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THE INSIDER'S LOOK

The Facts
Composer: Giacomo Puccini
Librettist: Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica
Debut: Milan's Teatro alla Scala on May 28, 1904

The Players
Cio-Cio San [Madame Butterfly] (soprano): a geisha girl; marries Pinkerton
Suzuki (mezzo-soprano): Butterfly's maid
B.F. Pinkerton (tenor): a lieutenant; marries Butterfly and then Kate
Kate Pinkerton (mezzo-soprano): American wife of Pinkerton
Dolore (silent): son of Butterfly and Pinkerton

Listen For…
The aria sung by Butterfly in Act II, Un bel di vedremo, where she sings of her faith that Pinkerton will return to live with her again.

Other great selections include:
-Viene la sera (Butterfly and Pinkerton)
-Scuoti quella fronda di ciliegio (Butterfly and Suzuki)
-Humming Chorus
-Addio, fiorito asil (Pinkerton)

Did You Know?
While visiting London, Puccini attended David Belasco's play Madam Butterfly and was so inspired that he commissioned two librettists, Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, to write an opera with the same subject.

The first performance was a flop. The audience mocked the performers and panned the music. A revised version premiered three months later and was better received.

This opera is now number one on OPERA America's list of 20 most-performed operas in North America.

The musical Miss Saigon is based on Madama Butterfly, but is set during the Vietnam war.

Multimedia Extras
An Introduction to Madama Butterfly
Listen to a podcast with David Gockley, the General Director of San Francisco Opera as he gives an overview of the world's most popular opera. Courtesy of San Francisco Opera.

Excerpts from the Production
See clips from San Francisco Opera's production and see the same costumes and sets to be used in Opera Colorado's production! Courtesy of San Francisco Opera.

Opera Talk! Madama Butterfly
San Diego Opera Education Director Dr. Nicolas Reveles discusses the stormy history, lasting influence and universal appeal of one of the most-often performed operas in the repertoire. Courtesy of San Diego Opera.