The Dallas Opera 2021-2022 - Madame Butterfly/Flight

16 SYNPOSIS ACT I (MORNING) The Controller watches the skies high above the terminal, while the Refugee watches and admires her from below. Travelers begin to arrive: a married couple, Bill and Tina, who are trying to rekindle their relationship with an adventurous vacation; an Older Woman who has come to wait for her “fiancée,” a young man many years her junior. When not performing their job duties, the Steward and Stewardess steal moments away to continue their affair. The anxious and heavily pregnant wife of a diplomat recently assigned to Minsk refuses to board the plane with her husband, and he leaves without her. As the Immigration Officer makes his rounds, the Refugee asks the passengers for assistance but they all ignore his cries. An electrical storm envelops the terminal, grounding all flights. ACT II (THAT NIGHT) While the storm continues to rage, the stranded passengers are at the mercy of their emotions. The Controller’s frustration rises as she loses control of her domain. Tina accuses Bill of not being adventurous enough in the bedroom, and the Older Woman shares her anxieties about her May-December romance. The Refugee tries to befriend each woman by giving them a “magic stone” that he claims will solve all their problems. The Steward and Stewardess attempt to engage in the normal flight routine of hot towels and duty-free items. Eventually everyone settles in to sleep. Sensing his opportunity to break out of his routine, Bill attempts an illicit affair with the Stewardess. An unexpected encounter occurs. Meanwhile, all the women realize that the Refugee has given them each a “magic stone.” Enraged, they attack him and when he falls to the floor unconscious, they hide his body in a trunk. Flight ACT III (DAWN) The storm has cleared, but the women are still reeling from the events of the previous night. Bill’s nocturnal adventures come to light and Tina knocks him unconscious. The Minskman returns for his wife just as she gives birth to their child. The Refugee awakens in the trunk. Bill awakens as an amnesiac and Tina finds a way for them to start over. The Immigration Officer arrives, and all of the travelers are moved to help the Refugee, but there is little they can do. The Refugee finally tells his tale, and the Immigration Officer decides to turn a blind eye and allow him to remain in the terminal. The travelers continue on their journeys. • THE DALLAS OPERA | 2021/2022 SEASON