MADAME BUTTERFLY

Music by Giacomo Puccini, Libretto by Giacosa and Illica

November 19 & 21
Puccini's most famous and ravishing score will fill your heart.

Cio-Cio-San, a young Japanese geisha, seeks to fulfill her dreams through marriage to an American naval officer. Her faith in their future is shattered by his empty vows and the loss she endures touches something deep within us all.

Un Bel Di

ENRICHMENT EVENTS

Lunch & Listen  |  Wednesday, November 3  |  12 noon
A collaboration with WUOL Louisville Public Media, produced in front of a live audience, featuring musical excerpts from Cavalleria Rusticana | I Pagliacci and interviews and commentaries by David Roth.
Louisville Public Media  | 619 South Fourth Street
RSVP: Kate Kleinert at 502.587.8681

Sights & Sounds | Sunday, November 7 | 1:30pm
A partnership with The Speed Art Museum, Kentucky Opera staff and guest speakers that explores an aspect from each opera as it relates to a similar theme in visual arts at that time.
The Speed Art Museum Auditorium | 2035 South Third Street

Suggested Reading & Media
ADULTS -- Books: The Geisha of Gion; the memoir of Mineko Iwasaki by Mineko Iwasaki, Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, Geisha by Liza Dalby, Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson. Media: The films of Akira Kurosawa, The Secret Life of Geisha (DVD) by A&E Television

TEENS -- Books: A Step from Heaven by An Na, Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata, American born Chinese by Gene Yang, When My Name Qas Keoko by Linda Sue Park. Media: The films of Hiyao Miyazaki

ARTISTIC TEAM

Director: David Roth
Conductor: Joseph Mechavich

Cio-Cio San Yunah Lee	Pinkerton Adam Diegel	Sharpless John Fanning	Suzuki Mika Shigematsu

Place:Nagasaki, Japan
Time:   Beginning of the 20th century

Act I – A house near a hill overlooking Nagasaki harbor

The marriage broker Goro is leading Lieutenant Pinkerton out of the house he has leased for 999 years for his Japanese bride, thought the lease is optional on a month to month basis.  Goro introduces the servants and his future wife’s maid, Suzuki.  Sharpless, the United States consul, appears out of breath from climbing the hill.  Pinkerton launches into his philosophy; a roaming Yankee getting pleasure whenever he can (Dovunque al mondo).  Sharpless disapproves.  Pinkerton sends Goro to get his bride and says how infatuated he is with the girl.  Sharpless remembers this girl as being sweet and sincere and hopes that Pinkerton will never hurt her.  Pinkerton laughs at his morals and they toast to the day Pinkerton will have an American wife.

Goro announces the arrival of Butterfly and her friends to the strains of the humming chorus.  Butterfly finally appears and bows to the two men.  Sharpless asks her about her family and finds out that they were once wealthy, but has fallen on hard times and she is forced to earn a living as a geisha.  She is 15.  Sharpless again warns Pinkerton about treating her decently.  Butterfly’s family arrives and size up Pinkerton.  Some are favorable, some are not but Butterfly insists they treat him with respect.  Butterfly shows Pinkerton her treasures including a dagger by which her father committed suicide by order of the Emperor.  She also shows him puppets that represent the spirits of her ancestors.  She tells him that she visited the American mission and renounced her Buddhist heritage to embrace her new husband’s religion. 

The Imperial Commissioner proclaims the wedding and all toast the couples’ happiness (O Kami! O Kami!).  The celebration is interrupted when Bonze comes in denouncing Butterfly for giving up her religion.  The family sides with Bonze and leaves.  Pinkerton comforts Butterfly (Viene la sera).  Butterfly recalls how her family has cast her aside but also how the most beautiful butterflies are often impaled on a pin. 

Act II – Scene 1 – Inside Butterfly’s house

Three yeas have passed and Butterfly is alone with Suzuki who is praying to her gods that Butterfly’s suffering will end.  Butterfly states that Suzuki’s gods are lazy, but Pinkerton’s God would to her rescue if he knew where she was.  With very little money left, Suzuki doubts that Pinkerton will ever return.  Butterfly is furious and reminds Suzuki that Pinkerton had arranged with the consul payment for the rent, he put locks on the doors and promised he would return.  Butterfly pictures Pinkerton’s return (Un bel di vedremo) and her joy.  Goro arrives with Sharpless who brings a letter from the lieutenant.  Butterfly welcomes him and questions him about Pinkerton.  Sharpless is evasive. 

Prince Yamadori enters and offers marriage to Butterfly, which she rejects.  She is a married woman and according to American law, divorce is a punishable offense.  Yamadori leaves and Sharpless reads the letter stating that Pinkerton is leaving Butterfly’s life forever.  Butterfly does not comprehend the meaning of the letter so he discontinues the reading.  Sharpless asks Butterfly what she would do if Pinkerton does not return and she says she would return to life as a geisha but she would rather commit suicide.  Sharpless urges her to accept Yamadori’s offer but, angered, Butterfly runs off to get her son by Pinkerton.  Sharpless is astonished and offers to inform Pinkerton of this new development.  Suzuki brings in Goro who has been making disparaging remarks about the child’s parentage.  Butterfly threatens to kill him, but dismisses him instead.  The harbor cannon announces the arrival of a ship.  Butterfly looks through a telescope to see the name Abraham Lincoln on the boat – Pinkerton’s boat.  She and Suzuki begin preparations to receive Pinkerton (Scuoti quella fronda di ciliegio).  She dresses herself as she did on her wedding day and she, Suzuki, and the child wait through the night for Pinkerton’s arrival.

Scene 2 – Inside Butterfly’s house

The sun rises to reveal Butterfly, Suzuki and the child still seated awaiting Pinkerton.  Butterfly takes the child into another room, sings a lullaby and falls asleep.  Pinkerton appears with Sharpless and Suzuki sees a strange woman in the garden.  Sharpless tells her that is Kate, Pinkerton’s wife.  They have come to take the child and see that he has a traditional American upbringing.  Sharpless tells Pinkerton that he is heartless and Pinkerton pours out his grief (Addio, fiorito asil) and leaves unable to face Butterfly.  Butterfly appears to confront Sharpless, Suzuki and Kate.  When she is told of the situation, she asks that they leave and return in half an hour.  She says goodbye to her child and stabs herself with her father’s dagger.  Pinkerton is heard calling her name.