An American naval officer is making arrangements to rent a house in Japan. Moments later we learn that the American, B.F. Pinkerton by name, is an officer but not a gentleman.

Welcome to Hawaii Opera Theatre’s latest production of "Madam Butterfly." It is an exquisitely staged treatment of one of the best known operas this side of Wagner. The beauty of the principal voices transcends language. So does the acting. Add beautiful if anachronistic costumes, imaginative lighting and the single multilevel set, and HOT’s "Madam Butterfly" should be considered a "must see" for first-timers as well as for dedicated fans.

Lina Tetriani (Cio-Cio-San) immerses herself in the role of the naive and idealistic 15-year-old geisha who marries Pinkerton with the expectation that he intends to be her loving husband until death do they part, and then renounces her family, her country and her religious faith for him. To borrow a phrase from William Jefferson Clinton, in Tetriani’s powerful soprano voice and expressive acting we feel Cio-Cio-San’s pain. We also feel her hope, her optimism, her joy, and her final commitment to the Japanese credo: "Who cannot live with honor must die with honor."

Daniel Sutin (Sharpless) brings a rich baritone and appropriate gravity to the role of the American consul. Sharpless warns Pinkerton against his callous plan to discard Cio-Cio-San when it suits him. Sharpless then becomes a mute witness to the tragedy that follows.

Mezzo-soprano Ning Liang (Suzuki) is perfectly cast as the loyal maid. Her duets with Tetriani are superb, as are her solos.

Jamie Offenbach (The Bonze) is a terrifying presence as the voice of tradition who condemns Cio-Cio-San for renouncing her ancestral religion and becoming a Christian. Jeffrey Halili (Goro) adds an occasional light moment as the mercenary marriage broker/real estate agent.

Eric Margiore (Pinkerton) is such a convincing cad that many in the opening-night audience booed him during his curtain call — of course there was no question that the boos were for Pinkerton, not for Margiore’s acting or for his rich and passionate tenor.

Pinkerton quickly registers as despicable during his first conversation with Sharpless, but when Margiore and Tetriani are working together in the lengthy wedding night scene that closes Act I, Pinkerton seems every bit as in love with Cio-Cio-San as she is with him. The long duet, performed as Margiore is undressing Tetriani down to a simple red under-kimono, is romantic despite our knowledge of Pinkerton’s long-term plans. It is a remarkable performance by Margiore and Tetriani alike.

Margiore’s final scene — Pinkerton returns to Japan after a three-year absence, bringing his "real" American wife with him — is excellently played as well. Margiore makes the man’s self-pitying mea culpa, "guilt will torment me forever," sincere yet empty in equal parts.

Director Henry Akina uses giant Japanese lanterns carried by "invisible" kuroko (stagehands) to heighten the fanciful aspects of the story. The vigil scene — part reality, part dream or hallucination — where Cio-Cio-San spends the night waiting for Pinkerton to come up the hill from his anchored ship is staged in marvelous style. Conductor Ivan Torzs and the HOT Orchestra do justice to Puccini’s score throughout.