Madame Butterfly 1968

Synopsis
Artists

Beneath a canopy of stars…

…Lt. Pinkerton and his bride embrace on their wedding night. Cio-Cio-San’s love unfolds tragically to Puccini’s glorious music.

Music By

Giacomo Puccini

Libretto By

Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa

Based On

the book by John L. Long and the drama by David Belasco

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.

Synopsis

Act I

Act II

Act III

Artists

Maralin Niska

Maralin Niska

Felicia Weathers

Felicia Weathers

John Alexander

John Alexander

John Stewart

John Stewart

Helen Vanni

Helen Vanni

Joan Caplan

Joan Caplan

John Reardon

John Reardon

Gary Glaze

Gary Glaze

Jack Nuzum

Jack Nuzum

Ray Hickman

Ray Hickman

Robert Benton

Robert Benton

Richard Best

Richard Best

Gimi Beni

Gimi Beni

Barbara Shuttleworth

Barbara Shuttleworth

John Crosby

John Crosby

Vera Zorina

Vera Zorina

Rouben Ter-Arutunian

Rouben Ter-Arutunian

Georg Schreiber

Georg Schreiber

Martin Smith

Martin Smith

Madame Butterfly 1968