Madame Butterfly

by Giacomo Puccini

“Better to die with honor than to live in dishonor”

Puccini’s most heart-breaking drama contrasts undying devotion with exploitation and betrayal. Experience it more deeply than ever before in this touching new English performing translation.

Excerpt:

Act II, Butterfly: “Un bel di vedremo…“

"One day it will be there, far out, where the sea meets the sky, a slender thread of smoke that rises above the water. A great white warship! Steaming into the harbor, she will fire her cannon. There it is! I can see it! I want to run to meet him. But, no, I will stand right at the edge of the hill, and wait as long as it takes for him to get here, and not grow weary.

Then down below, coming out of the city, a man, like a tiny ant, begins to climb up our hillside. Do you know who he is? When he has reached the top, do you know what he will do? He will call out, 'Butterfly, where are you?' I will not answer yet. I will keep myself hidden, partly to tease him, but mostly, so not to die from his first embrace! Then, anxiously, again he will call for me, crying, 'Oh, darling little wife! Oh, my cherry blossom!', sweet names he gave me on the day we were married.

It will be just that way, I know it! Keep for yourself your fear. I have faith! He will come!"

Copyright Kenneth Jakobs 2006 All rights reserved

Notes

A resounding failure at its premiere, Madama Butterfly was withdrawn, revised and reshaped by Puccini, and subsequently became one of the most popular operas ever written.  I was fortunate to obtain a score of the original 1904 version which is almost never performed and not generally available. I found the revisions extremely interesting.  A number of elements were cut which showed Pinkerton to be an unrepentant racist, despising and ridiculing Japanese customs as he perceived them.  In an effort to point up these aspects of the character, I have restored this material in my English performing version. 

Additionally, I restored 1) a section in which Butterfly describes her initial negative reaction to the proposition that she marry a “barbarian” (racism works both ways in this piece); 2) a touching moment of insecurity where Butterfly begs Suzuki to make her pretty again for Pinkerton’s return; 3) the confrontation scene between Butterfly and Kate Pinkerton near the end which greatly enhances the pathos of the loss of Butterfly’s child.

It is common in this era of political correctness to revile this opera and even advocate it not be performed.  Sadly the xenophobia and racism at its heart are all too much with us in the 21^st century.  Pinkerton represents the prevailing American/European view of the “Orient” at the turn of the last century.  He is not evil, just a coward, an opportunist, and a product of a morally unenlightened culture. Rather than banning this work we should learn from its tragic example.