Madama Butterfly
Dramatis Personæ
- Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San)
(Soprano)
- Suzuki, Cio-Cio-San's servant
(Mezzo-Soprano)
- Kate Pinkerton
(Mezzo-Soprano)
- B. F. Pinkerton, lieutenant in the United States Navy
(Tenor)
- Sharpless, United States consul at Nagasaki
(Baritone)
- Goro, a marriage broker
(Tenor)
- Prince Yamadori
(Baritone)
- The Bonze, Cio-Cio-San's uncle
(Bass)
- Yakusidé
(Baritone)
- The Imperial Commissioner
(Bass)
- The Official Registrar
(Chorus Baritone)
- Cio-Cio-San's Mother
(Chorus Mezzo-Soprano)
- The Aunt
(Chorus Mezzo-Soprano)
- The Cousin
(Chorus Soprano)
- Trouble, Cio-Cio-San's child
(Mute)
- Cio-Cio-San's relations and friends; servants
Setting: Nagasaki; the present day [c. 1900]
Plot Summary
Act I:
Lt. Pinkerton marries Cio-Cio-San, a young geisha, in a ceremony she
takes more seriously than he. She is denounced by her family for
embracing his religion.
Act II. Part 1 (or Act II):
Cio-Cio-San refuses to believe that Pinkerton has abandoned her, and Sharpless
cannot bring himself to tell her the truth.
Act II. Part 2 (or Act III):
Lt. and Mrs. Pinkerton return, prepared to adopt Cio-Cio-San's child;
she kills herself.
Famous Passages
- Dovunque al mondo
[Pinkerton: I]
- Amore o grillo
[Pinkerton: I]
- Quanto cielo! quanto mar
[Butterfly, Chorus: I]
- Io seguo il mio destino
[Butterfly: I]
- Viene la sera (``Love duet'')
[Butterfly, Pinkerton: I]
- Un bel dì, vedremo
[Butterfly: II]
- Che tua madre
[Butterfly: II]
- Tutti i fior... Tutta la primavera (``Flower duet'')
[Butterfly, Suzuki: II]
- Addio fiorito asil
[Pinkerton: III; revised versions only]
- Tu? tu?... piccolo Iddio!
[Butterfly: III]
© OperaGlass, 1998
2 Nov 2009