Pittsburgh Opera presents Madama Butterfly, featuring an entirely Japanese and Japanese-American creative team, March 2025.

Pittsburgh Opera will present Madama Butterfly in March 2025 with an entirely Japanese and Japanese-American creative team. PennsylvAsia readers can save 20% on tickets through an exclusive promo code.

MADAMA BUTTERFLY

Music by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa • MARCH 22, 25, 28, 30, 2025

His escape is her cage.

In this groundbreaking new production created by an all-Japanese and Japanese American creative team, Madama Butterfly’s story is transported to a fantastical realm where reality and dreams intersect.

Pinkerton puts on a VR headset and transports us into a vibrant virtual reality playground where he has ultimate control. As his avatar, a U.S. Navy Lieutenant, he can seduce and marry his fantasy girl and abandon her just as easily. But to Cio-Cio San, this is no game and the love and betrayal she feels is all too real.

Enveloped in Puccini’s stunning music, this visually beautiful production is the perfect match. Pittsburgh Opera is proud to partner with Cincinnati Opera, Detroit Opera, and Utah Opera to co-produce this reinvention of Puccini’s classic, uncovering new and resonant meaning for all audiences to enjoy.

 

Pennsylvasia readers can save 20% with the promo code POASIA!

Tickets are now available online. The performances are held at the Benedum Center in downtown's Cultural District (map).

Fanmade: Enhypen in Pittsburgh, November 8 and 9.

The 2024 documentary Fanmade: Enhypen will play in Pittsburgh on November 8 and 9.

FANMADE offers a peek into the global K-pop sensation ENHYPEN's journey and their deep connection to their fans, called ENGENEs, during their tour.

The Hollywood Reporter writes:

The film follows parallel journeys between the group and Engenes. It will show Enhypen as they perform on their U.S. arena tour, building towards the Samsung Galaxy Fanmade concert, where five female fans come together to create a unique experience for the band and the fans, according to a release.

It is scheduled to play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, and tickets are available online.

Asian beauty store Maison Beauty coming soon to Squirrel Hill.

Maison Beauty, an Asian skincare and cosmetics store, is coming soon to Squirrel Hill. It describes itself as "Pittsburgh’s one stop shop for all Asian Beauty products," and will be opening at 2021 Murray Ave. (map).

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan performing in Pittsburgh, November 16.

The Cloud Gate Dance Theater of Taiwan will perform in Pittsburgh on November 16.

Claimed as “Asia’s leading contemporary dance theater” (The Times), Cloud Gate has set out to engage with local history, culture, and subject matter through classical, folk, and modern dance for over 50 years. Cloud Gate combines their practices in Qi Gong, martial artist, modern dance, street dance, and ballet—transforming ancient aesthetics into a thrilling celebration of motion.

Cloud Gate shares 13 Tongues by artistic director CHENG Tsung-lung, a work based on Bangka/Wanhua, the oldest district of Taipei, and legendary 1960s street artist “Thirteen Tongues”. Through imagination and storytelling recalling childhood memories and visual art, 13 Tongues evokes centuries of human endeavor, behavior, and belief.

The performance will be held at the Byham Theater in downtown's Cultural District (map). Tickets are now available online.

Bubble tea place Tapi Lab coming soon to Oakland.

Signage is up for Tapi Lab on Fifth Ave. in Oakland. The bubble tea place will be located at 3606 Fifth Ave. (map), what was most recently, and briefly, Gussy's Bagels & Pizzeria.

Theatrical release of first three episodes of Dragon Ball DAIMA (ドラゴンボールDaima) in Pittsburgh, from November 10.

The first three episodes of the 2024 Japanese animated series Dragon Ball DAIMA (ドラゴンボールDaima) will play in the Pittsburgh area from November 10. A brief synopsis, from the distributor:

The world English dub premiere of “Dragon Ball DAIMA”, the newest series in the Dragon Ball universe, will debut in U.S. theaters, featuring the first three episodes of the series.

Before the film, there will be a special introduction from the Japanese voice of Goku, Masako Nozawa.

It is scheduled to play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, t the Cinemark theaters in McCandless, Monroeville, and Robinson, and at Pittsburgh Mills. Tickets are available online.

Upcoming Japanese animated movie OVERLORD: The Sacred Kingdom (劇場版 オーバーロード 聖王国編) in Pittsburgh, from November 7.

The upcoming Japanese animated movie OVERLORD: The Sacred Kingdom (劇場版 オーバーロード 聖王国編) will play in the Pittsburgh area from November 7.

After twelve years of playing his favorite MMORPG game, Momonga logs in for the last time only to find himself transported into its world playing it indefinitely. Throughout his adventures, his avatar ascends to the title of Sorcerer King Ains Ooal Gown. Once prosperous but now on the brink of ruin, The Sacred Kingdom enjoyed years of peace after construction of an enormous wall protecting them from neighboring invasions. But, one day this comes to an end when the Demon Emperor Jaldabaoth arrives with an army of villainous demi-humans. Fearing invasion of their own lands, the neighboring territory of the Slane Theocracy is forced to beg their enemies at the Sorcerer Kingdom for help. Heeding the call, Momonga, now known as the Sorcerer King Ains Ooal Gown, rallies the Sorcerer Kingdom and its undead army to join the fight alongside the Sacred Kingdom and the Slane Theocracy in hopes to defeat the Demon Emperor.

It is scheduled to play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theater in Robinson. Some screenings are in Japanese with English subtitles while others are dubbed in English, and tickets are available online.

Fresh International Market now eyes February 2025 opening.

Fresh International Market is eyeing a February 2025 opening for its Pittsburgh location in Point Breeze. The large Asian grocery was announced in 2023 and was initially aiming for a Summer 2024 opening. The location at 7511 Thomas Blvd (map) will also house Ineffable Cà Phê, a Vietnamese coffee shop and cafe that opened in Lawrenceville in 2017. The Fresh International Market press release from March 2023 has more details about the store:

New tenant Fresh International Market will offer authentic Asian flavors to Pittsburgh customers.

A major grocery store chain is set to open its seventh store in Pittsburgh's North Point Breeze neighborhood, within the Rockwell Park innovation center. Known for its unique selection of international ingredients and authentic Asian cuisine, the market's new store will occupy the entire 40,000 RSF Apollo building.

Of the new store, Rockwell Park Principal Al Lardo shares: "We are thrilled to welcome Fresh International Market to Rockwell Park and the North Point Breeze community. This new store will be a fantastic addition to the city's vibrant food scene. The store's unique selection of international ingredients and prepared meals will provide greater convenience and comfort for local residents." He noted that the arrival of Fresh International Market would also contribute to the continued growth and development of Rockwell Park: “The opening of Fresh International Market at Rockwell Park marks a significant milestone for the Rockwell Park’s growth and development as a hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and community engagement."

According to Fresh International Market Founder and President Bowen Kou, the store aims to become a part of the local community:

"Fresh International Market is excited to join the vibrant Rockwell Park community and offer our unique range of international brands and Asian cuisine to local residents. We are happy to become a part of this beautiful and dynamic place and look forward to contributing to its growth and development. Our goal is to be more than just a grocery store, but a destination where customers can discover new flavors and expand their culinary horizons."

The store will be located in the Apollo building on 7511 Thomas Blvd, which was built in 1906. The construction work is expected to take up to 15 months.

2023 film Godzilla Minus One (ゴジラ-1.0) returns to Pittsburgh, from October 31.

The 2023 film Godzilla Minus One (ゴジラ-1.0) will return to Pittsburgh from October 31 to mark the Godzilla franchise's 70th anniversary.

The Academy Award® Winning film is back in theatres to celebrate the King of the Monsters’ 70th anniversary, with approximately 13 minutes of exclusive bonus content to mark the release of the first film. Japan, devastated after the war, faces a new threat in the form of Godzilla. How will the country confront this impossible situation?

It is scheduled to play locally, so far, at the AMC Loews Waterfront several local theaters including the AMC Loews Waterfront, Chartiers Valley Luxury 14, and the Cinemarks in North Hills and Ronbinson through November 7, and tickets are available online.

2001 Japanese animated film Metropolis (メトロポリス) in Pittsburgh, November 3, 4, and 6.

The 2001 Japanese animated film Metropolis (メトロポリス) will play in Pittsburgh on November 3, 4, and 6 as part of an Anime Expo Cinema Nights series. (It was originally announced for shows on November 4, 7, and 10.)

Anime Expo Cinema Nights Presents: Osamu Tezuka’s Metropolis, where it's man against machine in this film based on the classic manga (comic) by Osamu Tezuka, the godfather of Japanese anime and manga. In the late 1940s, long before Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion established Osamu Tezuka as one of the most influential animators of all time, the legendary illustrator created the classic manga Metropolis. Set in the future, Metropolis is a grand city-state populated by humans and robots, the cohabitants of a strictly segmented society. Detective Shunsaku Ban and his sidekick Ken-ichi search for a rebel scientist, to arrest him and seize his latest creation, Tima, a beautiful young girl. But when they locate him, Shunsaku quickly realizes that the eccentric genius is protected by a powerful man and beyond their reach. A retro-futuristic cautionary tale, Metropolis is spectacularly rendered, combining the best in Japanese cel animation with the latest in digital technology.

It it scheduled to play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark in Robinson. Tickets are available online; please note, some shows are in Japanese with English subtitles while others are dubbed in English.