Opera lovers, take note: a Puccini-packed weekend is on the horizon in West Michigan.
Fans of Giacomo Puccini will have a rare chance to experience not one but two of the composer’s most beloved operas across the same weekend, courtesy of Opera Grand Rapids and West Michigan Opera Project.
Madama Butterfly
First up, Opera Grand Rapids closes its 2025–26 season with a bold reimagining of Madama Butterfly, May 15–16 at 7:30 p.m. at DeVos Performance Hall. Following last fall’s lively HMS Pinafore, the company turns to one of opera’s most emotionally powerful works, centering on Cio-Cio-San, a young woman in Nagasaki whose marriage to an American naval officer ends in heartbreak.
This production marks the company’s first international co-production, created in partnership with Calgary Opera and Arizona Opera, and led by an all-female Asian American and Pacific Islander creative team. Set in post-World War II Nagasaki, the reimagined staging brings a fresh, culturally informed perspective to Puccini’s lush, unforgettable score. Tickets start at $27, with $5 student tickets available HERE.
La Bohème
Across the same weekend, West Michigan Opera Project presents La Bohème in a semi-staged production that brings Puccini’s Parisian masterpiece to both Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids.
The opera opens Friday, May 15 at 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Kalamazoo, in collaboration with the Kalamazoo Philharmonia and Kalamazoo Children’s Chorus.
The production then arrives in Grand Rapids for a free performance Sunday, May 17 at 3 p.m. at Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain St NE, with RSVP requested.
One of the most cherished works in the repertoire, La Bohème follows a circle of young artists in Paris navigating love, ambition and loss, anchored by the tender, tragic romance between Rodolfo and Mimì. Presented in an accessible, semi-staged format, the production blends expressive singing with live orchestral collaboration, offering an intimate way to experience Puccini’s sweeping score.
RSVP for La Bohème HERE.
Two companies, two cities and two iconic operas — all in one weekend. Puccini would approve.
