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The East-meets-West tragedy of "Madame Butterfly" is a hot ticket this season. In addition to Utah Opera's production of the Puccini tearjerker, Ballet West will present a ballet version of the story, using the same score, Feb. 13-21; Pioneer Theatre Company presents the 20th-century version of the tale, "Miss Saigon," May 1-16.
The confluence is purely coincidental, said Paula Fowler, Utah Symphony f=zapf dingbats Utah Opera's director of education and community outreach. "But, of course, in education, we say hooray" when such coincidences arise, she said. "It's an opportunity to contrast and compare." The companies are making educational materials available for teachers. Fowler reported 75 teachers recently attended a presentation at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, featuring Japanese art, architecture, cultural traditions and even refreshments of sushi.
Go to www.usuoeducation.org and click on "For Teachers" for details.
- Catherine Reese Newton
