MADAMA BUTTERFLY GIACOMO PUCCINI
Placido Domingo General Director
A STUDENT GUIDE
SYNOPSIS Act I: Above the Nagasaki Harbor, Japan, 1904. United States Navy Lieutenant Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton waits outside a house he just rented from Goro, the local marriage agent. Goro tells Pinkerton that he just found a new girl named Cio-Cio San for Pinkerton to marry. (Cio-Cio San is also known as Madama Butterfly when she performs as a geisha.) Pinkerton later informs the American consul, Sharpless, that he has not only rented a house for 999 years, but with a contract that can be voided at the end of each month. He will also "marry" a geisha through a marriage contract that can end at any time, allowing him to marry an American woman when he returns to the United States. Sharpless is worried that Pinkerton's carefree attitude will hurt Butterfly's feelings because she believes this marriage is real. Butterfly soon enters with her family and friends, singing about how happy she is on her wedding day. Privately, she shows her possessions to Pinkerton and explains how she helped support her family by earning money as a geisha. She also tells him that she is adopting a Western lifestyle and abandoning Japanese culture and tradition. Suddenly, Butterfly's uncle bursts into the middle of the wedding ceremony and curses her for rejecting her ancestors and their traditions. Furious, Pinkerton forces Butterfly's family to
leave the wedding. The married couple is alone for the first time, and they sing about their newly discovered love for each other. Act II: It has been three years since their marriage. Pinkerton has returned to the United States and Butterfly faithfully waits for her husband's return. Butterfly's maid, Suzuki, comforts her and prays that she will stop crying and leave thoughts of Pinkerton behind. Meanwhile, Goro visits with a wealthy new suitor for Butterfly, Prince Yamadori, but, she refuses this marriage because she is certain that Pinkerton will return to her. For the first time since the wedding, Sharpless visits Butterfly's home, bringing a letter from Pinkerton about his new life in the United States stating that he will soon visit Japan with his American wife, Kate. In her excitement, Butterfly constantly interrupts Sharpless and he is never actually able to explain that Pinkerton is now married to an American. Butterfly is convinced that
Pinkerton will return when he learns that they have a son named Trouble. A few weeks later when Butterfly hears cannon fire in the distance announcing the return of Pinkerton's ship, she can hardly contain her excitement as she and Suzuki spread flower petals around the house. They wait together all night to watch for Pinkerton's return. Act III: At dawn, Suzuki finally convinces Butterfly to get some rest. Pinkerton, Sharpless, and Kate arrive at the house. Suzuki suddenly realizes that Pinkerton is now married to Kate and, though devastated, promises to tell Butterfly. Pinkerton looks around the room remembering the love and happiness that they shared only to rush to the garden with remorse and guilt. Moments later, Butterfly enters the room and finds Kate and Sharpless. Knowing that Trouble will have a better life in the United States, Butterfly agrees to allow Kate to bring him to America, but only agrees if Pinkerton leaves the garden and comes personally to get him. Left alone, Butterfly prepares to take her life with her father's dagger. Suzuki senses this and sends Trouble to his mother to distract her. Butterfly bids him a final farewell and sends him outside to play with his new American toys. Butterfly takes her life just as Pinkerton desperately calls out her name.
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