Italian soprano Marcella Reale was Seattle Opera’s first Butterfly. Baritone Chris Trembanis and bass Archie Drake traded performances as Sharpless and Yamadori, and the daughter of Colleen Armstrong (then the company’s stage manager) played Trouble.

According to choirster Monte Jacobson, “Ms. Reale was a very passionate, yet delicate Butterfly. The fact that she celebrated her two hundredth performance of Butterfly on opening night was apparent from the ease and total involvement she was able to bring to the role. She really impressed her fellow performers and brought tears to our eyes in her Act II aria, ‘Che tua madre.’”