Constrained, cocooned, caught in a moment of desire, Butterfly is irresistible.

On tour in Japan, the American sailor Pinkerton cannot wait to bed his Japanese bride. But he’s already dreaming of an American life with an American wife. When his ship departs, he condemns Butterfly to purgatory.

This new production is by Australia’s most famous choreographer, Graeme Murphy. It’s a contemporary look at Puccini’s alluring heroine. He captures the grace and gravity of a tale that begins in rapturous love and ends in cruel heartbreak.