Placido Domingo General Director GIACOMO PUCCINI MADAMA BUTTERFLY A TEACHER’S GUIDE

INTRODUCTION HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE WHAT YOU WILL SEE? LESSON STARTERS: HISTORY Opera offers a unique teaching Based on a story by Giuseppe Giacosa Your students will explore early 20th- opportunity – to explore music and Luigi Illica with music by century Japan with this production of through many different disciplines Giacomo Puccini, Madama Butterfly Madama Butterfly. This period of from literature and drama to history takes center stage for the 2006 Opera Japanese history is known as the Meiji and art. This guide and accompany- Look-In. You and your students will Restoration (1868 - 1912). The ing CDs prepare students for the experience demonstrations of musical Emperor was restored as the symbolic Opera Look-In and can also be used as and technical special effects, as well as leader, and Japan open its doors to stand-alone classroom activities and a performance of scenes with full Western trade and commerce for the resources for teachers. For applicable staging, costumes, and orchestra. The first time in more than a century. The National Standards, please contact performance will be sung in Italian Meiji Restoration provides an excellent Washington National Opera at with English supertitles projected opportunity for your students to 202.448.3462 or at education@dc- above the stage. The estimated develop their research, writing, and opera.org. running time for the Opera Look-In: technology skills. Madama Butterfly is 50 minutes with Your students received a student no intermission. guide to help them prepare for the Opera Look-In. The student guide provides musical and historical infor- LESSON STARTERS: MATHEMATICS mation about Madama Butterfly. In modern Japan, you can find Additionally, there are questions examples of both traditional and incorporated into the student guide contemporary Japanese architecture. which challenges your students to Progressive skyscrapers stand tall next think critically in each section. These to centuries-old traditional homes. EXPLORE MORE MATH! questions can lead to in-class discus- Have your students research traditional sions or provide topics for homes during the Meiji Restoration and classroom assign- the architecture of modern Japan. Your ments. students should look for repeated patterns and geometric shapes in the construction of the buildings. What are EXPLORE MORE HISTORY! the similarities and differences with Have your students research the Meiji Restoration by the architectural styles? exploring new technologies, culture, and ideas that shaped Japanese society in the early 20th century. Students can also research Japanese influences that are incorporated into American society today. This assign- ment allows students to explore cultural connections to the past, present, and future. 1 LESSON STARTERS: LESSON STARTERS: MUSIC LANGUAGE ARTS composing Madama Butterfly and In many cultures, folk music allows For centuries, Western composers have Turandot, Puccini listened to a large people to convey their feelings, introduced elements of non-European number of recordings of traditional describe working conditions, or share a music into their compositions. This Japanese and Chinese folk music and story. Even today, Japanese school practice dates from the 1700s with incorporated certain elements into his children continue to learn about their Mozart and Beethoven who were both own compositions. culture through folk music. There are greatly influenced by Turkish culture. numerous instruments that are used to Puccini, who was Italian by birth, also In many operas, performers might play traditional folk music, including chose to write about cultures that were sing a role that is often of a different the samisen and shakuhachi. foreign to him in three of his operas: race or ethnicity than their own. This Madama Butterfly, Turandot, and The type of casting is called “color-blind” Samisen (sam-i-sen) The samisen is a Girl of the Golden West. Puccini's or “blind casting” where singers are long three-stringed instrument similar decision to look outside his own cast according to a specific voice type to the length of a guitar. The musician country for inspiration was largely a that best suits the character. For plays the samisen with a plectrum or reflection of the trend in Western example, the famed Greek opera pick called a bachi. When plucked, the Europe. Europeans in the 19th- singer, Maria Callas, and the great samisen creates a century were learning more about African-American opera singer buzzing sound Asian and American culture than ever Leontyne Price both performed the known as a before through monumental events title role of Madama Butterfly with sawari. such as the World's Fair in Chicago some of the most well known opera The and through easier transportation. companies throughout the world. samisen Playwrights and composers wanted to Operas also cast performers in what is can be include these new influences in their known as trouser/pant roles — where played solo work, not only to appeal to their women will perform a character that is or with an audiences, but also because of their the opposite gender of their own. ensemble of own fascination with the musical dif- Even though this form of casting is other ferences of these regions. Before not reflected in Madama Butterfly, samisens, tradi- there are many examples of this type tional instru- of casting, such as the role of ments, or accom- Hansel in Hansel and panied by singing. Gretel, when the role is sung by a Shakuhachi EXPLORE MORE LANGUAGE ARTS! female mezzo- (sha-ku-ha-chi ) With your students discuss the following questions: soprano. The shakuhachi is
Why did Puccini set many of his operas in an end blown flute, foreign countries? usually made from
Does this lead to an accurate portrayal of different cultures? bamboo and held vertically similar to a
What are the positive and challenging aspects recorder. Shakuhachi musicians blow across the instrument, similar to of writing about a different culture?
With your students, have an open discussion about blind casting.
What are some of the positive and challenging aspects of blind casting? 2 LESSON STARTERS: VISUAL ARTS blowing across an empty bottle, but At the turn of the 20th-century, Lautrec, Vincent Van Gogh, and Mary the end of the Western Europe became fascinated Cassatt were inspired by the ukiyo-e, shakuhachi has a with the art and culture of Japan. traditional woodblock prints, which sharp edge that During the Meiji Restoration, Japan later influenced their own artwork. slightly bends once again opened its borders to the This artistic influence is known as which allows the West and the exchange of culture and Japonisme. musician to ideas flourished. Artwork from Japan control the inspired musicians and artists alike in pitch. There are Western Europe and the United States. five finger holes Painters such as Henri Toulouse- drilled into the EXPLORE MORE ART! shakuhachi Have your students compare Japanese and the ukiyo-e prints with the work of musicians can Impressionist and Post Impressionist partially artists such as Toulouse-Lautrec's cover the Moulin Rouge: La Goulue and The holes or Irises by Vincent Van Gogh. If you are control the blowing angle to unable to visit your local museum, you the vary the pitch and sound. and your students can research art museum collections online. Visit the When visiting Japan today, you can Metropolitan Museum of Art at hear both instruments in performances www.met.org, Art Institute of Chicago of traditional Japanese theater called at www.artic.edu, or the National kabuki. The shakuhachi and samisen Gallery of Art at www.nga.gov for continue to have a strong presence these artistic styles. with Japanese culture as the next gen- eration begins to use these instruments in folk music, jazz, and other modern WOODBLOCK PRINT pieces.

EXPLORE MORE MUSIC!
The samisen and shakuhachi, were popular traditional Japanese instruments that strongly influenced folk music. As your students learn the story and music of Madama Butterfly, also play music selections of traditional Japanese folk melodies.
Ask your students if Puccini incorporated some these musical elements into Madama Butterfly.

3 Placido Domingo General Director

EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS RESOURCE LIST Check these resources for more information. ARE MADE POSSIBLE BY BOOKS THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THESE FUNDERS: Fisher, Burton D. Madama Butterfly: Opera Classic Library Series Opera Journeys Publication, 2005. $50,000 and above Mr. and Mrs. John Pohanka Fucikova, Renáta. Madame Butterfly Purple Bear Book, 2005. (Children's book for grades 3-6) $25,000 and above The Bank of America Charitable Foundation Van Rij, Jan. Madama Butterfly: Japonisme, Puccini, Prince Charitable Trusts and the Search for the Real Cho-Cho-San Stone Bridge Press, 2001. $10,000 and above RECORDINGS DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and Madama Butterfly, EMI Classics, 1997. the National Endowment for the Arts Puccini: Madama Butterfly (Highlights), RCA 1999 Clark-Winchcole Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Ken Feinberg GEISHA INFORMATION www.immortalgeisha.com Jacob & Charlotte Lehrman Foundation www.japancorner.com/geisha.asp Philip L. Graham Fund www.japanesekimono.com/index.htm The Washington Post Company JAPANESE HISTORY AND $5,000 and above THE MEIJI RESTORATION http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/japan/japanworkbook/ The Honorable Max N. Berry and Mrs. Berry modernhist/meiji.html Mr. and Mrs. Melvin S. Cohen www2.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/meiji.htm International Humanities Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Rotberg JAPONISME www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/jpon/hd_jpon.htm www.tate.org.uk/collections/glossary $2,500 and above www.nagoyatv.com/ukiyoe/museum Mr. Walter Arnheim The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation MADAMA BUTTERFLY Target BACKGROUND INFORMATION The K.P. and Phoebe Tsolainos Foundation www.dc-opera.org www.npr.org/templates/story www.r-ds.com/pucciniana.htm $1,000 and above Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Professor Martin Ginsburg For more information on the programs offered by Horwitz Family Foundation Washington National Opera, please visit our website George Wasserman Family Foundation, Inc. at www.dc-opera.org or contact the Education and Community Programs of the Washington National Ms. Diane Wolf Opera with any questions and/or requests for addi- tional information at 202.448.3465 or [email protected]

Some students at today's event are CREDITS Editors: Michelle Krisel, Director of the Center participating in the Arts for Every Lead Writer and Editor: for Education and Training Student Program, an initiative of Stephanie M. Wright, Education and Caryn Fraim, Associate Director, Education and the DC Arts and Humanities Community Programs Manager Community Programs Education Collaborative. Rebecca Kirk, Education and Writers: Community Programs Associate Cory Davis, Education Intern Joanna Ruf, Education Intern Design: Suzan Reed, Suzan Reed Graphics