Puccini's Madama Butterfly

"Karajan magnificent in unique treatment of familiar tragedy"

1974 2h 25m IT

🤯

9.5

MASTERPIECE

★9.5TMDB · 2

MusicHistory

Synopsis

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Mirella Freni, Placido Domingo, Christa Ludwig, and Robert Kerns star in this Jean-Pierre Ponnelle-directed version of the Puccini opera, with Herbert von Karajan conducting the Vienna Philharmonic. Madama Butterfly is a staple of the standard operatic repertoire for companies around the world, ranking 7th in the Operabase list of the most-performed operas worldwide.

“Karajan magnificent in unique treatment of familiar tragedy”

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Cast

Mirella Freni
Cio-Cio-San, known as Butterfly
Plácido Domingo
Pinkerton
Robert Kerns
Sharpless
Christa Ludwig
Suzuki
Michel Sénéchal
Goro
Marius Rintzler
Bonze
Hans Helm
Comisario imperial
Elke Schary
Kate Pinkerton

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
Writers: Luigi Illica, Giuseppe Giacosa
Languages: Italian

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 5

ERA

Did you know

52 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 5

CRAFT

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 5

CAST

Did you know

Mirella Freni and Plácido Domingo and Robert Kerns carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 5

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Karajan magnificent in unique treatment of familiar tragedy".

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 5

WILD

Did you know

Only 2 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Jean-Pierre Ponnelle directs. Dialogue in Italian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

152 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
3Mirella Freni and Plácido Domingo and Robert Kerns carry the top of the cast.
4Marketing tagline: "Karajan magnificent in unique treatment of familiar tragedy".
5Only 2 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.