The real story of Cio-Cio-San (photo). The real story of Cio-Cio-san (photo) Cio-san contents

Opera in three acts. Libretto by L. Illica and D. Giacosa based on the drama by D. Belasco and D. L. Long.

Characters: Cio-Cio-San - soprano; Suzuki - mezzo-soprano; Pinkerton - US Navy Lieutenant - tenor; Kat, Pinkerton's wife - soprano; Prince Yamadori - tenor; Sharples, American Consul - baritone; Goro, matchmaker - tenor; Bonza, Uncle Cio-Cio-San - bass; Commissioner - baritone; Officer - tenor; relatives, friends, girlfriends and servants of Cio-Cio-San.

The action takes place in the vicinity of Nagasaki in the 20th century.

Act one

A hillside in the vicinity of the Japanese port of Nagasaki... In the foreground - Japanese house with a porch, under the windows - cherry blossoms...

The house is inspected by United States Marine Officer Franklin Benjamin Pinkerton. A helpful real estate and people dealer, Goro, rents out a house to him, presenting him with Japanese servants who are “attached” to the premises for the same price.

Soon Cio-Cio-San will appear in the house, or, as Pinkerton calls her, Butterfly, whom Goro sold to an American sailor for 100 yen.

A guest arrives: Sharpless, US Consul in Nagasaki. His conscience and sense of responsibility for his actions are still alive in him; he warns Pinkerton that this “temporary marriage” is a dangerous and nasty game that could cost Cio-Cio-San’s life.

The self-confident lieutenant shrugs off the consul's concerns with just a shrug.

Friends drinking wine. Glasses are emptied and refilled. Pinkerton is already toasting the health of another girl whom he will marry in America... That marriage will no longer be just a colonial joke, but a real, sacred bond between two equal white people.

Finally, Cio-Cio-San arrives, accompanied by her friends. The girls fall to their knees in front of the groom, and the consul asks the bride several questions.

Then officials and relatives appear. Having gotten to know each other and exchanged a few words, the guests disperse around the garden, Pinkerton and Butterfly can finally talk in private. Cio-Cio-San lays out her things - a silk scarf, a belt, a buckle, a mirror, a vase for paints and a samurai dagger with which her father once committed suicide. Then the young “toy wife” admits to Pinkerton that for his sake she decided to abandon the religion of her ancestors and accept Christianity.

The wedding ceremony begins. In the midst of the celebration, Bonza, Butterfly's uncle, arrives. He curses his apostate niece. The young woman falls, crushed by the weight of the curse.

Pinkerton drives away all the relatives, and soon the young woman’s tears are replaced by a smile.

A song can be heard from the house: Suzuki's evening prayer.

Cio-Cio-San puts on his white night hood and quietly says:

We were left alone... the world is so far away.

Pinkerton eagerly hugs Butterfly.

Act two

Three years have passed.

The interior of the Butterfly house. Suzuki prays in front of the Buddha statue. She begs ancient god help Cio-Cio-san, who has been crying constantly since Pinkerton left.

While Suzuki is praying, Cio-Cio-San lies motionless, but then a complaint bursts out of her chest:

It's all in vain! There is no good god in Japan!..

Suzuki carefully tries to convince his mistress that, once he leaves, the foreigner will not return. But Cio-Cio-San passionately defends her love. After all, she remembers his every word:

“When the roses bloom and the swallows begin to build their nests, I will return to you.”

And the imagination of a woman in love paints a picture of her husband’s return. The slender figure of Pinkerton appears on the road again, and the garden with cherry blossoms is again filled with happiness and sunshine.

The consul comes to visit Butterfly, accompanied by Goro.

Then Prince Yamadori appears, wanting to marry the abandoned Cio-Cio-San. The young woman, however, proudly refers to American laws: she is the wife of Lieutenant Pinkerton, she cannot be discarded as a boring toy.

The American consul came with sad news. He wants to tell Cio-Cio-San that Pinkerton has gotten married. He even begins to read a letter from him, but is unable to utter the tragic words; he only advises the unfortunate woman to listen to Goro and marry Prince Yamadori.

In response to this, Cio-Cio-San carries out his little son. Pinkerton's son is a blond boy with an angelic smile.

What is the boy's name? - asks the consul.

The answer is quiet, but full of dignity:

Now his name is Sadness, but if his father returns, he will be called Happy.

The consul leaves with nothing, and Goro, who called Butterfly’s son illegal and “shameful,” is kicked out of the house by Cio-Cio-San.

A gunshot is heard in the distance - an American ship is entering the port, on the armored side of which is the inscription “Abraham Lincoln” - this is the ship on which Pinkerton serves!

Cio-Cio-San and Suzuki excitedly decorate the house with flowers and lean towards the window; Suzuki, Cio-Cio-San and the blond boy are waiting for their master, husband, father...

Act three

The sun is rising...

Cio-Cio-San is still standing at the window; faith and hope have not yet left her...

Pinkerton must come!

The room is filled with morning light.

Butterfly carries the sleeping child into the next room; Pinkerton, his American wife Kat and Consul Sharpless appear in the garden.

The devoted Suzuki, barely holding back tears, tells Pinkerton that Cio-Cio-San and the boy have been waiting for him all night.

Only men enter the house. A white woman, Kat, is walking in the garden among the flowers. Suzuki asks in fear:

Who is this woman?

Sharpless responds:

Pinkerton's wife.

And he continues: they came to take their son Cio-Cio-San with them.

Faithful maid Suzuki leaves the room, completely broken.

Pinkerton now realizes how frivolously he behaved. Touched and in tears, he says goodbye to the house in which he spent unforgettable hours of love.

As soon as Pinkerton leaves, Suzuki and Kat enter the room. Suzuki promises to persuade Cio-Cio-San to give his son to his father and his white wife. She only asks Kat to leave immediately so as not to meet her mistress.

But Cio-Cio-San unexpectedly appears on the threshold. She thought Pinkerton had come, but saw a white woman. There is no need to explain: the heart of a loving Japanese woman feels moreover, what the stern face of the consul and the frightened, confused words of Suzuki say. For a second she is overcome with horror: her husband may have died... but she already knows that this is not true, Pinkerton died only for her. She takes the blow heroically.

When Kat asks if she will give up her son, Cio-Cio-San answers proudly: “I won’t give my son to another, let his father come for him.”

The Americans are leaving. Cio-Cio-San sends Suzuki out of the room as well.

She makes a traditional bow in front of ancient statue Buddha and takes out the dagger with which her father once killed himself. As if for edification, Cio-Cio-San loudly reads the lines etched on the blade:

Die with honor
If you can no longer live with honor...

At this moment, Suzuki sends his son to Cio-Cio-San, not wanting to leave her alone. The dagger falls from the mother's hands. She hugs her child one more time, bidding him goodbye.

Then he sends the boy out to the garden. With a dagger in hand, she disappears behind the screen...

Tense, painful silence...

The sound of a falling dagger.

Butterfly, Butterfly!

Cio-Cio-San barely comes out from behind the screen and falls dead.

After the premiere of the opera in 1900, Giacomo Puccini thought about the plot for a new opera. The composer considered many options - from “Tartarin from Tarascon” by A. Daudet to “Notes from House of the Dead"F. M. Dostoevsky, but ultimately the choice fell on the play by the American playwright D. Belasco "Geisha", which was a reworking of the short story by J. Long.

As with previous operas by G. Puccini, the libretto for the work, called “Madama Butterfly,” was written by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. The composer demanded from the librettists the utmost conciseness of action, calling on the audience to be pinned to their seats - and this despite the fact that the events of the opera stretch over three years, at the beginning of the work the main character is fifteen, at the finale she is eighteen years old.

The plot of "Madama Butterfly" in some ways has something in common with: it is also an everyday drama, revealing the tragedy of broken hope for happiness and love. But if it described the fate of several characters who are equally dear to the author, Madama Butterfly is a drama of one young heroine. Other characters constitute her environment, which is divided into two “worlds” - and both of them are hostile to Chio-chio-san: on the one hand, the fanaticism and prejudices of her compatriots, on the other, the cynicism of Western civilization.

The action of the opera "Madama Butterfly" takes place in Japan, its central heroine is Japanese, and in musical language This is fully reflected. In this, G. Puccini was helped by the wife of the Japanese ambassador to Italy, who introduced the composer to the music of her homeland. The author introduced Japanese percussion instruments into the orchestra, used seven authentic Japanese folk songs, quite a few melodies in the work are based on the pentatonic scale. The “airy” instrumentation also creates a Japanese flavor. At the other “pole” of the opera there is music of a typically Western style, and here too there are quotes: Pinkerton’s aria in the first act (“Yankee Drifter”) is framed by the melody of the US anthem. The doomed main character rushes between these two musical “worlds” - for example, in the first act, the Japanese-style reception scene is contrasted with the duet of Chio-chio-san and Pinkerton in European style. This juxtaposition looks especially dramatic in the second act, which directly leads to tragic ending: the “aria of despair” that follows the conversation with the consul is built on a pentatonic scale, and in its last arioso a European-style melody sounds.

In Madama Butterfly, G. Puccini remained true to his fundamental principle: “the basis of opera is vocals.” However, this setting did not prevent the composer from creating magnificent symphonic episodes - an introduction in the form of a four-voice fugato, an intermission between the scenes of the second act, an orchestral conclusion melodically connected with the “aria of despair”.

The creation of Madama Butterfly took quite a long time. G. Puccini was very busy at this time - his operas were staged in various cities, including outside Italy, and he had to attend rehearsals. In addition, he developed a new hobby - driving a car, which led to an accident and a leg injury - which also did not contribute to the speedy completion of the score... Despite all these obstacles, the opera was completed in 1903, and in 1904 the work was presented for the first time to the public in Milan.

During the rehearsals, no one doubted the success awaiting the opera, but the expectations of the author and performers were not met. At first the audience remained completely silent (in Italy this is already a sign of disapproval), then angry shouts began - “This is from La Bohème!” - and demands for “something new”, and finally the demanding audience gave full rein to their emotions - the audience whistled, mooed, crowed and expressed their indignation in other ways. Critics did not greet the opera any more favorably.

It is difficult to say what caused such a crushing fiasco of Madama Butterfly. It was definitely not the performers: Cio-chio-san was sung by the famous Rosina Storchio, Pinkerton by Giovanni Zenatello, and Sharpless by Giuseppe De Luca, who was later called “the brightest star of the golden age of the Metropolitan Opera”... Perhaps the public did not like the plot, in which had little action - as opposed to dramatic, and perhaps the booing was provoked by the composer's ill-wishers. G. Puccini was very upset about the failure of his opera - he canceled the second performance, paying a very significant penalty for this, and took away the score. Subsequently, he made a number of changes to the opera - in particular, he divided the long and somewhat drawn out second act into two, making the opera three acts.

In this form, the opera was staged in Brescia three and a half months after the Milan premiere. Conducted. This time the success was triumphant: some numbers were encored, and each time the composer was called to bow. “Never again has Madama Butterfly failed,” notes the composer’s biographer Zh. Marek.

Musical Seasons

CIO-CHIO-SAN (MADAME BUTTERFLY)

Opera in two acts (three scenes)

Libretto by L. Illik and D. Giacosa

Characters:

Relatives, friends, girlfriends and servants of Cio-Cio-san.

Set in Nagasaki, Japan at the end XIX century.

HISTORY OF CREATION

The opera “Cio-Cio-san” (“Madama Butterfly”) is based on a short story American writer John L. Long, revised by D. Belasco into a drama. Having seen the play during his stay in London, Puccini was moved by its true-to-life truthfulness. At his suggestion, librettists L. Illica (1859-1919) and D. Giacosa (1847-1906) wrote an opera libretto based on the drama. Soon the music was created. At its first performance, held on February 17, 1904 in Milan, the opera, however, was a failure and was removed from the repertoire. The audience did not understand its content and was outraged by the excessive length of the second act. Puccini shortened some numbers and divided the second act into two independent acts. Performed with these minor changes three months later, the opera was a triumphant success and quickly gained a strong reputation as one of the most popular modern operas.

The appeal to a plot from the life of distant Japan corresponded to the widespread in European art end XIX and early XX centuries of attraction to the exotic, the desire of artists to enrich their palette with new colors. But Puccini did not set himself the special task of reproducing the national Japanese flavor in music. The main thing for him remained the depiction of a touching human drama. In its implementation, the composer managed not only to preserve, but also to deepen the content of the literary source.

MUSIC

The opera “Chio-Chio-san” is a lyrical drama that fully and multifacetedly reveals the image main character. The alternation of melodious cantilena arias and expressive recitatives, combined into wide scenes, which is generally characteristic of Puccini’s operatic style, is especially characteristic of “Cio-Cio-san”. The opera's music uses several authentic Japanese melodies, organically woven into the musical fabric.

The first act opens with an energetic introduction. Pinkerton's aria "Yankee Drifter" is marked by courageous, strong-willed features. The lyrical melody of the Pinkerton arioso “Caprice il passion” sounds passionate and enthusiastic. The arioso Cio-Cio-san “It’s not for nothing that he calls me here” is permeated with the ecstasy of love. A large ensemble with a choir conveys the contrasting feelings of the participants: the fears of Sharpless and the confessions of the lover Pinkerton, the admiration or disappointment of the others. Humility and submission sound in the arioso Cio-Cio-san. “Yes, before my fate.” With the appearance of Bonza, the music takes on a tone of ominous menace. The duet of Pinkerton and Cio-Cio-san breathes languid bliss.

The beginning of the first scene of the second act is full of anxiety and worry. Sorrowfully emotional mournful music accompanies the dialogue between Butterfly and Suzuki. Butterfly's aria is filled with a passionate dream of happiness.“Desirable on a clear day.” The sad appeal to his son, “That I will have to take you in my arms,” gives way to the soulful arioso, “Let the flowers be your petals.” The final chorus, singing without words, conveys the silence of the night.

The orchestral introduction to the second scene (second act) 1, with its drama, anticipates the fatal denouement. The light and calm orchestral episode that follows depicts a sunrise. The terzetto music captures Sharpless's persistence, Suzuki's fear and despair, and Pinkerton's repentance. Pinkerton's arioso “Farewell, my peaceful shelter” is filled with sadness. The scene that follows is filled with a sense of wariness and anxious anticipation. Butterfly’s last arioso “And I, I’m going far” is imbued with calm determination. The final chords of the opera sound mournfully majestic.

1 This picture is usually given as an independent third act.

Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa

drama by David Belasco “Geisha”

2 (later - 3)

"Madama Butterfly" (Italian: Madama Butterfly)- opera by Giacomo Puccini in two acts and three parts libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on David Belasco's drama "Geisha". First production: Milan, Teatro alla Scala, February 17, 1904; in a new edition: Brescia, Teatro Grande, May 28, 1904.

Characters

Act one

Japanese house on one of the hills near Nagasaki. Goro shows it to the American navy lieutenant Pinkerton, who is going to live here with the young geisha Cio-Cio-san: their marriage according to Japanese ritual should soon take place. The American consul Sharpless appears, to whom Pinkerton expresses his frivolous views on life, in particular on marriage with a Japanese woman, leaving him the opportunity to eventually marry an American. But in the distance the voices of Cio-Cio-san and her friends are heard. Cio-Cio-san, nicknamed Butterfly, talks about her life: her father was a noble samurai, but poverty forced the girl to become a geisha. She is ready to renounce her religion if Pinkerton wants it. When the wedding ceremony is completed, a cheerful feast begins, which is interrupted by the arrival of Butterfly's angry uncle, the bonze. He learned about his niece’s intentions to convert to Christianity and curses her along with other relatives. Pinkerton drives everyone away and takes his wife into the house.

Act two

Part one

Three years have passed. Butterfly waits in her house for Pinkerton's return and convinces Suzuki's maid that he will return soon. Sharpless and Goro enter: the consul is holding a letter in which Pinkerton asks him to inform Butterfly that he married an American. Sharpless does not dare to tell the young woman about this. He advises her to agree to accept Prince Yamadori's proposal. Butterfly shows them his little son: he is waiting for his father. A cannon shot is heard, announcing that an American ship has arrived at the port. Butterfly is overwhelmed with joy, she decorates the house with flowers and waits for Pinkerton. Night is coming. Suzuki falls asleep next to the child, Butterfly is awake!

Part two

It's getting light. Butterfly, tired from a sleepless night, lay down to rest. At this moment, Pinkerton, his wife Kat and the consul enter the house: the lieutenant hopes that his former lover will give him the child. Having learned from Suzuki how she was waiting for him, he cannot contain his excitement. Butterfly guesses everything from Kat’s face and from the words of the consul. She will give her son only to his father in half an hour. When everyone leaves, she curtains the room and prepares for death. Suzuki pushes the boy into the room, hoping to turn his mother away from her terrible intention. The young woman tenderly bids him farewell, gives him toys and blindfolds him, and behind a screen stabs herself with a dagger. She still has enough strength to return to the child and hug him for the last time. Pinkerton's voice calls her, the lieutenant and the consul enter the room. Cio-Cio-san, dying, weakly gestures to them at his son.

Productions

The two-act version of the opera, which Cleofonte Campanini conducted during its premiere at La Scala, failed.

With a change in some details, especially in the first act, and with the division of two acts into three parts (that is, practically into three acts), the opera was a triumphant success at the Grande Theater in Brescia after about three months. On May 29, the premiere of the new edition of Madama Butterfly took place on the stage of the Grande Theater in Brescia, in leading role Salome Krushelnitskaya performed. This time the reception was completely different. The applauding audience called the actors and composer to the stage seven times. After the performance, Puccini sent Krushelnitskaya his portrait with the inscription: “To the most beautiful and charming Butterfly.”

In 1907, the Ricordi publishing house published the final version.

Productions in Russia

Music

Opera(in Russian version - "Chio-Chio-san") is a lyrical drama that fully and multifacetedly reveals the image of the main character. The alternation of melodious cantilena arias and expressive recitatives, combined into wide scenes, which is generally characteristic of Puccini’s operatic style, is especially characteristic of “Cio-Cio-san”. The opera's music uses several authentic Japanese melodies, organically woven into the musical fabric.

First act opens with an energetic introduction. Pinkerton's Aria "Yankee Drifter" ("Dovunque al mondo lo yankee vagabondo"), framed by the melody of the American anthem, is marked by courageous, strong-willed features. Lyrical melody of Pinkerton's arioso “Caprice il passion” (“Amore o grillo”) sounds passionate and passionate. The arioso of Cio-Cio-san is permeated with the ecstasy of love “It’s not for nothing that he calls me here.”. A large ensemble with a choir conveys the contrasting feelings of the participants: the fears of Sharpless and the confessions of the lover Pinkerton, the admiration or disappointment of the others. Humility and submission sound in the arioso Cio-Cio-san “Is it easy for someone who was rich to remain poor?” (“Nessuno si confessa mai nato in poverta”), "Yes, before my fate".

Nervous fugato in imitation XVIII century turns into an image of a conversation between guests using Japanese music, and we begin to distinguish the colors of typical instrumentation, ringing and airy. The crowd of Butterfly's relatives and acquaintances invited to the wedding ceremony enlivens the full movement of the scene, which Puccini directs with a confident hand: it is an amazing piece of collective performance with a sweet, meticulous rendering of exotic features. In general, the contradiction between the two types of mentality tends to be resolved, especially in the image of the main character.

With the appearance of the bonze, the music takes on a tone of ominous menace. The duet of Pinkerton and Cio-Cio-san breathes languid bliss “Oh, what an evening!”, “I keep admiring your eyes” (“Viene la sera...”, “Bimba dagli occhi pieni d’amore”). The newlyweds' duet sounds very European, follows masterful, well-tuned patterns, very well orchestrated, marked by various magnificent ideas, full of rustling leaves and aromas, but at the same time so drawn out that it involuntarily creates the impression, which is then fully confirmed, of Pinkerton's insincerity.

Start first scene of the second act filled with anxiety and worry. Sorrowfully emotional mournful music accompanies the dialogue between Butterfly and Suzuki. Butterfly's aria is filled with a passionate dream of happiness. “On a clear day, desired” (“Un bel di, vedremo”). Sad message to my son “That I’ll have to take you in my arms” gives way to a soulful arioso “Let the flowers be their petals” (“Scuoti la fronda”). A lullaby that protects the child’s sleep and the mother’s vigil, choral singing with the mouth closed, creates a gentle, miraculous image of a woman, conveys the silence of the night.

Orchestral intro second scene of the second act its drama anticipates the fatal outcome. The light and calm orchestral episode that follows depicts a sunrise. The terzetto music captures Sharpless's persistence, Suzuki's fear and despair, and Pinkerton's repentance. Pinkerton's arioso is filled with sadness “Farewell, my peaceful shelter” (“Addio, fiorito asil”). The scene that follows is filled with a sense of wariness and anxious anticipation. After the first section of the last arioso Butterfly "And I, I'm going far", imbued with a calm determination, reflecting a close connection with the ritual of the ancestors, the young woman rushes to the melody of the Western style, as if extending her arms to protect her child. When the last syllables of a word "abbandono" ("I am leaving") the melody moves into the tonic of B minor and from here begins its terrible flight to the dominant, accompanied by heavy gong strikes according to a very simple, archaic and impressive arpeggio pattern - the melody, squeezed by the limits of tonality, pours out into a stream enormous power crashing against this terrible thing "gioca, gioca" ("play, play")

Puccini's opera Madama Butterfly was written in 1903, after the composer traveled to London and visited the Prince of York's Theatre. At that time, the play “Geisha” by the American writer-playwright Belasco was on stage. The background to the appearance of this performance goes back to 1887, when J. Long's story about the unhappy love of a Japanese priestess of entertainment, a geisha named Cio-Cio-san, was written. This sad story formed the basis for the production of “Geisha” and then “Madama Butterfly”. The plot of the opera exactly repeats the story of tragic fate young Japanese woman.

Score and libretto

Giacomo Puccini was shocked by the content of the play and, returning to Milan, he began writing the score, having previously enlisted the support of two of his friends, the librettists of the La Scala theater Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica. The composer had a burning desire to create a bright work that could become a masterpiece in the world of opera. It must be said that his ambitions were quite natural, because the composer already had such works as “Tosca” and “La Boheme” written earlier.

Illika and Giacosa wrote the libretto in the shortest possible time, and the future opera itself was called “Madama Butterfly,” which means “butterfly lady.” However, Giacomo Puccini himself, as a result of his passion for motor sports, soon suffered in an accident, which put him to bed for a long time. Work on the score had to be interrupted. After some time, the composer resumed work, but it progressed slowly.

Premiere

The opera "Madama Butterfly", the plot of which was full of tragedy, was written by Giacomo Puccini at the end of 1903. The premiere of the play took place on February 17, 1904 at the La Scala Theater in Milan. Contrary to expectations, the opera "Madama Butterfly", the plot of which, it would seem, could not leave anyone indifferent, was received by the public without enthusiasm. The reason for the failure of the performance was that the action was too drawn out, the audience got bored, and by the end of the second act they began to disperse altogether.

Criticism of “Madama Butterfly” was also negative, reviews in newspapers were full of words: “not imaginative,” “boring, “boring.” Giacomo Puccini was depressed, but did not give up. The composer took into account all the shortcomings of the performance, divided the overly prolonged action of the production into three equal parts, the libretto was noticeably livened up, events began to develop with sufficient speed, the opera took a form that the audience especially liked - predictable, expected actions of the characters, but with a certain intrigue.

The libretto of the new performance was almost completely rewritten. The authors expanded the image of the maid Suzuki, she became a more characteristic heroine. During Pinkerton's absence, Cio-Cio-san became close to the maid, their relationship became similar to friendship. The role of the main character's mother also became more significant.

Success of the play

In May 1904 it was published new production. This time, the public liked the play "Madama Butterfly", the plot of which was radically updated. Critics also responded positively. After several performances at La Scala, Puccini's opera Madama Butterfly began its triumphant march through European theaters. Later the production will be successfully staged in America.

Opera "Madama Butterfly": summary

The play is based on the story of the unhappy love of a young Japanese woman named Cio-Cio-san. The opera "Madama Butterfly", the plot of which reveals all the ugliness of human meanness, is built on the suffering of a cruelly deceived innocent girl.

Marine lieutenant, American Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton is in a love affair with a geisha named Cio-Cio-san, nicknamed "Butterfly". He is going to marry a girl and swears to her eternal love. In fact, the young rake started a dishonest game. In a conversation with the American consul Sharples, he confesses his intentions to him. The fact is that, according to American law, a marriage entered into in Japan does not have legal force in the United States, and Pinkerton intends to use this circumstance to his advantage. Having married Cio-Cio-san, he, in fact, remains a free man.

Sharpless condemns Benjamin's actions and appeals to his decency. However, for Pinkerton it is more important to establish himself as a kind of conqueror of women's hearts, to defeat a defenseless girl and use her love for his self-affirmation. At the same time, the officer’s honor and upbringing do not allow Benjamin to simply abandon Cio-Cio-san; he tries to observe the rules of decency. However, he never manages to do this.

Love Cio-Cio-san

On long evenings the lovers sat in the tea room. Cio-Cio-san tells Pinkerton that her father was a noble but poor samurai. So she had to become a geisha and entertain visitors. But now that love has come, life has taken on a new meaning, she is ready, for the sake of her beloved Benjamin Pinkerton, to renounce her religion and accept Christianity. One of the girl’s closest relatives finds out about this and tries to dissuade her from taking a rash step. The girl does not want to listen to anything, she is blinded by love.

Pinkerton's marriage and departure

Pinkerton marries Cio-Cio-san, a year later she gives birth to a son. The couple live together for some time, and then the husband leaves for America, leaving his wife with a child in her arms under the supervision of a maid named Suzuki. In the USA naval officer accepts honors, attends military clubs and makes new friends. Pinkerton does not remember his wife, who remained in Japan. Meanwhile, Prince Yamadori is wooing her. A noble Japanese man sincerely loves a girl, confesses this to her and proposes to her. Sharpless tries to help him, who accidentally finds out about the matchmaking. In response, Cio-Cio-san points to his son and makes it clear that the boy needs his own father.

Return of Pinkerton

Three years have passed since Benjamin left Japan. Cio-Cio-san is still waiting for her husband to arrive, she has cried all her tears, but hopes for happiness in the future. The young woman shares her experiences with Suzuki, convincing the faithful maid that her husband is about to arrive. She, in turn, tries to support and console her. The little son is growing up, the loving mother is happy to watch the baby play and the only thing that worries her is the long absence of her husband.

Meanwhile, Pinkerton takes advantage of the legal freedom granted to him by American laws and marries his compatriot named Kat. He then writes a letter to Sharples to inform Cio-Cio-san about his new marriage. However, the consul does not dare to tell the girl the truth. Soon a cannon shot is heard, an American ship has arrived at the port of Nagasaki. Pinkerton and his new wife are on board the ship. Cio-Cio-san, in anxious anticipation, suspecting nothing, decorates the house and yard with flowers.

Tragic ending

Benjamin appears arm in arm with Kat, and with them the consul. Cio-Cio-san is shocked, she understood everything. The young woman gives her son to Pinkerton, and her hand is already clutching a small dagger under her kimono. Then she retires to her room, hastily closes all the windows and stabs herself in the chest with a dagger. At this moment, Pinkerton, Kat, Sharpless and Suzuki enter with a boy in their arms. The dying "Butterfly" makes gestures with the last of her strength to take care of her son.

"Chio-Chio-san" in America

Opera "Madama Butterfly" summary And cast which were presented in advance in the US press, created a sensation on Broadway. American theater audiences warmly welcomed touching story about pure girlish love. The play lasted several seasons and became one of the most successful under the name "Chio-Chio-san". theatrical productions of that time. Sometimes the posters said "Madama Butterfly". The opera, whose characters evoked ambiguous feelings in the audience, kept them in suspense from beginning to end. After the end of the performance, the audience greeted the performers standing.

Main characters

• Madame Butterfly - soprano;
• Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton - tenor;
• Suzuki - mezzo-soprano;
• Kat Pinkerton - mezzo-soprano:
• Sharples - baritone;
• Prince Yamadori - baritone;
• Uncle Bonza - bass;
• Commissioner - bass;
• Kuzina - soprano;
• Official - bass;
• Auntie - mezzo-soprano;
• Mother - mezzo-soprano;
• Goro - tenor;

The work "Madama Butterfly" (opera plot, music and libretto) has become a real masterpiece vocal art with great drama. In the person of Cio-Cio-san, images of hundreds of abandoned women with broken destinies are collected, which makes this performance relevant to this day.