, and velvet, captured in a high-contrast, high-fashion studio lighting style that conceptually represents the lavish production values of Madama Butterfly.The lavish costumes and set designs of Madama Butterfly evoke the opulent glamour of the opera stage.Fort Worth Today

Fort Worth Opera is closing its landmark 80th anniversary season with Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly, presented on April 10 and 12, 2026. Rising Japanese soprano Miho Sakoda makes her company debut in the title role, with acclaimed tenor Zach Borichevsky as Lieutenant Pinkerton. Internationally renowned conductor Christian Capocaccia returns to lead the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, and director Frances Rabalais makes her company debut with a production that balances cultural authenticity and contemporary resonance.

Why it matters

Madama Butterfly is a touchstone of Fort Worth Opera's artistic identity, having been part of the company's inaugural 1946-1947 season. This production marks the 13th staging of the work in the company's history, underscoring its enduring significance and the organization's commitment to ambitious storytelling and musical excellence.

The details

Set in Nagasaki at the turn of the 20th century, Madama Butterfly tells the tragic story of Cio-Cio-San, a young Japanese woman who renounces her faith and family to marry American naval officer Lieutenant B.F. Pinkerton. Puccini's iconic score masterfully captures the profound contrasts of love and abandonment, innocence and betrayal, devotion and consequence.

  • Madama Butterfly will be presented on Friday, April 10, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 12, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.
  • The Butterfly Brunch, a Japanese-inspired culinary experience, will be held on April 12 prior to the matinee performance.

The players

Miho Sakoda

A rising Japanese soprano making her Fort Worth Opera debut in the title role of Madama Butterfly.

Zach Borichevsky

A celebrated tenor making his Fort Worth Opera debut as Lieutenant Pinkerton.

Christian Capocaccia

An internationally acclaimed conductor and Artistic and Music Director of Syracuse Opera, returning to lead the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra.

Frances Rabalais

A highly sought-after director making her Fort Worth Opera debut, known for her striking theatrical imagination and unflinching psychological depth.

Fort Worth Opera

The company is closing its landmark 80th anniversary season with this production of Madama Butterfly.

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What they’re saying

“Madama Butterfly asks everything of its artists—vocally, dramatically, and emotionally. As one of the great masterpieces of the repertoire, it demands fearless artistry, and closing our 80th Anniversary Season with this work underscores our commitment to ambitious storytelling and musical excellence.”

— Angela Turner Wilson, General and Artistic Director

What’s next

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The takeaway

This production of Madama Butterfly continues Fort Worth Opera's legacy of presenting one of the most iconic and socially provocative operas, which remains as musically transcendent today as it was over a century ago when it premiered.