Madame Butterfly 1963
Love and Sacrifice Under the Stars…
A young Japanese woman in love with an American soldier discards her heritage and adopts the traditions of her new husband. Witness Madame Butterfly’s journey from child bride to strong young mother and her ultimate return to her culture’s code of honor.
Synopsis
Act I
B.F. Pinkerton, a lieutenant in the U. S. Navy, is inspecting his new house, built on a hillside overlooking Nagasaki harbor. Goro, a marriage broker, has arranged the leasing of the house as well as the marriage of Pinkerton with Cio-Cio-San, a geisha, known as Madame Butterfly. The American consul, Sharpless, arrives for the marriage ceremony and warns Pinkerton that Butterfly may not take the marriage so lightly. Pinkerton admits that he does not regard the marriage contract as permanent, but is enchanted with Butterfly. Cio-Cio-San arrives with her friends and tells Pinkerton of her family, confesses that she has renounced her religion for his sake, and displays her few treasured possessions. The relatives arrive and the marriage ceremony begins. Festivities are interrupted by the girl’s uncle, the priestly Bonze, who curses her having deserted the religion of her ancestors. The members of the family quickly disperse, leaving Butterfly alone with Pinkerton. He dries her tears and takes her in his arms. As night descends and the stars appear, they sing of their love and slowly enter the house.
Act II
Three years have passed and Pinkerton has left Japan, promising to return. Despite the pleadings of Suzuki, her maid, Butterfly has not lost faith in his promise. She is visited by Sharpless and Goro who try to persuade her to wed the wealthy Prince Yamadori. Butterfly dismisses the suggestion as unworthy of an American wife. Sharpless begins to read a letter from Pinkerton, and when he hints that the lieutenant may never return, Butterfly shows him her son – Pinkerton’s son. The consul does not have the courage to tell her that Pinkerton has married again. He leaves without having finished the reading of the letter. The booming of the harbor cannon announces the arrival of a foreign ship. Breathless with excitement, Butterfly recognizes the ship as the Abraham Lincoln, Pinkerton’s ship. She and Suzuki gather flowers and strew them about the house. Then Butterfly dons her wedding gown and takes her position with Suzuki and the little boy to wait the arrival of her husband.
Act III
When the sun rises, Butterfly is still maintaining her vigil. At Suzuki’s insistence, she goes to rest, taking the child with her. Sharpless and Pinkerton enter and Suzuki soon realizes the entire situation. The remorseful Pinkerton learns of Butterfly’s faithfulness and bids an anguished farewell to the scene of his former happiness. As soon as he leaves, Butterfly rushes in. At first mystified by Suzuki’s attitude, she understands all when she sees Kate Pinkerton waiting in the garden. She agrees to give up her child if Pinkerton will return to get him in half an hour. When left alone, she takes up the dagger with which her father committed hari-kari. Suzuki pushes the little boy into the room in an effort to prevent the suicide, but Butterfly thrusts a toy American flag into his hands, retires behind a screen and stabs herself. She dies just as Pinkerton re-enters to take away his son.
Artists
Mildred Allen
Soprano
Madame Butterfly
Mildred Allen
Hometown: Mississippi
SFO Debut:
Madame Butterfly, Madame Butterfly, 1957 (July 12)
Past Seasons:
Mimi, La bohème, 1967 (July 29 – August 26)
Micaela, Carmen, 1967
Madame Butterfly, Madame Butterfly, 1965
Susanna, The Marriage of Figaro, 1965
Costanza, The Stag King, 1965
Zerlina, Don Giovanni, 1963
Madame Butterfly, Madame Butterfly, 1963
St. Margaret, Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1963
La Chauve-Souris/La Princesse, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1963
Susanna, The Marriage of Figaro, 1960
Anne, The Rake’s Progress, 1960
Madame Butterfly, Madame Butterfly, 1959
Adele, Die Fledermaus, 1959
Alexandra Giddens, Regina, 1959
Mimi, La bohème, 1958
Despina, Così fan tutte, 1958
Nanetta, Falstaff, 1958
Isabella, Wuthering Heights, 1958
George Shirley
Tenor
Pinkerton (July 6 - 10, August 17- 23)
George Shirley
Hometown: Indianapolis, IN
SFO Debut:
Oedipus, Oedipus Rex, 1962
Past Seasons:
L’Egisto, L’Egisto, 1974
Oleander, Melusine, 1972
Pinkerton, Madame Butterfly, 1972 (July 8 – 14)
Don Ottavio, Don Giovanni, 1972
Alfredo, La traviata, 1970 (August 8 – 22)
Cavaradossi, Tosca, 1969 (August 21 – 23)
Duke of Mantua, Rigoletto, 1966 (August 20 – 27)
King Leandro, The Stag King, 1965
Pinkerton, Madame Butterfly, 1965 (August 14 – 25)
Edgardo, Lucia di Lammermoor, 1965
Alfredo, La traviata, 1965 (August 20 – 28)
Duke of Mantua, Rigoletto, 1964 (July 17 – August 29)
Alwa, Lulu, 1964
Apollo, Daphne, 1964
Don Jose, Carmen, 1964 (July 10, 15, 25, August 5)
Pinkerton, Madame Butterfly, 1963 (July 6 – 10, August 17 – 23)
Alwa, Lulu, 1963
Porcus, Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1963
Don Ottavio, Don Giovanni, 1963
Italian Tenor, Der Rosenkavalier, 1963
Cavaradossi, Tosca, 1962
Stanley Kolk
Tenor
Pinkerton (July 20 - August 2)
Stanley Kolk
Hometown: Fremont, MO
SFO Debut:
Narraboth, Salome, 1962
Past Seasons:
Duke, Rigoletto, 1964 (July 1 – 4)
Rinuccio, Gianni Schicci, 1964
La Petit Vieillard, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1964
Rodolfo, La bohėme, 1964 (August 1, 22 – 28)
Painter, Lulu, 1964
Alfred, Die Fledermaus, 1963
Herald I, Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1963
Fisherman, Le Rossignol, 1963
La Petit Vieillard, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1963
Painter, Lulu, 1963
Pinkerton, Madame Butterfly, 1963 (July 20 – August 2)
1st Tenor, Renard, 1962
Helen Vanni
Mezzo-soprano
Suzuki (July 6 - 10)
Helen Vanni
Hometown: Davenport, IA
SFO Debut:
Tessa, The Gondoliers, 1960
Past Seasons:
Countess Olga Sukarev, Fedora, 1977
Countess Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro, 1976 (August 24)
Hero, L’Egisto, 1976
Constance Fletcher, The Mother of Us All, 1976
Mistress Alice Ford, Falstaff, 1975
Countess Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro, 1973
Mrs. Coyle, Owen Wingrave, 1973
Countess Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro, 1970
Smeton, Anna Bolena, 1970
Dorabella, Così fan tutte, 1969
Marschallin, Der Rosenkavalier, 1968
Suzuki, Madame Butterfly, 1968 (July 2 – 12)
Cherubino, The Marriage of Figaro, 1967
Rosina, The Barber of Seville, 1967
Cinderella, Cinderella, 1966
Clairon, Capriccio, 1966
Cherubino, The Marriage of Figaro, 1965
Suzuki, Madame Butterfly, 1965
Rosina, The Barber of Seville, 1965
Suzuki, Madame Butterfly, 1963 (July 6 – 10)
Octavian, Der Rosenkavalier, 1963
Jocasta, Oedipus Rex, 1962
St. Catherine, Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1962
Dorabella, Così fan tutte, 1962
Cherubino, The Marriage of Figaro, 1961
Octavian, Der Rosenkavalier, 1961
Cherubino, The Marriage of Figaro, 1960
Cinderella, Cinderella, 1960
Marlena Kleinman
Mezzo-soprano
Suzuki (July 20 - August 23)
Marlena Kleinman
Hometown: New York, NY
SFO Debut:
Annina, Der Rosenkavalier, 1963
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1961, 1962
Past Seasons:
Le Bergère/ L’Ecureuil, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1973
Maddalena, Rigoletto, 1964 (August 26 – 29)
Student, Lulu, 1964
Suzuki, Madame Butterfly, 1963 (July 20 – August 23)
Student, Lulu, 1963
Le Bergère/ L’Ecureuil, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1963
Flora, La traviata, 1962
Orphan, Der Rosenkavalier, 1961
Mary, The Ballad of Baby Doe, 1961
John Reardon
Baritone
Sharpless (July 6 - August 20)
John Reardon
Hometown: New York, NY
SFO Debut:
Nick Shadow, The Rake’s Progress, 1960
Past Seasons:
Count Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro, 1970
Dr. Stone, Help! Help! The Globolinks, 1970
Guglielmo, Così fan tutte, 1969
Dr. Stone, Help! Help! The Globolinks, 1969
Urbain Grandier, The Devils of Loudun, 1969
Belcore, The Elixir of Love, 1968
Sharpless, Madame Butterfly, 1968
Pentheus, The Bassarids, 1968
Figaro, The Barber of Seville, 1967
Cardillac, Cardillac, 1967
Jochanaan, Salome, 1967
Dandini, Cinderella, 1966 (August 18 – 26)
Mandryka, Arabella, 1965
Count Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro, 1965
Platon Kusmich Kovalioff, The Nose, 1965
Escamillo, Carmen, 1964 (July 10 – August 5)
Count Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro, 1964
Herr von Faninal, Der Rosenkavalier, 1963
Don Giovanni, Don Giovanni, 1963
Sharpless, Madame Butterfly, 1963 (July 6 – August 2)
Scarpia, Tosca, 1962
Nick Shadow, The Rake’s Progress, 1962
Scarpia, Tosca, 1960
William Metcalf
Baritone
Sharpless (August 17 - 23)
William Metcalf
Hometown: New Bedford, MA
SFO Debut:
Dr. Falke, Die Fledermaus, 1963
Past Seasons:
Count, Capriccio, 1966
Schaunard, La bohème, 1964 (August 7)
Marcello, La bohème, 1964 (August 19 – 28)
Le Fauteuil/ Le Chat, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1964
Rodrigo, Lulu, 1964
Adrast, Daphne, 1964
Sharpless, Madame Butterfly, 1963 (August 17 – 23)
Le Fauteuil/ Le Chat, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1963
Rodrigo, Lulu, 1963
Robert Schmorr
Tenor
Goro
Robert Schmorr
Hometown: New York, NY
SFO Debut:
Dr. Blind, Die Fledermaus, 1963
Past Seasons:
Goro, Madame Butterfly, 1963
Valzacchi, Der Rosenkavalier, 1963
The Prince, Lulu, 1963
Le Théière/ La Rainette, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1963
John Swift
Bass
The Commissioner
John Swift
Hometown: New York, NY
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1963
Past Seasons:
The Commissioner, Madame Butterfly, 1963
Waiter, Der Rosenkavalier, 1963
Conrad Immel
Baritone
The Registrar
Conrad Immel
Hometown: Austin, TX
SFO Debut:
Baron Duphol, La traviata, 1965
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1963, 1964
Past Seasons:
Ivan Ivanovich/ Lackey/ Speculator, The Nose, 1965
Count Dominik, Arabella, 1965
Prince Yamadori, Madame Butterfly, 1965
Marullo, Rigoletto, 1964
El Dancairo, Carmen, 1964 (July 10 – 25)
Registrar, Madame Butterfly, 1963
Second Japanese Envoy, Le Rossignol, 1963
Musician/ Och’s Servant, Der Rosenkavalier, 1963
Scene 8 Voice, Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1963
Lee Cass
Bass-baritone
The Bonze
Lee Cass
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
SFO Debut:
Frosch, Die Fledermaus, 1963
Past Seasons:
Bonze, Madame Butterfly, 1963
Attorney, Der Rosenkavalier, 1963
Herald II, Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1963
Schigolch, Lulu, 1963
Bonze, Le Rossignol, 1963
Henri Noël
Baritone
Prince Yamadori
Henri Noël
Hometown: New Orleans, LA
SFO Debut:
Eisenstein, Die Fledermaus, 1963
Past Seasons:
Masetto, Don Giovanni, 1963
Yamadori, Madame Butterfly, 1963
L’Horloge, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1963
Anne Darden
Mezzo-soprano
Kate Pinkerton
Anne Darden
Hometown: Austin, TX
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1963
Past Seasons:
Kate Pinkerton, Madame Butterfly, 1963
John Crosby
Conductor
John Crosby
Hometown: New York, NY
SFO Debut:
Madame Butterfly, 1957
Past Seasons:
La traviata, 2002
The Egyptian Helen, 2001
Elektra, 2000
Countess Maritza, 1999
Ariadne auf Naxos, 1999
Madame Butterfly, 1998
Salome, 1998
La traviata, 1997
Arabella, 1997
Madame Butterfly, 1996
Daphne, 1996
Countess Maritza, 1995
Salome, 1995
Tosca, 1994 (July 1 – 15)
Intermezzo, 1994
La bohème, 1993 (July 2 – 16)
Capriccio, 1993
Die Fledermaus, 1992
Der Rosenkavalier, 1992
La traviata, 1991 (June 28 – July 6)
Die schweigsame Frau, 1991
La bohème, 1990
Ariadne auf Naxos, 1990
La traviata, 1989 (June 30 – July 12)
Der Rosenkavalier, 1989
Die Fledermaus, 1988
Feuersnot, 1988
Friedenstag, 1988
Madame Butterfly, 1987
Die schweigsame Frau, 1987
Die Fledermaus, 1986
The Egyptian Helen, 1986
Orpheus in the Underworld, 1985
Die Liebe der Danae, 1985
A Florentine Tragedy, 1984
Violanta, 1984
Intermezzo, 1984
Orpheus in the Underworld, 1983
Arabella, 1983
Die Fledermaus, 1982
Die Liebe der Danae, 1982
La bohème, 1981
Daphne, 1981
La traviata, 1980
Elektra, 1980
The Grand Duchesse of Gerolstein, 1979
Lucia di Lammermoor, 1979
Salome, 1979
Tosca, 1978
Salome, 1978
The Italian Straw Hat, 1977
Fedora, 1977
La traviata, 1976
Salome, 1976
Carmen, 1975
La bohème, 1974
The Grand Duchesse of Gerolstein, 1974
La bohème, 1973
The Merry Widow, 1973
The Grand Duchesse of Gerolstein, 1972
Madame Butterfly, 1972
Salome, 1972
Don Carlo, 1971
The Grand Duchesse of Gerolstein, 1971
La traviata, 1970
Anna Bolena, 1970
Tosca, 1969
Salome, 1969
Madame Butterfly, 1968
La traviata, 1968
Der Rosenkavalier, 1968
Carmen, 1967
La bohème, 1967
Tosca, 1966
Capriccio, 1966
Rigoletto, 1966
La traviata, 1965
Madame Butterfly, 1965
Arabella, 1965
Rigoletto, 1964
Daphne, 1964
La bohème, 1964 (August 22 & 28)
Die Fledermaus, 1963
Madame Butterfly, 1963
Der Rosenkavalier, 1963
Salome, 1962
Oedipus Rex, 1962 (and Director)
Perséphone, 1962
Tosca, 1962
Der Rosenkavalier, 1961
La bohème, 1961
The Gondoliers, 1960
Tosca, 1960
Die Fledermaus, 1959
Madame Butterfly, 1959
La bohème, 1958
Wuthering Heights, 1958
Capriccio, 1958
Henry Butler
Director
Henry Butler
Hometown: Eureka, KS
SFO Debut:
Madame Butterfly, 1957
Past Seasons:
Die Fledermaus, 1963
Madame Butterfly, 1963
Tosca, 1962
The Ballad of Baby Doe, 1961
Carmen, 1961
La traviata, 1960
Cinderella, 1960
The Barber of Seville, 1957
Milton Duke
Scenic Designer
Costume Supervisor
Milton Duke
Hometown: Hot Springs, AK
SFO Debut:
Madame Butterfly, 1963
Past Seasons:
Madame Butterfly, 1965
Carl Seltzer
Lighting Designer
Carl Seltzer
SFO Debut:
Die Fledermaus, 1963
Past Seasons:
Don Giovanni, 1963
Madame Butterfly, 1963
Der Rosenkavalier, 1963
Persian Set, 1963
At the Gate, 1963
Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1963
Lulu, 1963
L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1963
Le Rossignol, 1963
John Moriarty
Chorus Master
John Moriarty
Hometown: Fall River, MA
SFO Debut:
Director, Salome, 1962
Past Seasons:
Conductor, The Rake’s Progress, 1970
Director/ Chorus Master, La traviata, 1965
Chorus Master, The Barber of Seville, 1965
Chorus Master, Madame Butterfly, 1965
Chorus Master, Lucia di Lammermoor, 1965
Chorus Master, Arabella, 1965
Chorus Master, The Stag King, 1965
Director/ Chorus Master, The Nose, 1965
Chorus Master, The Marriage of Figaro, 1965
Chorus Master, Rigoletto, 1964
Chorus Master, The Marriage of Figaro, 1964
Director/ Chorus Master, Gianni Schicchi, 1964
Director/ Chorus Master, Carmen, 1964
Chorus Master, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1964
Chorus Master, Daphne, 1964
Chorus Master, La bohėme, 1964
Chorus Master, Die Fledermaus, 1963
Chorus Master, Don Giovanni, 1963
Chorus Master, Madame Butterfly, 1963
Director/ Chorus Master, Der Rosenkavalier, 1963
Chorus Master, Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1963
Chorus Master, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1963
Chorus Master, Le Rossignol, 1963
Chorus Master, Così fan tutte, 1962
Chorus Master, La traviata, 1962
Chorus Master, Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1962
Chorus Master, Le Rossignol, 1962
Chorus Master, Oedipus Rex, 1962
Chorus Master, Perséphone, 1962
Chorus Master, Tosca, 1962
Madame Butterfly 1963
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