Giacomo Puccini 1858-1924

Madama Butterfly

Puccini had good reason to think that his fifth opera, Madama Butterfly, would be a success. His previous operas, La Bohème and Tosca, had quickly succeeded at the box office and the prospects for his new opera, set in Japan, looked very promising. But Puccini’s enemies bought up a large number of tickets for the première, and the performance was greeted by loud booing and catcalls. Though Puccini knew that its negative reception was not entirely his fault, he subjected his score to a thorough revision. The second version was radically shorter and two sections were completely cut, while he added an extra aria for the tenor in the third act. Three months later, the second version of Madama Butterfly was premièred, and was the resounding success he had anticipated. The libretto by Giacosa and Illica is based on the true story of a sixteen-year-old Japanese girl Cio-Cio-San (Butterfly), who marries an American naval officer, bears him a child and whom he abandons. The tragic conclusion comes seven years later when Lieutenant Pinkerton returns to Japan with his American wife to take away the child. Unwilling to live in shame, Cio-Cio-San commits suicide.

Press comments on Madama Butterfly in 2004:

‘The production of Butterfly is as delicate as fine calligraphy.’

Guido van Oorschot in the Volkskrant, 25 May 2004

‘Directors Tobias Hoheisel and Imogen Kogge offset the musical vision of the opera with imagery that is inventive and disconcerting, to reveal the decay and degradation by which Butterfly is overwhelmed.’

Peter van der Lint in Trouw, 25 May 2004

‘With Ai-Lan Zhu in the title rôle, the Reisopera has a fantastic Butterfly. Not to be missed!’

Doron Nagan in Algemeen Dagblad, 26 May 2004

‘The sets and costumes are full of Japanese local colour. Through a transparent screen, Butterfly’s first entrance and her night of love with Pinkerton are presented as visions of great beauty.’

Eddie Vetter in the Telegraaf, 25 May 2004