Madame Butterfly

The Minnesota Opera vows to pump up the authentic Japanese flavor of Madame Butterfly this time around. Productions of Puccini’s masterpiece about a geisha who gets crossed by an American sailor rely too often on caricatures of Japanese culture—especially the geishas in their campy kimonos and sets festooned with rice paper. Up to now, the Minnesota Opera has followed suit with their many seasons of Butterfly, which pops up every five years or so. This time they’re under the direction of Colin Graham, a veteran kabuki and opera director, who will undoubtedly infuse the production with subtle influences from real Japanese theater. Without the distraction of those pesky and frequently comic geisha-girl clichés, the Opera can focus on distilling Puccini’s gorgeous music to its heart-wrenching core. Sung in Italian with English super-titles. 345 Washington St., St. Paul; 651-224-4222; www.mnopera.org