Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly was written in 1903 after the composer traveled to London and visited the Prince of York Theater. At that time, the performance "Geisha" of the American playwright Belasco was on stage. The background to the appearance of this performance is rooted in 1887, when the story of J. Long was written about the unhappy love of a Japanese priestess of entertainment, a geisha named Chio-Cio-san. This gloomy story formed the basis for the production of "Geisha", and then "Madame Butterfly." The plot of the opera exactly repeats the story of the tragic fate of a young Japanese woman.
Score and libretto
Giacomo Puccini was shocked by the content of the play and, returning to Milan, he began to write the score, having previously enlisted the support of his two friends, librettists of the La Scala theater, Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica. The composer was eager to create a vivid work that could become a masterpiece in the world of opera. I must say that his ambitions were quite natural, because the composer already had such works as Tosca and Bohemia, written earlier.
The libretto of Illika and Giacosa wrote as soon as possible, and the future opera itself was called "Madame Butterfly", which means "lady butterfly." However, Giacomo Puccini himself, as a result of his enthusiasm for motor sports, was soon injured in an accident that put him to bed for a long time. Work on the score had to be interrupted. After some time, the composer resumed work, but it progressed slowly.
Premiere
The opera Madame Butterfly, whose plot was full of tragedy, was written by Giacomo Puccini in late 1903. The premiere of the performance took place on February 17, 1904 at the La Scala Theater in Milan. Contrary to expectations, the opera Madame Butterfly, the plot of which, it would seem, could not leave anyone indifferent, was received by the audience without enthusiasm. The cause of the failure of the performance was an excessively prolonged action, the audience got bored, and by the end of the second act they began to diverge altogether.
Criticism of “Madame Butterfly” was also negative, newspaper reviews were full of words: “not figuratively”, “boring,” boring. Giacomo Puccini was depressed, but did not give up. The composer took into account all the shortcomings of the performance, divided the excessively protracted action of the production into three equal Libretto noticeably revived, events began to develop with sufficient speed, the opera took the form that the audience especially liked - the predictable, expected actions of the characters, but with a certain intrigue.
The libretto of the new play was rewritten almost completely. The authors expanded the image of the servant of Suzuki, she became a more characteristic heroine. During Pinkerton’s absence, Cio-Cio-san became close to the maid, and their relationship became friendly. The role of the mother of the protagonist has also become more significant.
Performance success
In May 1904, a new production was released. This time the play "Madame Butterfly", the plot of which was radically updated, the audience liked. Critics also responded positively. After several performances in La Scala, Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly began a triumphal march through European theaters. Later, the production will be successfully held in America.
Opera "Madame Butterfly": summary
The play is based on the story of the unhappy love of a young Japanese woman named Chio-Cio-san. The opera Madame Butterfly, the plot of which reveals the ugliness of human meanness, is built on the suffering of a cruelly deceived innocent girl.
Navy lieutenant American Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton is in love with a geisha named Cio-Cio-san, nicknamed "Butterfly." He is going to marry a girl and swears to her eternal love. In fact, the young rake started a dishonest game. In a conversation with the American consul, Sharpless, he confesses to him his intentions. The fact is that, under American law, a marriage concluded in Japan does not have legal force in the United States, and Pinkerton intends to use this fact to his advantage. Having married Chio-Cio-san, he essentially remains a free man.
Sharpless condemns the actions of Benjamin and appeals to his decency. However, for Pinkerton, it is more important to establish oneself as a sort of conqueror of female hearts, to defeat a defenseless girl and use her love to assert herself. At the same time, the honor of the officer and education do not allow Benjamin to just leave Chio-Cio-san, he is trying to comply with the rules of decency. However, he still can’t do it.
Love Cio-Cio-san
For long evenings, lovers sat in the tea room. Cio-Cio-san tells Pinkerton that her father was a noble but poor samurai. Therefore, she had to become a geisha and entertain visitors. But now, when love has come, life has acquired a new meaning, it is ready for the sake of beloved Benjamin Pinkerton to abandon his religion and accept Christianity. One of the girl’s closest relatives learns about this and tries to dissuade her from a rash step. The girl does not want to listen, she is blinded by love.
Pinkerton's marriage and departure
Pinkerton marries Chio-Cio-san, a year later she gives birth to a son. For some time, the couple live together, and then the husband leaves for America, leaving his wife with a child in her arms under the supervision of a servant named Suzuki. In the United States, a naval officer accepts honors, visits military clubs, and makes new friends. Pinkerton does not recall his wife remaining in Japan. Meanwhile, Prince Yamadori wooed her. The noble Japanese sincerely loves the girl, admits this to her and makes an offer. Sharples is trying to help him, who accidentally learns about matchmaking. In response, Cio-Cio-san points to his son and makes it clear that the boy needs his own father.
Pinkerton Returns
Three years have passed since Benjamin left Japan. Cio-Cio-san is still awaiting the arrival of her husband, she cried all the tears, but hopes for happiness in the future. The young woman shares her feelings with Suzuki, convincing the faithful servant that the spouse is about to arrive. That, in turn, is trying to support and console her. The little son is growing up, a loving mother is happy to watch the games of the baby and the only thing that worries her is the long absence of her husband.
Pinkerton, meanwhile, enjoys the legal freedom granted to him by American laws and marries his compatriot named Kat. He then writes a letter to Sharpless so that he notifies Chio-Cio-san of his new marriage. However, the consul does not dare to reveal the truth to the girl. Soon a cannon shot is heard, an American ship arrived at the port of Nagasaki. On board the ship is Pinkerton with his new wife. Chio-Cio-san, anxiously awaiting, suspecting nothing, decorates the house and yard with flowers.
Tragic ending
Benjamin appears arm in arm with Kat, and with them the consul. Chio-Cio-san is shocked, she understood everything. A young woman gives her son to Pinkerton, and her hand already squeezes a small dagger under a kimono. Then she retires to her room, hurriedly hangs up all the windows and pierces her chest with a dagger. At this moment, Pinkerton, Kat, Sharpless and Suzuki with a boy in his arms enter. Dying Butterfly of the last forces gestures asks to take care of her son.
"Cio-Cio-san" in America
The opera Madame Butterfly, the brief summary and cast of which were presented in advance in the US press, created a sensation on Broadway. The American theater audience warmly welcomed a touching story of pure girlish love. The performance survived several seasons and became one of the most successful theater productions of that time under the name "Cio-Cio-san". Sometimes "Madame Butterfly" was written on the posters. The opera, whose characters evoked mixed feelings among the audience, kept them in suspense from beginning to end. After the performance, the standing hall welcomed the performers.
Key actors
- Madame Butterfly - soprano;
- Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton - tenor;
- Suzuki - mezzo-soprano;
- Kat Pinkerton - Mezzo Soprano:
- Sharples - baritone;
- Prince Yamadori - baritone;
- Uncle Bonza - bass;
- Commissar - bass;
- Cousin - soprano;
- The official is bass;
- Aunt - mezzo-soprano;
- Mother is mezzo-soprano;
- Goro - tenor;
The work "Madame Butterfly" (the plot of the opera, music and libretto) has become a real masterpiece of vocal art with great drama. In the person of Chio-Cio-san collected images of hundreds of abandoned women with broken fates, which makes this performance relevant to this day.