Paper Boat finds new home

Bregenz, 6.10.23. A giant paper boat that was part of the scenery for Madame Butterfly on the lake stage has found a new place to drop anchor – across the bay at the small town of Lochau.

From spring 2022 until autumn 2023, the paper boat was a prominent part of the stage set. In more than 50 performances it served as a refuge for Madame Butterfly, who every evening waited with yearning for her husband B. F. Pinkerton to return.  

New attraction
At the end of the festival on 20 August 2023, the paper boat raised its imaginary anchor for the last time and travelled to the neighbouring town as the set of Madame Butterfly was dismantled. The boat – eleven metres long and six metres high – was actually loaded by crane onto a barge that shipped it to Lochau harbour. 

The paper boat can currently be found next to the town’s harbour building. Its final resting place is not yet decided. The mayor of Lochau, Frank Matt, has posted a request on Facebook asking for any ideas on how it could be used. “So far, quite a few good ideas have come in, but it’ll be a while yet till the final decision on where the boat will stand for good and what second life might await it,” mayor Matt explained.

Madame Butterfly’s props and costumes for sale 
In mid October, everybody has the chance to take a little piece of Madame Butterfly home with them. To free up storage space for Der Freischütz, the Bregenz Festival will be holding its traditional sale of costumes and props in the Festspielhaus at Bregenz on 13 and 14 October starting at 10 a.m. Details on the sale and photos can be found here. 

(red)