Memoirs of a Geisha

Madama Butterfly

Giacomo Puccini

High Notes

Callas performed the role of Butterfly, but not as frequently as most of her repertoire.  This is not the case for most sopranos.  Butterfly is the most frequently performed role in the United States.  Butterfly's "Un bel di" is the most popular piece.  The aria, which has an Asian flair that is characteristic of the opera itself, ends with a triumphant repetition of B flats

Tragedia giapponese (Japanese tragedy) in two or three acts, 2 hours
Composed from 1902 to 1903
Set to a libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica, after David Belasco's 1900 play Madame Butterfly, itself based on John Luther Long's short story, which was partly based Pierre Loti's tale Madame Chrysantheme
First performed in Milan, Italy, Teatro alla Scala, on 17 February, 1904.

The cast at the premiere included Rosina Storchio (Butterfly), Giovanni Zenatello (Pinkerton) and Giuseppe de Luca (Sharpless).

Principle Roles

• Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly), a geisha.....soprano
• B. F. Pinkerton, Lieutenant in the United States Navy.....tenor
• Suzuki, Cio-Cio-San's maidservant.....mezzo-soprano
• Sharpless, United States consul in Nagasaki.....baritone
• Goro, a marriage broker.....tenor
• Kate Pinkerton, Pinkerton's American wife.....mezzo-soprano

The Story

Goro shows Pinkerton the house in which he will be living after his marriage to Cio-Cio-San. Pinkerton tells Sharpless, who has joined Pinkerton, that the house is on a long lease that can be terminated at a month's notice. Pinkerton compares the lease to his upcoming marriage since he has no intention of spending his life with Cio-Cio-San. Cio-Cio-San arrives with her family and the two are wed. The celebrations are interuppted when The Bonze, Cio-Cio-San's uncle, curses Cio-Cio-San for forsaking the religion of her home and converting to Christianity. As the guests leave, Cio-Cio-San is left alone with a man for the first time. Three years into the future and Cio-Cio-San is patienltly awaiting the return of Pinkerton, who has yet to learn of their son. Pinkerton's return is proceeded by a letter that Pinkerton has sent to sharpless to explain his current situation. Pinkerton arrives in Nagasaki with Kate, his new American wife. Upon learning this, Cio-Cio-San stabs herself with the same knife her father had used when ordered to commit suicide by the emperor.

Notable Incipits

• "Dovunque al mondo" (Pinkerton)
• "Vieni la sera" (Butterfly & Pinkerton)
• "Un bel di vedremo" (Butterfly)
• "Che tua madre dovra" (Butterfly)
• "Scuoti quella fronda di ciliego" (Butterfly & Suzuki)
• Coro a bocca chiusa (Humming Chorus)
• "Addio, fiorito asil" (Pinkerton & Sharpless)
• "Tu? tu? tu? tu? Piccolo Iddio!" (Butterfly)

Recommended Recordings

• Callas (Butterlfy), Gedda (Pinkerton), Danielli (Suzuki)
• Freni (Butterfly), Carreras (Pinkerton), Berganza (Suzuki)
• Scotto (Butterfly), Bergonzi (Pinkerton), Di Stasio (Suzuki)

Upcoming Performances

• November 2008 - Dublin (Opera Ireland)
• November 2008 - Vienna (Volk)
• November & December 2008 - Melbourne (Opera Australia)
• November 2008-March 2009 - New York (Metropolitan)
• December 2008 & January 2009 - Chicago (Opera)
• December 2008-March 2009 - Budapest (Staatsoper)
• December 2008-March 2009 - Sydney (Opera Australia)
• December 2008-June 2009 - Prague (Statni)
• January-March 2009 - Paris (Opera)
• January-May 2009 - Vienna (Staatsoper)
• March 2009 - Hamburg (Staatsoper)
• April 2009 - Moscow (Bolshoi)
• April & May 2009 - Miami (Grand)
• May 2009 - Munich (Staatsoper)
• May 2009 - San Diego (Opera)
• May 2009 - Venice (La Fenice)
• May & June 2009 - Berlin (Deutsche)
• May & June 2009 - Berlin (Komische)
• June 2009 - London (English National Opera)
• October 2009 - Buenos Aires (Colon)