fabric called a a called fabric single b a from made traditionally They’re sleeves. l collars and ankle, with attached the to falls hem wornso robes straight-lined T-shaped, are Kimonos "wear" and and "wear" what Cio-Cio-San traditionally chooses in in chooses traditionally Cio-Cio-San what sword. withveina jugular the bycutting performed Jigai hara-kiri. as incorrectly knownalso is practice enemy. The an of hands the into than fall rather die, to samurai a wayfor honorable an as reserved originally suicide, ritual Japanese male of a isform Seppuku communic artof the in as well as games, and music, such arts, Japanese traditional in various trained a They occasions. other and banquets, meals, during Geisha wear" ( to a "thing means literally word"kimono" children. and The women, wornbymen, garment The Culture Japanese with Fascination dress, and customs. customs. and dress, Butterfly Puccini’s America. and Europe in blossomed Japan in interest west 1854, the in to Japan open After Commodore Matthew Perry negotiated a treaty t treaty a PerryMatthewnegotiated Commodore After

Kimono is the Japanese word for female ritual suicide, suicide, ritual female Japanese wordfor is the are professional entertainers who attend to guests to attend who entertainers professional are provided some glimpses into Japanese culture, culture, Japanese into glimpses some provided (stomach cutting) (stomach mono is a traditional a istraditional tan "thing"). measuring about 14 inches wide and incheswideand 14 about measuring ki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Geisha-kyoto-2004-11-21.jpg a sash called an an called sash a bysecured and burial) for dead the dressing when right the over side left the alwayswith body, the around wrapped Kimonos are kimono. one used make to is bolt entire the long; yards 12½ The The back. the at tied is which festivals. festivals. at summerand the during worn kimono cotton light

yukata kimono yukatakimono MadamaButterfly

Madama Madama (except (except ong, wideong, as dance, asdance, obi olt of olt This is This

by Jill Leahy Jill Leahy by ation. ation. that the thatthe re re , o

is a

. .

generoussupporters: thanksEducation our PittsburghOpera 412-281-0912ext242 [email protected] of DirectorEducation MarilynEgan, Ph.D.Michalka pleaseprograms, contact: PittsburghOpera's education moreinformationFor on Anne L. & George H. Clapp Charitable Trust Trust Charitable Clapp H. George & L. Anne Pennsylvania Department of Community & & Community of Department Pennsylvania The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. Inc. Group, Services Financial PNC The McCreery Fund of The Buhl Foundation Foundation Buhl The of Fund McCreery Pennsylvania Department of Education Education of Department Pennsylvania William V. & Catherine A. McKinney McKinney A. Catherine & V. William Frick Fund of The Buhl Foundation Foundation Buhl The of Fund Frick Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Shield Blue Cross Blue Highmark Allegheny Regional Asset District District Asset Regional Allegheny Pennsylvania Council on the the on Arts Council Pennsylvania Bobby Rahal Motorcar Company Company Motorcar Rahal Bobby National Endowment for the Arts Arts the for Endowment National United States Steel Corporation Corporation Steel States United Clearview Federal Credit Union Union Credit Federal Clearview The Guilds of Pittsburgh Opera Pittsburgh of Guilds The American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. Outfitters, Eagle American Pittsburgh, PA15222 First Commonwealth Financial Financial Commonwealth First The Berkman Charitable Trust Trust Charitable Berkman The 2425 Liberty Avenue www.pittsburghopera.org BRIDGES & Company, Inc. Inc. Company, & BRIDGES Fort Pitt Capital Group, Inc. Inc. Group, Capital FortPitt Economic Development Development Economic Jack Buncher Foundation Foundation Buncher Jack The Massaro Corporation Corporation Massaro The Charitable Foundation Foundation Charitable Chautauqua Opera Guild Guild Opera Chautauqua R. K. Mellon Foundation Foundation Mellon K. R. The Heinz Endowments Endowments Heinz The Giant Eagle Foundation Foundation Eagle Giant The Grable Foundation Foundation Grable The The Hearst Foundation Foundation Hearst The Bayer USA Foundation Foundation USA Bayer UPMC Health System UPMCHealth Eden Hall Foundation Foundation Hall Eden Benedum Foundation Foundation Benedum Dominion Foundation Foundation Dominion Pittsburgh Opera Hefren-Tillotson, Inc. Hefren-Tillotson, Triangle Tech Group Tech Triangle PPG Industries, Inc. Inc. Industries, PPG Eaton Corporation Corporation Eaton FISA Foundation Foundation FISA EQT Foundation Foundation EQT Reed Smith LLP LLP Smith Reed Levin Furniture Furniture Levin

The Techs Techs The

Madama Butterfly Music by Giacomo Puccini Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica Study Guide to the Opera

Artwork L to R: Cover of the 1903 edition of Long's Madame Butterfly , artwork by C. Yarnall Abbott, published in Century Magazine in 1898 • Blanche Bates in Belasco’s semi-autobiographical semi-autobiographical published Loti Pierre novelist French 1887, In viewed Japan in the the early20in Japan viewed likely influence and languages into many translated Japan. T Nagasaki, in wasstationed whilehe geisha play Madame Butterfly , artwork by Sigismond Ivanowski, published in Century Magazine in 1900 • Poster by Adolfo Hohenstein for Puccini's opera Madama Butterfly Story Opera an of Evolution The Long wrote a a wrote Long time, this included some details in the novella titled novellatitled the in details some included worwithLoti’s familiar was probably Long husband. Japan time in her of sister’srecollections his on first published in 1898 in the popular quarterly popular in the in 1898 published first story into a a storyinto producer/playwright, David a famous Belasco, asked throng commanded that Puccini appear in front of th of in front appear Puccini that commanded throng female character would work perfectly for his style for would work perfectly character female believedhe th English, understand didn’t he though later London in drama Puccini sawthe Giacomo when

Luther Long wrote: wrote: Long Luther of in each characters the in differences are There loudl showed dissatisfaction its the audience 1904, However, at operas.” tech and “best one his of considered what he create some even maybe and play, Belasco’s novella, Long’s Giuseppe and Illica Luigi withlibrettists Working it—some good, some bad. But, happily, they who like they happily, who But, bad. some good, it—some Butterfly comes back she will be a song! Sad, sad indeed,but sad Sad, song! a be will she back comes saw her, Puccini Signore in London, sea, where, the be they forthem. And play a bigger write to had we hersel and Bates* Miss made and stage the upon went entirel lived—not and hearts, hard pretty some into so she laughed not; didand who morethey than were deemed a fiasco. Puccini reworked the entire score score entire the reworked Puccini a fiasco. deemed American lawyer John Luther Luther lawyer John American Around Production Photo by Tim Matheson at Vancouver Opera

opened to success in Brescia in May 1904; the the enth May 1904; in Brescia in success to opened play short short story . It premiered in New York in 1900. Historians note Historians 1900. New in Yorkin premiered It .

“The people read it, and said and wrote things things abou and saidwrote and read it, people “The journal Madama Butterfly’s Madama based based th century. of a naval officer who was married to a to waswhomarried officer a naval of * Blanche* depicted Bates in centerillustration. Se

Madame Chrysanthème, MadameChrysanthème, several years. years. several for waswidely performed and 1893 in in Paris performed wasfirst AndréMessager, composer French transformed into an into transformed premiere in Milan in February Milan in premiere Madame Butterfly, MadameButterfly, Madame Chrysanthème, Chrysanthème, Madame Century Magazine Century with her missionary withmissionary her Giacosa, Puccini used Puccini Giacosa, d how westerners how d westerners these evolutions. John John evolutions. these of opera. opera. of he popular novel was novel popular he y in vain. And then she she then And vain. in y y and the yand ckoned for her across across her for ckoned at the story and tragic storyand the at k and may have have may and k nically advanced nicallyadvanced and and e curtain ten times. ten curtain e and when she she when and yet a song!” a yet d to transform the transform to and wept her way way her wept and of Loti’s journal to journal to Loti’s of

that year, year, even that f so famous that sofamousthat f Cho-Cho-San Cho-Cho-San

Madama opera which waswhich usiastic usiastic opera e atcitations left.

by the bythe . Long . by Jill Leahy Jill Leahy by

that that was a a t

Madama Butterfly Synopsis Characters of the Opera Puccini’s Famous Fiasco

by Jill Leahy ACT I. Nagasaki, around 1900. U.S. Navy Lieutenant B. F. Cio-Cio-San (Madama Butterfly) Giacomo Puccini bequeathed us a [choh-choh-SAHN] soprano Pinkerton inspects the house he has leased for 999 years magnificent musical legacy, despite A 15-year-old geisha who marries the fact that many events during his from a marriage broker, Goro. Included with the house are Pinkerton. Their son is called Sorrow, three servants including Suzuki, the maid. They are Trouble, or Dolore [doh-LOH-reh]. lifetime didn’t go his way. None of expecting the bride, Cio-Cio-San, known as Madama his later operas was an immediate Butterfly, whom Pinkerton has purchased for 100 yen. To Benjamin Franklin success, including La bohème (1896), Tosca (1900), Madama the American Consul, Sharpless, Pinkerton describes the Pinkerton tenor carefree philosophy of a sailor roaming the world in search A lieutenant in the U.S. navy who Butterfly (1904), and Turandot (left of pleasure (Dovunque al mondo) . For the moment, he is marries Cio-Cio-San during his time unfinished when he died in 1924). enchanted with the fragile Butterfly, but when Sharpless in Nagasaki. He promises he will La bohème met with mixed reviews, warns that Butterfly may not take her vows so lightly, return to her “when the robins nest". while Tosca , though liked by audiences, was panned by critics. Pinkerton brushes aside such scruples, saying he will one How to tie an obi around a kimono Trouble day marry a “real” American wife. Butterfly is heard in the But the most often reported and Son of Cio-Cio-San and Pinkerton. most richly described fiasco was Giacomo Antonio distance joyously singing of her wedding (Ancora un passo or via) . Entering surrounded by associated with the premiere of Domenico Michele friends and family, Pinkerton’s fifteen-year-old bride tells him how she had to earn her living as a Suzuki mezzo-soprano geisha when her family fell on hard times. In a quiet moment (Vieni, amor mio!) , Butterfly displays Madama Butterfly at La Scala Secondo Maria Puccini [soo-ZOO-kee] (1858—1924) her few possessions—including figures of her ancestors—and then reveals that she has converted Butterfly’s faithful servant and friend. theater in Milan in February 1904.

to Christianity. The celebration is interrupted by Butterfly’s uncle, a Buddhist monk, who curses Music historians Chadwick Jenkins and John Rizzo describe the Butterfly for having renounced her ancestral religion. Pinkerton angrily sends the guests away. Sharpless baritone scene: 19 th -century Italian opera patrons took opera very U.S. Consul at Nagasaki and friend of Alone with the distraught Butterfly, he dries her tears (Viene la sera) and they proclaim their love seriously. Audiences were very familiar with the works of major under the immense starry sky (Vogliateme bene, un bene piccolino) . Pinkerton who warns him about the seriousness of marrying Cio-Cio-San. composers and had high expectations for new operas. When Intermission audience members didn't like ACT II. Scene 1 Three years later, Butterfly waits for her husband’s return. As Suzuki prays Giuseppe Verdi coined the Goro [GOH-roh] tenor something, they expressed their (E Izaghi ed Izanami) , her mistress stands with her eyes fixed on the harbor. When Suzuki shows word fiasco to describe a Arranges a marriage between feelings then and there—no waiting complete failure, especially her how little money is left, Butterfly urges her to have faith—one fine day Pinkerton’s ship will Pinkerton and Cio-Cio-San. for published reviews. Also it was appear on the horizon (Un bel dì vedremo) . Sharpless brings a letter from the lieutenant, but a ludicrous or humiliating common for an organized body of one. In mid 19 th -century before he can read it to Butterfly, Goro appears with a handsome and wealthy suitor, Prince Bonze bass professional applauders or Italian, the phrase fare Yamadori. Brusquely dismissing both broker and prince, Butterfly insists her husband has not (Bonzo) [BOHN-zoh] detractors, known as a claque, to deserted her. Sharpless tries again to read the letter and suggests Pinkerton may not return fiasco meant "to make a Butterfly’s uncle, a Buddhist priest be hired to attend performances. bottle," which took on the (Ora a noi) . Butterfly triumphantly carries in her child, Trouble, proclaiming that as soon as who curses her for renouncing That’s the speculation about what Pinkerton knows he has a son he surely will come back. If he does not, she would rather die than Buddhism, the faith of their ancestors. meaning "to fail in a happened at the sold-out premiere. performance." return to her former life. Both moved and frustrated by her blind faith, Sharpless leaves without revealing the rest of the letter. Butterfly, on the point of despair, hears a cannon shot. Now delirious Kate Pinkerton The trouble began that evening at Butterfly’s entrance. Some with joy on seeing Pinkerton’s ship entering the harbor, she orders Suzuki to help fill the house with mezzo-soprano audience members shouted, "That's from Bohème!" Things were B. F. Pinkerton’s American wife. blossoms (Flower Duet: Una nave de guerra) . Expecting Pinkerton to come running, Butterfly not helped either when a gust of air caused the prima donna's settles down to wait with Suzuki and little Trouble (Humming Chorus: Coro a bocca chiusa) . skirt to billow up, provoking a cry of "Butterfly is pregnant!" Prince Yamadori baritone [yah-mah-DOH-ree] Puccini's "Humming Chorus" provided another opportunity for Scene 2 When Pinkerton still has not arrived at dawn, Suzuki insists that Butterfly rest. Before long, A wealthy prince who wishes to marry buffoonery. In an attempt to outdo Belasco's intense realism, the Sharpless enters with Pinkerton and Kate, his American wife. When Suzuki realizes who the Cio-Cio-San. opera's producer placed performers with bird-whistles woman is, she tearfully agrees to aid in breaking the news to her mistress. Seized with remorse, throughout the opera house to accompany the dawn after Pinkerton bids an anguished farewell to the scene of his former happiness (Addio, fiorito asil) and Imperial Commissioner Butterfly's sleepless night. Unwilling to allow such a boon to Yakuside then rushes away. When Butterfly comes in expecting to find him, she finds Kate instead. Guessing The Official Registrar pass unnoticed, the audience joined in with various animal the truth, the shattered Butterfly agrees to give up her child if his father will return for him. Then, Relatives and servants sounds of their own, reducing the poetic gesture to lunacy. sending even Suzuki away, she takes out the dagger with which her father committed Seppuku and bows before a statue of Buddha, choosing to die with honor rather than live in disgrace. As she Madama Butterfly continues to Small wonder that Puccini closed the production, returned his raises the blade, Suzuki pushes the child into the room. Sobbing farewell, Butterfly sends him into appear in the standard operatic fee, and reworked the score again and again, for Brescia, New the garden to play, then stabs herself (Con onor muore) . As she dies, Pinkerton is heard calling repertoire and it ranks as the 7 th York, and Paris. The fifth and final version is known as the her name. Adapted from Opera News most-performed opera worldwide. "standard version" and is the one that's most often performed. Operabase