A tragic opera by Puccini that tells the tragic story of a devoted geisha wife willing to do anything in the name of love.

As befitting Opera Australia, the costumes and set were lavish, yet refined. The OA website described the design aesthetic of the two set and costume designers:

The pair turned to Japanese traditions to create this world of beauty and passion.

Costumes of brilliant colour and fabrics that move sensuously, billowing in the performer's wake come from the traditions of Kabuki Theatre. From Noh Theatre, the striking spare wooden platforms and timber bridges, a floating world about a moat of water. From the traditions of Zen Buddhism, a commitment to restrained simplicity and a respect for the elements.

There are moments of breathtaking beauty in their use of wood, the movement of gossamer silks and the combination of water and flame. The Japan that Pinkerton sees is an ethereal, exotic world — fragile and beautiful, like the innocent Butterfly that he so desires.