Boston Lyric Opera has announced the public phase of “The Butterfly Process,” its comprehensive exploration of how historic operas like Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” can be presented more thoughtfully and inclusively in contemporary times.

After having shelved the work, the company noted that the new project will bring together the cast of its planned 2021 production along with other artists, company staff, and scholars for a series of public conversations. The company will also create an artist-centered dialogue about the challenges of presenting traditional operas, as well as public resources for opera companies who produce them.   

The project was born in the wake of BLO’s decision to take “Madama Butterfly” off its current season, following COVID delays and after a rise in anti-Asian violence earlier this year.

BLO’s Stanford Calderwood Acting General & Artistic Director Bradley Vernatter said that even if the opera is one of the most beloved and performed, “the opera has a complicated history that needs examination and contextualization today. Issues of cultural appropriation, racial and gender stereotypes, and the wide-ranging impact on Asian artists are among the topics to be addressed in ‘The Butterfly Process.'”

He added, “‘The Butterfly Process’ gives us a chance to unpack layers of the ‘Butterfly’ story and address the issues it raises in dialogue with company leadership, artists, audiences, and the communities impacted by the opera We are learning more about the effect of stories like Butterfly on communities that face discrimination. This process is part of BLO’s commitment to inclusive storytelling; it will address the change and rebalancing needed in our art form, and develop tools to engage with similar operas in the repertoire. I believe we can move beyond traditional storytelling expectations and build stronger collaborative relationships with our artists and our community.”