Madame Butterfly: A Lyric Drama in Three Acts

MADAME BUTTERFLY An Opera in Three Acts by Giocomo Puccini Adapted from John Luther Long's "Madame Butterfly" First Production-Milan. Feb. 17. 1904 CAST CHO CHO SAN (Madame Butterfly) Soprano SUZUKI, her servant Messo Soprano KATE PINKERTON Messo Soprano LIEUT. PINKERTON, U. S. N Tenor U. S. CONSUL SHARPLESS Tenor GORO, a marriage broker Tenor PRINCE YAMADORI Baritone SCENE-Nagasaki, Japan. TIME -- The Present ACT 1. Lieutenant Pinkerton, finding that he will be stationed in Nagasaki for a few months, desires to contract a marriage and is assured by Goro that it will only be binding as long as be lives with his wife, and that afterwards she can marry again, which is in accordance with the Japanese custom. However, Butterfly, who has agreed to marry the Lieutenant, falls deeply in love with him and believes the contract entirely binding. The American Consul Sharpless, realizing the girl's attitude, begs Pinkerton to forego the plan, but he only laughs at him. To show her trust in Pinkerton, Butterfly renounces her religion, thus severing all connections with her people. "Hear what I tell you." After the ceremony Butterfly's uncle, a priest, enters and curses her for forsaking her religion. Pinkerton drives him and the guests away and then attempts to comfort his weeping bride. Duet, Pinkerton and Butterfly: "Just like a little squirrel." "But now, beloved, you are the world." "O night of rapture!" ACT 2. The villa. Three years later. Butterfly is alone with her maid, Pinkerton having returned to America. It is springtime once more, and she awaits him, as he has promised to return when "the robins nest again." Butterfly upbraids her maid for want of faith, as Suzuki does not share her mistress' confidence in Pinkerton. Butterfly: "Weeping? and why?" Consul Sharpless appears with a letter in which Pinkerton asks the Consul to break the news of his- return with an American wife to Butterfly, but in her great delight at seeing his handwriting and her faith that he will now return, the Consul has not the heart to tell her the truth. She refuses to listen to Goro, who is trying to arrange a marrinee with Yamadori, a wealthy noble, even though both Goro and Sharpless try to convince her that Pinkerton's desertion is equal to a divorce, to which she replies: "That may be so in Japan, but I am an American." Finally, as if to settle all doubt, she shows her fair-haired son. The Consul, saddened, leaves as the cannons announce the arrival of the ship. Butterfly and Suzuki decorate the house with blossoms in Pinkerton's honor, and Butterfly awaits his arrival. As the night progresses the child and maid fall asleep, but Butterfly, ever alert, is still waiting. SCENE 2. At dawn Butterfly is still watching. Suzuki brings the child to her (Butterfly: "Sweet, thou art sleeping") and then persuades Butterfly to rest. Pinkerton and his wife and Sharpless arrive and inform Suzuki of the truth. Pinkerton is overcome at the sight of the flowers and cannot remain. Pinkerton: "Oh, the bitter fragrance of these flowers !" Mrs. Pinkerton asks to adopt her husband's son, and Butterfly, expecting Pinkerton, enters while she is speaking. The truth dawns on poor Butterfly, and with wonderful calmness she listens quietly to the request, and replies that Pinkerton shall have the child if he will return for him in half an hour. When they have gone, Butterfly blindfolds her son, giving him an American flag to wave, and then kills herself with her father's sword, which is inscribed: "To die with honor, when one can no longer live with honor." When Pinkerton and Sharpless return she has breathed her last. Finale, Butterfly: "You, O beloved idoll" a